Global law firm 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 is a member of our Environmental & Natural Resources Group and helps clients maximize business opportunities and manage risks associated with environmental, energy, climate change and ESG/sustainability issues. Maiden operates in the western United States, based in San Francisco, so its geographic function will cover several of the firm's offices: five in California, three offices in Texas and Chicago.

Jennifer Smokelin is one of their ESG practice leaders and memeber of Environmental & Natural Resources Group. She is based in Pittsburg and represents clients on environmental and emerging energy issues, greenhouse has legislation, and others related environmental issues. Smokelin is U.S. sustainability partner. She operates in the east, so her geographic role will cover the nine offices in the Eastern time zone.

Elle Todd is EMEA Sustainability Partner. She has extensive experience contributing to award-winning green initiatives in both the UK and Asia. Todd is resident in London office and a member of Entertainment & Media Industry Group. Her new geographic role Will cover 13 offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Increased internal commitment to sustainability

These appointments follow the launch of the firm’s Global Environmental Sustainability Plan 2024, which underpins Reed Smith’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 existing 140 hours of billable credit 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.