Reed Smith today announced Cristina M. Shea, a partner in the firm’s Insurance Recovery Group and global chair of its Women’s Initiative Network (WINRS), has been named a 2022 “Women, Influence & Power in Law” (WIPL) winner in the category of “Thought Leader.” The recognition from Corporate Counsel underscores Shea’s success in helping Reed Smith’s women lawyers prepare for advancement toward partnerships and leadership positions across its global platform.
Each year, the publication honors exceptional women law firm partners, in-house leaders, and general counsel who have demonstrated a commitment to empowering women in the legal profession and implementing meaningful change.
“Cristina has done an exceptional job of developing WINRS into a powerful asset to our women firmwide,” said Casey Ryan, the firm’s global head of legal personnel. “Under her guidance, WINRS has become a true game-changer, providing our women lawyers a range of innovative programming for attaining higher levels of responsibility and visibility firmwide. She is an inspiration for real change.”
Shea was recognized for her implementation of professional development programming, including the launch of Reed Smith’s Mastermind Program, which provides senior-level associates dynamic opportunities to enhance their professional development through specially curated training and workshops and enhance their professional network within the firm.
“I am truly honored to be selected as a WIPL thought leader,” Shea said. “All of our programming is designed with the goal of retaining our exceptional talent and keeping our women attorneys on a path to success and promotion. The Mastermind Program provides our up-and-coming women attorneys an unparalleled opportunity to experience professional clarity and growth in a trustworthy and candid environment. It’s another great example that demonstrates that when women gather together to support, challenge, and encourage one another, we go further, faster – together.”
After a successful first year in the U.S., Mastermind now extends to women lawyers in the firm’s offices in Europe and the Middle East last year, with similar positive results.
Shea is the fourth Reed Smith woman attorney to be recognized with a WIPL award. Amber Finch, managing partner of the Los Angeles office, won in 2021 in the DE&I category; Janet Kwuon, a Los Angeles-based leader of the firm’s global disputes group, earned WIPL recognition as an innovative leader in 2020; and Ryan, global head of legal personnel, earned recognition as a leader in the category of “Women’s Legal Awards” in 2019.
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