A. Scott Bolden Becomes Office Managing Partner – Gallatin Shifts to Head of Regulatory Litigation; Thomas Takes on Expanded Commercial Litigation Role
(April 23, 2008, Washington, D.C.) – LAWFUEL – Law Firm Newswire – Reed Smith LLP, one of the 15 largest law firms in the world, today announced several leadership changes affecting its Washington, D.C., office and its firmwide practice group organization.
The firm named A. Scott Bolden as Managing Partner of its office in the nation’s capital; former D.C. Managing Partner James P. Gallatin, Jr., as firmwide head of the Regulatory Litigation Group; and Alexander “Sandy” Thomas as head of its newly-formed Eastern Commercial Litigation Group.
“Reed Smith has a cadre of highly capable individuals ready and willing to assume important leadership positions in the firm,” said Gregory B. Jordan, Reed Smith’s Global Managing Partner. “This is neither accidental nor coincidental, but rather the result of our making substantial and ongoing investments in creating an inclusive workplace that nurtures diverse perspectives, retains and promotes minorities, and is dedicated to leadership training. Scott, Jim and Sandy are outstanding examples of the home-grown talent that positions Reed Smith to achieve future success.”
Mr. Bolden will continue his active practice which focuses on complex civil and criminal defense litigation. As part of his multifaceted practice, he has defended clients in local and federal courts in connection with claims for fraud and breach of contract, employment discrimination, real estate tax, education matters, government contract disputes, tort claims, and other commercial litigation matters. Well-known within the beltway for his many high-profile roles, Mr. Bolden is a Past Chairman of the D.C. Democratic Party, member of the Board of Directors and Past President of the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Individual Development Corporation, Septima Clark Public Charter School, a former Director of the Sequoia National Bank, Greater D.C. Cares, and alternate board member of the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority.
Mr. Bolden is also a member of the Federal City Council, Economic Club of Washington, D.C. and is a 1997 Leadership Washington graduate. In 1998, Mr. Bolden was appointed by Chief Judge Norma Holloway Johnson of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to serve as a member of its Committee on Grievances, a position he held for several years. He has also served on the Board of Governors of the District of Columbia Bar.
A 1987 graduate of Howard University School of Law, Mr. Bolden joined Reed Smith in 1991, after serving four years as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office.
“Reed Smith always has been incredibly supportive of my public service career and my community involvement,” said Mr. Bolden. “I am delighted at the opportunity to give back to the firm by assuming this important leadership position.”
Mr. Gallatin joined Reed Smith’s Washington office in April 1997. He had been the Virginia Managing Partner from 2001 through 2004, when he became the D.C. Managing Partner. A 1977 graduate of American University School of Law, Mr. Gallatin primarily handles government contract issues and investigations on behalf of Fortune 100 companies in the defense, electronics, IT, and health care industries. He is also principal outside counsel to numerous midsized corporations and has a background in international project finance.
In his new position, Mr. Gallatin will have responsibility for managing Reed Smith’s firmwide Regulatory Litigation Group. The Group encompasses more than 70 attorneys in 10 cities across Reed Smith’s U.S. markets, handling a wide range of federal and state regulatory litigation and regulatory enforcement, including actions involving securities, government investigations, antitrust, government contracts, and exports. The Group also works closely with its counterparts in Reed Smith’s European and Asian offices who handle the same issues under EU and Chinese laws. With the heightened enforcement climate in all markets, the firm views regulatory litigation as a critical growth practice in the years to come.
“It has been a privilege to support all those who have contributed to the outstanding Washington office that Reed Smith has today.” said Mr. Gallatin. “I thank them for their help during my tenure as Managing Partner. “Scott has a long record of service in D.C.’s business and legal community, and has been a long-time, valued member of Reed Smith. I am confident he will bring his expertise and many talents to bear to continue the growth and profitability this office. As for my next assignment, with the combined strength of our SEC, Antitrust, Government Investigations, Government Contracts, and Trade teams, I am confident that we can continue to grow this critical practice area, particularly in today’s challenging enforcement climate.”
Mr. Thomas, a 1993 graduate of Washington and Lee University School of Law, is based in Reed Smith’s D.C. and Falls Church, VA, offices. He will be responsible for managing the firm’s newly-formed Eastern Commercial Litigation Group, which includes nearly 100 litigators in the firm’s offices between New York and Richmond.
The Eastern Commercial Litigation Group is part of an overall firmwide litigation team which includes three other groups, Western, Midwestern, and Europe-Middle East Commercial Litigation. The firm’s litigators represent business interests in a wide variety of complex commercial disputes. The lawyers have years of experience in trial work and arbitration in the areas of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary responsibilities and unfair competition and anti-consumer actions. Reed Smith litigators defend allegations of fraud and misrepresentation and disputes among partners and shareholders in all types of business entities. The firm is particularly well-known for its class action defense representation across industries ranging from consumer and industrial products, employment, environment and toxic-tort claims in both state and federal courts.
“Our litigators have significant experience in both state and federal courts from the trial level through the highest state and federal appellate courts,” said Sandy Thomas, head of the Eastern Commercial Litigation Group. “With a geographic reach that extends from New York to Richmond, the Eastern Commercial Litigation Group is distinguished by the depth and breadth of its attorneys’ experience. We’re well situated within the firm and along the Eastern seaboard to handle all our corporate clients’ commercial litigation needs.”
All three management changes are effective immediately.
