myGwork | LGBT-Friendly Organisation

Driving progress through partnership

Reed Smith is a global law firm with more than 1,800 lawyers in 28 offices throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States.

Operating as one global partnership, we represent leading international businesses from FTSE 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises; advising clients on cross-border transactions, international commercial disputes and regulation. We specialise in industries including financial services, life sciences, healthcare, energy and natural resources, advertising, technology and media, shipping and real estate.

We all share a common culture, with core values supporting the firm’s commitment to add value, achieve excellence, and promote professional development.

Career development

CareeRS is Reed Smith’s firmwide, competency-based career development program. It is designed to ensure that the firm provides the best legal representation to its clients, while at the same time providing our lawyers and staff with the transparency, development opportunities, feedback and support they need to help them achieve their individual career goals at Reed Smith

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are central to our business. The talent pool is changing rapidly and we are determined to attract candidates from the widest pool possible, to continue to be competitive and to ensure the very best service for our clients. We see differences as a strength and we work hard to ensure a fair and inclusive environment for all, where the unique insights, perspectives and backgrounds of individuals are valued.

We run a number of programmes focused on all aspects of diversity and inclusion, including: race and ethnicity, disability, social mobility, gender equality and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

LGBT and our PRISM Network

Reed Smith prides itself on being an open and inclusive place for all LGBT individuals to work and provides a friendly, supportive and respectful environment for all of its employees.

Our LGBT network in the UK, PRISM, acts as a great forum to socialise and network within Reed Smith and with the wider LGBT community, both in the City and elsewhere. As well as meeting on a regular basis, the network liaises with and takes part in events organised by other LGBT support and networking groups such as the InterLaw Diversity Forum, the Gay Women’s Network and The Network of Networks (TNON). In January 2015, we hosted a lively breakfast debate for TNON at our offices, the first TNON event of 2015, which was attended by senior representatives from the LGBT networks of over 60 high-profile clients and other organisations.

We proudly support many LGBT charities and initiatives through our pro bono work and recently sponsored, for the second year running, the high-profile InterLaw Diversity Forum Winter Carnival, an event which raised over £60,000 for the Albert Kennedy Trust. We are also a Stonewall Diversity Champion and are working closely with Stonewall to promote LGBT issues at Reed Smith and across the legal industry.

Members of our PRISM Network attend LGBT and general graduate recruitment events, which gives junior members of the firm in particular the opportunity to represent the firm, meet future joiners and promote Reed Smith as a friendly and inclusive place to work.

The PRISM Network includes individuals from all parts of the firm and all levels of seniority, from partners to trainees and non-fee earners. Everyone is welcome to get involved in whatever capacity they choose, whether this is just coming along to our social events or supporting our wider activities.

Graduate opportunities

Ambitious and entrepreneurial graduates are rewarded at Reed Smith with a training programme that is supportive, challenging and exciting, offering unparalleled client and international secondments. Our unique culture, which allows trainees to turn passions into careers, is one of the reasons our lawyers remain with us for such a long time, moving seats, jobs roles and even countries, but sticking with the firm.

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"Diversity and inclusion are central to our business. The talent pool is changing rapidly and we are determined to attract candidates from the widest pool possible, to continue to be competitive and to ensure the very best service for our clients. We see differences as a strength and we work hard to ensure a fair and inclusive environment for all, where the unique insights, perspectives and backgrounds of individuals are valued. We run a number of programmes focused on all aspects of diversity and inclusion, including race and ethnicity, disability, social mobility, gender equality and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community."

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2015.11.25

Anonymous

I worked at Reed Smith a number of years ago and, whilst the firm has always created an inclusive environment for its staff, there was certainly not as much activity in the LGBT space as there appears to be now. I am glad to see that Huw and Alicia are leading lots of initiatives and really driving forward Reed Smith's diversity and inclusion agenda.

2015.11.27

Huw M.

We're thrilled to be the first international law firm to partner with myGwork. The site gives us an incredibly valuable platform for attracting more top LGBT talent into our organisation as well as allowing us to showcase our diversity credentials.
Huw Morris, co-chair of PRISM

2015.11.30

Jonathan A.

I am a future trainee solicitor at Reed Smith, and very recently undertook a vacation scheme at the firm. I found the environment, especially in departments like media, to be very welcoming and people with differences were actively embraced and made to feel part of the team. I've also worked with Reed Smith before joining on Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and was struck by the passion and commitment they demonstrated to these, far more than any other firm I applied to.