August 28, 2005, Pittsburgh, PA – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Reed Smith LLP, a top 25 international law firm, this month parlayed its recent defense successes into a coveted spot on the National Law Journal’s “Defense Hot List.” The firm was one of ten chosen for the inaugural list.
“It is gratifying to have our results recognized by such an important industry publication,” said Gregory B. Jordan, Reed Smith’s firmwide managing partner. “It’s the equivalent of making first team for our defense efforts. This accolade is well-deserved by the partners who devoted themselves to achieving these terrific results for the firm’s clients.”
The NLJ noted that Reed Smith is at the forefront of litigation for its defense of ongoing fen-phen litigation in Philadelphia, where more than 12,000 plaintiffs who opted out of the class settlement filed suit and most cases were tried on a reverse-bifurcation basis, in which the issue of injury and damages is considered in Phase I and the question negligence, if a plaintiff prevails in Phase I, is considered in Phase II. It also made note of the denial of class certification in a proposed statewide class action in a major medical monitoring case for one of the firm’s largest pharmaceutical clients.
Other firms selected for the honor in 2005 included Baker Botts; Dechert; Fish & Richardson; Howrey; Kaye Scholer; King & Spalding; Latham & Watkins, Munger Tolles & Olson; and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
