LAWFUEL – (December 7, 2007, Los Angeles) – Reed Smith LLP, one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, today announced the addition of two partners to its growing Los Angeles office. David Halbreich and Douglas Rawles, both formerly with Morgan Lewis & Bockius, will be members of the firmwide Insurance Recovery Practice, effective immediately. Mr. Halbreich was formerly firmwide co-chair of Morgan Lewis’ Insurance Recovery Practice Group. With the addition of Mr. Halbreich and Mr. Rawles, Reed Smith’s Los Angeles office has expanded from under 50 to more than 80 lawyers in the past 5 years.
“We have successfully grown the Insurance Recovery Group in recent years through the addition of high performing partners like David and Doug,” said Douglas F. Cameron, firmwide head of Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Practice. “We know both of them will help us further capitalize on our unique opportunity to build one of the strongest policyholder practices within any international law firm.”
Halbreich has represented clients in a range of industries including telecommunications, manufacturing, oil and gas, financial services, real estate development, electronics, construction and others. His experience focuses on numerous substantive areas, and many different types of policies and claims, including coverage for securities fraud, fiduciary liability, errors and omissions, asbestos and other toxic torts, environmental/hazardous waste clean-up, product liability, first party property, securities fraud, professional malpractice, construction defects, earthquake damage, and patent infringement, among others.
“I was attracted to Reed Smith because of its expanding insurance recovery practice through the Sachnoff & Weaver combination in Chicago and the successful recruitment of other leading practitioners with whom I am familiar,” said Mr. Halbreich. “The firm has a top-end, nationally-recognized insurance recovery practice, and I look forward to contributing to its further growth.”
Mr. Halbreich writes and speaks frequently on issues related to insurance recovery and complex litigation. He earned his undergraduate degree from Binghamton University (SUNY), and his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. He is admitted to practice in California and the District of Columbia.
Mr. Rawles has a broad and varied commercial litigation practice with the primary area of focus insurance recovery litigation, but he also handles consumer class action litigation, intellectual property litigation, and unfair competition matters. He also handles asbestos-related claims and third- and first-party coverage for claims arising from engineering services, manufacturing, and intellectual property disputes.
“I am pleased to have such a solid and well-recognized platform on which to continue building my practice,” said Mr. Rawles. “We know we can contribute to the growth of the policyholder practice on the west coast and see this as a very exciting opportunity.”
A 1991 graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law, Mr. Rawles’ background includes litigating trade secret and technology development disputes for clients in the optical storage and telecom industries and patent litigation in the technology and manufacturing sectors. He has worked on California Unfair Competition Law matters and has litigated complex contract disputes and unfair competition matters for a variety of industries. He is admitted to practice in California and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
The Los Angeles office of Reed Smith recently completed a build out of additional space at its location at 355 Grand Avenue. The firm now occupies three full floors of this significant office tower. Other Reed Smith practice groups experiencing recent growth in Los Angeles include commercial litigation, corporate and employment.
“We are delighted with the recruitment of high quality laterals like Doug and Dave who have the demonstrated expertise required to service the ever-expanding needs of our clients,” said Peter Kennedy, Managing Partner of the LA office. “This office continues to benefit from the Reed Smith/ Crosby Heafy combination five years ago.”
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, with more than 1,500 lawyers in 21 offices throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Founded in 1877, the firm represents leading international businesses from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises. Its attorneys provide litigation services in multi-jurisdictional matters and other high stake disputes, deliver regulatory counsel, and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions. Reed Smith is a preeminent advisor to industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising and media, shipping, international trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education. For more information, visit reedsmith.com
U.S.: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Princeton, Northern Virginia, Wilmington, Century City, Richmond
Europe: London, Paris, Munich, Birmingham, Greece
Middle East: Abu Dhabi, Dubai
