Tuesday, June 7, 2005
Page 3
Retired Appellate Justice Margaret Grignon Joins Reed Smith Firm
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Retired Justice Margaret M. Grignon of this district’s Court of Appeal has joined Reed Smith LLP’s Los Angeles-based appellate practice, the firm said yesterday.
Grignon retired from the bench at the end of last year. She spent 14 years on the Court of Appeal, where she authored more than 2,200 opinions, about160 of which have been published.
We are delighted to welcome Judge Grignon as a colleague,” Kathy M. Banke, head of Reed Smith’s appellate practice, said in a statement. “She will provide a senior presence for our expanding Southern California appellate group.”
Banke also commented that Grignon “had an active civil practice before becoming a Justice, so she understands clients and will bring an important perspective to our efforts.”
After graduating first in her class at Loyola Law School in 1977, Grignon began her legal career as a clerk for Justice Robert Thompson of this district’s Court of Appeal. . She subsequently specialized in tax and business law with O’Melveny & Myers and Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye, before opening her own private practice in Palmdale.
“I am looking forward to this next phase of my career at Reed Smith,” Grignon said. “I already count several members of the firm as admired personal acquaintances and know this is an environment in which I can continue to make significant contributions to the practice of law and the system of justice.”
Grignon’s judicial career began with her appointment to the Antelope Municipal Court in 1984. She was elevated to the Los Angeles Superior Court in 1987 and appointed to the Court of Appeal in 1990.
“Justice Grignon is a superb addition to this office and to the firm,” Peter J. Kennedy, Reed Smith’s Los Angeles market managing partner, said. He cited her experience in business/commercial, employment, family, insurance coverage and bad faith, intellectual property, legal and medical malpractice, personal injury and premises liability law. “
Pittsburgh-based Reed Smith has grown to more than 1,000 lawyers, largely through mergers with other U.S. and European firms, and is believed to be among the 25 largest law firms in the world.
The firm acquired a California presence three years ago through a merger with Crosby Heafey Roach & May. Among the lawyers it acquired in that merger was George Schiavelli, who had been presiding judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court Appellate Division before joining Crosby Heafey.
Schiavelli left Reed Smith to become a U.S. district judge.
Copyright 2005, Metropolitan News Company