Global law firm Reed Smith has hired Julia Norsetter, formerly an attorney and policy advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation, as the policy and analysis lead for the firm’s global Transportation Industry Group.
Norsetter will be based in Washington DC but will work with all of the attorneys in the group’s global practice, reporting directly to Richard Hakes, global chair of Reed Smith’s Transportation Industry Group. In the newly created role, Norsetter will provide expert analysis and strategic input, as well as sharing insights into the transportation market, specifically in shipping, and aviation and advanced air mobility – representing a number of Reed Smith’s key sectors.
Norsetter brings valuable senior experience to the firm and its clients, having previously developed a range of strategic policies at the U.S. Department of Transportation, including on emerging transportation and advanced air mobility in alignment with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Richard Hakes, global chair of Reed Smith’s Transportation Industry Group, said, “I am delighted to welcome Julia to the firm. We have been actively searching for someone who can provide analysis and policy intelligence, and who has a broad industry knowledge in support of the attorneys and clients in our global group. This represents a significant and market-leading enhancement to our client offering, and Julia is the perfect fit.”
“Our clients in the transportation sector are continuously having to adapt to the changing political, environmental, regulatory and technological landscape, especially over the past three turbulent years. We are routinely involved in many of the most complex and challenging transactions and cases in the market, and having Julia on board to provide significant industry intelligence and specifically to analyze the market and strategize on the challenges and opportunities ahead will provide great value to our clients and to our business.”
“The establishment of this unique and progressive industry analyst role is consistent with Reed Smith’s goal to innovate and deliver value to clients. We are delighted to welcome Julia to the team in Washington, and in supporting the firm’s global effort,” added Douglas Cameron, Reed Smith managing partner Americas.
Norsetter, who graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, said, “Reed Smith has a world-class reputation in the shipping and aviation space and I am thrilled to be joining such a standout group. The transportation sector is undergoing huge change in regards to regulations, environmental considerations, markets changes, new trends and evolving technologies, and with my support, we will be able to better understand the market and provide clients with the most up-to-date advice.”
Reed Smith has advised the transportation industry for nearly a century and its services have evolved to match the needs of clients. The transportation practice covers the full spectrum of legal needs for stakeholders in the industry, including owners, operators, manufacturers and investors, whether they move people or goods, by sea or by air, manufacture or invest in ships, aircraft, spacecraft or components, or anything else the future might hold.
Over the past several years, Reed Smith has been recognized as an innovation leader, appointing an Independent Strategic Advisory Board of three leading business executives to provide the firm with independent counsel to support its strategic growth globally, launching Gravity Stack, a legal technology and solutions subsidiary, and Reed Smith Global Solutions, the firm’s shared-services provider of 450 lawyers, analysts and business services staff.