Reed Smith Playbook (Direct TC 2028)

Reed Smith just launched their direct TC. It's a unique opportunity for you to secure a TC at a top global law firm.

In this Playbook we've got all the research you need to impress them including:

🧠 Practice Area Strategy
🌍 Office and Growth
💼 Top Clients and Deals
🔎 How to Stand Out

Deadline: 27 May (get your app in ASAP)

Must-Know

• Reed Smith is doubling down on private capital (private equity, finance, public markets)
• It is expanding into markets where capital is flowing (US growth cities and Saudi Arabia)
• It is building a model that combines transactions, regulation and disputes

What Reed Smith is looking for

Strong candidates will show they understand three things:

• How private equity and finance are driving deal flow
• Why regulated sectors like financial services, energy and life sciences need integrated legal advice
• How firms build long-term client relationships by combining transactions with regulatory and disputes capability

Everything in your application should connect back to this.

Practice Area Strategy

In short: Reed Smith is building around private capital and regulated sectors. Transactions generate work, but regulation and disputes make those relationships long-term and more valuable.

Private capital

Reed Smith’s clearest priority is private capital.

In its 2025 results, the firm highlighted private equity and finance as some of its busiest areas. More importantly, its recent office launches reflect that focus. The Boston office was built around private equity, M&A and fund formation, while Atlanta and Denver were also developed with strong sponsor-side and finance capability.

This aligns with a broader market shift. As traditional bank lending becomes more constrained, private equity and private credit are playing a larger role in financing transactions. Clients therefore need advice not just on deals, but on financing structures, regulatory issues and post-deal risk.

Reed Smith is positioning itself across that full lifecycle. It's not just targeting transactions, it is embedding itself in how capital is raised, deployed and managed.

💡 Say this to impress: “Reed Smith’s expansion into US growth markets suggests it is targeting sponsor-led deal flow, particularly in private equity and private credit, while building capability across the full capital lifecycle.”

Public markets: time to adapt

While IPO activity has been uneven, Reed Smith’s approach to public markets shows it sees this as a big opportunity.