Virginia lawyer named global managing partner for Reed Smith

Reed Smith LLP said Thursday that Global Managing Partner Gregory B. Jordan is leaving the firm to join PNC Financial Services Group Inc. Alexander  “Sandy” Thomas of Vienna, formerly Global Chair Litigation at Reed Smith, will succeed Jordan as the firm’s Global Managing Partner.

Jordan will become executive vice president general counsel and head of regulatory and government affairs at PNC and also will have responsibility for the PNC Foundation and the Corporate Ethics Office.

“It has been a great honor to lead Reed Smith and work with so many wonderful people,” Jordan said in a statement. “It will be difficult to leave, but I am excited about this new opportunity to help lead a great company and client like PNC. “

Reed Smith has grown under Jordan's leadership into a global law firm, with 1,800 lawyers in 25 offices throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  The company has offices in Richmond, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., with 24 lawyers in Richmond and 40 in Falls Church.

Founded in 1877,Reed Smith represents international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises in a broad range of industries including health care and life sciences, financial services, energy, real estate, media and entertainment.

The firm's Executive Committee unanimously supported Thomas to assume the Global Managing Partner role. He is a commercial litigator who, after serving in the U. S. Justice Department, joined Reed Smith in 1999 through the firm’s combination with Hazel & Thomas PC. He served for five years as a Practice Group Leader, then as Litigation Department Vice Chair for two years.

He was elected to the firm’s Executive Committee in 2009, and for the past year has served on Reed Smith's senior management team as chair of the Litigation Department.

Thomas, 47, is a 1993 graduate of Washington & Lee School of Law in Lexington.