Reed Smith Added Partner in Chicago
Kate Campbell has joined the firm's global corporate and emerging technologies groups.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in People
Reed Smith announced on Tuesday that it has hired Kate Campbell as a partner in its Chicago office. Campbell previously worked at the firm Neal Gerber Eisenberg.
Why it matters
Law firm lateral hires often signal a pivot in service focus, and the addition of expertise in emerging technologies to a global corporate group can shift the advisory capabilities available to Chicago-based startups and established enterprises.
This appointment marks the addition of one partner to the firm's legal team, scaling its presence in the Chicago market. The total size of the firm's regional practice following this expansion remains undisclosed.
The players
Reed Smith
A global law firm that provides legal services to corporations across a wide range of industries.
Kate Campbell
A corporate attorney specializing in emerging technologies who recently transitioned from Neal Gerber Eisenberg.
Neal Gerber Eisenberg
A Chicago-based law firm that serves mid-market companies and institutional clients.
The details
Campbell has joined both the global corporate group and the emerging technologies group. These divisions focus on transactional work and regulatory advisory for companies navigating rapidly evolving technology sectors. Reed Smith's move to recruit from a competitor like Neal Gerber Eisenberg underscores a common industry tactic of poaching specialized talent to build bench strength in high-demand practice areas.
Timeline
Reed Smith announced the hiring of Kate Campbell on September 29, 2026.
Market Landscape
This hire aligns with the established trend of law firm lateral partner movement within major legal markets. It marks the firm's continued investment in corporate and technology-focused legal services.
Operators in the technology sector should review whether their current legal counsel's expertise in emerging tech meets their scaling requirements. The movement of key partners often triggers a reassessment of which firms possess the best bandwidth for upcoming corporate transactions.
The takeaway
The addition of specialized talent to a firm's bench can provide local companies with deeper access to specific industry expertise. Business leaders should track partner-level departures and arrivals at their primary law firms to understand potential changes in service quality and advisory capacity.
Further reading
For more on industry talent moves, visit People.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Bloomberglaw.
