Reed Smith kick-starts global associate secondment programme

Reed Smith Richards Butler has introduced a secondment programme to give associates overseas experience, mainly in the US.

Currently 40 associates from across the firm are involved in the programme, with a quarter of those hailing from the UK. At least two London associates are about to head to the firm's New York office, while a counterpart from New York is moving in the opposite direction.

Tim Foster, the firm's London managing partner, said associates can choose which office they want to go to, with the firm also having offices in Paris, Munich, Geneva and Dubai. However, the thrust of the programme is to get people to the US.

"That's where most of our offices are, so that's our main focus," said Foster. "Before our merger we had associates going to Pittsburgh, but that's been extended because we want to get people going out to New York and Chicago."

At this stage the focus of the secondment programme is on associates, although partners are eligible to participate as client relationships and business interests allow.