Thelen Energy Partner May Light Up Reed Smith
Thelen shareholder Ellen Bastier may be jumping ship, along with some of her colleagues, to Reed Smith.
All of Reed Smith’s 325 equity partners were asked to vote this week on whether to acquire Bastier, a San Francisco-based energy lawyer in Thelen’s business department, the Recorder reports.
An unnamed Reed Smith partner confirmed the vote, which ends today, to the newspaper and said “a handful” of other Thelen lawyers would come with Bastier.
Bastier counts Vestas Wind Co. among her clients, and recruiters and former Thelen affiliates estimate her book at more than $5 million, the Recorder notes.
The movement of Thelen lawyers—100 so far this year—has been closely watched in recent weeks in the wake of Heller Ehrman’s dissolution in late September. A partner exodus at Heller triggered a contract clause that caused Bank of America and Citibank, Heller’s credit suppliers, to “step in and force the firm to pay up,” the Recorder reports.
