I chose Dechert because of its global footprint, its commitment to clients and quality, and its reputation in my area of life sciences intellectual property. Since I joined in the summer of 2015, my team in our Boston office quickly grew from zero to 16 people and continues to grow. Dechert is an energetic and entrepreneurial firm and is willing to back up its ambition with real resources. Onboarding was a breeze. There were already lots of laterals here, so people were very understanding and willing to help. I am now co-chair of the firm’s global life sciences practice, and I have been elected to the firm’s Policy Committee. It is very clear that laterals are welcome at the top table and have prominent roles to play in the strategic direction of the firm. Dechert’s partnership is made up of about half homegrown talent and half lateral partners. Homegrown lawyers maintain the culture and the spirit of Dechert and laterals bring in fresh air and new perspectives. That is a great mix and helps drive Dechert’s continued growth and success. Diversity is something I have actively promoted within my team. We have a good mix of men and women and people from different cultural backgrounds. We also have team members from different economic backgrounds, which I see as equally important from a diversity perspective. The more diverse you make that pool of incoming lawyers, the fresher the new perspectives are going to be.
In 2016, I was named one of the 10 most Innovative Lawyers in North America by Financial Times and won the Legal Expertise category “Enabling Clients to Innovate.” This was only a year into my life at Dechert. I could never have achieved this without total commitment from the firm to me, my team and my practice. At Dechert, I am a better lawyer. There is a real emphasis here on entrepreneurship, resources and supporting new partners. The infrastructure is excellent. This allows my team and I to provide a better service to our clients. Ms. Reid is co-chair of Dechert’s intellectual property practice, co-head of Dechert’s patent counseling and prosecution team, co-lead of Dechert’s global life sciences group and member of the firm’s Policy Committee.
“At Dechert, I am a better lawyer.”
ANDREA L. C. REID Partner – Boston Intellectual Property
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