WOMEN CEO REPORT

Casey Ryan

Reed Smith LLP

Casey is the Global Managing Partner and Executive Committee Chair of Reed Smith. In her 28 years at the firm, Casey has served in several leadership roles including Global Head of Legal Personnel, Global Chair of the Labor & Employment Group and Vice Chair of the Litigation Department. As Global Head of Legal Personnel, Casey led the firm’s compensation, promotion, and hiring processes. She developed several key associate initiatives, including Reed Smith Associate Life and Reed Smith Associate Advantage. She worked closely with the firm’s Wellness Works and Alumni initiatives and was integral to the launch of both.

As a recognized trial lawyer in the firm’s Labor & Employment Group, Casey is listed in The Best Lawyers in America©, Chambers USA and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. Casey has represented employers in a wide variety of employment-related disputes, including harassment, retaliation, discrimination, wrongful discharge, equal pay and breach of contract litigation. She has successfully litigated in federal and state courts throughout the United States, and has routinely appeared before both federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and various state human relations commissions. She also has successfully defended employers in employment class actions and in litigation brought by the EEOC. A member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, Casey is an accomplished trial lawyer who has secured defense verdicts in federal court jury trials and has extensive trial experience in the arbitration context.

As part of counseling employers on day-to-day issues, Casey regularly advises on issues of hiring, disciplining and firing in both unionized and non-unionized workplaces. She also authors employment policies, executive contracts, separation agreements and employee handbooks. Casey frequently conducts on-site training sessions on topics such as workforce management, workplace violence, harassment and discrimination, and computer and Internet usage.

Casey routinely represents colleges and universities on employment issues, as well as those involving tenure, Clery Act compliance and student affairs. She is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and has presented at NACUA’s national conferences.

Additionally, Casey has conducted numerous internal investigations into matters including fraud, embezzlement, theft, discrimination and harassment. She also trains human resource professionals on conducting and documenting internal investigations.