Reed Smith Takes 15 Person Team from Norton Rose

Norton Rose Fulbright was hit with a mass defection as a 15-strong team of lawyers left the firm to join Reed Smith. The team will join their new firm's life sciences health industry group and will be based across New York, Houston, Washington, D.C. and a new office to be opened in Austin.

The group includes Rick Robinson, who had served as global head of Norton Rose's life sciences and healthcare practice and will now serve as Reed Smith's head of international life sciences development, Lesley Reynolds, Cori Goldberg, Jeff Layne, Ben Koplin and both Selina Coleman and Sara Brinkmann, who were formerly associates at Norton Rose and will join Reed Smith as partners. The team also includes one counsel, six associates and one manager.

The group has diverse strengths across the healthcare and life sciences sector, with expertise in regulatory compliance, government investigations and enforcement, class actions defense and False Claims Act disputes. 

Ben Koplin and Jeff Layne will open and be based in the firm's newest office in Austin, its second in Texas and 28th location globally. They will be joined by current Reed Smith partner Craig Tanner, who will relocate from the firm's Houston office.

Reynolds was quick to point out Reed Smith's excellent credentials in the life sciences market, remarking: “Having spent most of my 36-year legal career working for life science and health care clients, I have long been aware of Reed Smith’s reputation as a leading firm in the sector, and its strong domestic and international platform was a key factor in our decision to move. As a team, we have often worked alongside Reed Smith lawyers as co-counsel, and have always been impressed with the firm’s commitment to quality, diversity and client service, as well as the group’s depth of industry knowledge and legal skill.”

“We are combining two of the leading health care and life sciences practices in the world,” added Reed Smith global managing partner Sandy Thomas. “At Reed Smith, the life sciences health industry group is among the firm’s five core industry sectors, and this group adds an incredible depth of experience to an already power-packed team.”