Reed Smith Cuts 50 Lawyers, Staff as Firms See Lower Demand (1)

Reed Smith is laying off roughly 50 lawyers and staff, adding to a growing list of law firms trimming headcount during a demand slowdown.

The cuts, announced internally on Friday, amount to a “less than 2%" reduction of the workforce, the Pittsburgh-founded firm said in a statement. The American Lawyer reported that Reed Smith’s cut amounts to 20 staff members and 30 lawyers.

The layoffs are surprising because firms previously trimming jobs focused heavily on the tech industry or had hired considerably through the end of 2021, said Jennifer Henderson, partner and co-founder of legal recruitment firm Hatch Henderson Fivel. ...