Reed Smith appoints firm’s first sustainability partners

Reed Smith announced the appointment of three partners to help drive progress toward the firm’s sustainability goals. Todd Maiden, Jennifer Smokelin and Elle Todd will serve as the firm’s first sustainability partners. 

• Todd Maiden, U.S. Sustainability Partner – West: Based in San Francisco, Maiden is a member of Reed Smith’s Environmental & Natural Resources Group and helps clients maximize business opportunities and manage risks associated with environmental, energy, climate change and ESG/sustainability issues. His geographic role will cover the firm’s five offices in California, three offices in Texas and Chicago.
• Jennifer Smokelin, U.S. Sustainability Partner – East: One of Reed Smith’s ESG practice leaders and a member of its Environmental & Natural Resources Group, Smokelin is based in Pittsburgh and represents clients on environmental and emerging energy issues, greenhouse gas legislation, and related environmental issues. Her geographic role will cover the firm’s nine offices in the Eastern time zone.
• Elle Todd, EMEA Sustainability Partner: Resident in Reed Smith’s London office and a member of its Entertainment & Media Industry Group, Todd has extensive experience contributing to award-winning green initiatives in both the UK and Asia. Her new geographic role will cover the firm’s 13 offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

These appointments follow the launch of the Reed Smith’s Global Environmental Sustainability Plan 2024, which underpins the firm’s continuing commitment to evolving its operations and behaviors to drive lasting environmental sustainability within the firm, its communities and the legal industry. The plan’s launch included establishment of a sustainability billable-hours policy, the first in the legal industry. The policy, which took effect June 1, 2022, allows timekeepers to count 25 hours of sustainability-related leadership, advocacy, training and development toward the firm’s 140 hours of billable credit available each year for non-billable work.

“Having three experienced and committed partners leading our global sustainability efforts is a key part of our plan,” said Nick Bagiatis, Reed Smith’s chief operating officer. “Together with our sustainability champions and local green team members, Todd, Jennifer and Elle will be champions for our initial focus on reducing carbon emissions, increasing recycling and fostering internal engagement.”

In July, Reed Smith formally launched its Environmental, Social and Governance practice, which advises clients actively transforming their businesses to address climate change, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and other issues of societal consequence.

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