Joseph E. Spruill III Joins Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group

Apr. 2011 - Reed Smith LLP has announced the addition of Joseph E. Spruill, III, to the Financial Services Regulatory Practice of its Financial Industry Group (FIG) in the firm's Richmond office.

Prior to joining Reed Smith, Mr. Spruill had served as general counsel of the Virginia Bankers Association since 1994.  Prior to that, he was assistant general counsel at NationsBank Corporation for six years.

"Jay is an exceptional addition to the firm and advisor to our banking clients," said Curtis Manchester, Managing Partner for Reed Smith's Richmond office.  "Having represented the banking industry in Virginia for so many years, he brings a wealth of experience in federal and state financial regulatory policy development and legislative processes, as well as experience in many other aspects of financial reform and regulation at both levels.  We look forward to working with him at the firm."

Mr. Spruill has authored nearly 100 bills enacted by the Virginia General Assembly on issues affecting banking in the state.  He recently served on a five-lawyer working group responsible for making recommendations to the Virginia Code Commission on the re‑codification of the banking and finance title of the Code of Virginia; has drafted numerous comment letters on behalf of the state banking association in response to regulatory proposals; and created and filed amicus curiae briefs on key banking cases before the Virginia Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

"With the rapid pace of reform and regulation in this sector at this time, Reed Smith is well positioned to provide guidance and counsel to many of the nation's largest and most influential financial institutions, as well as to work with legislative, judicial and regulatory bodies on their behalf,"  Mr. Spruill said.

"For our financial services clients, this is a time of unprecedented change, with an avalanche of new regulatory requirements," said Financial Services Regulatory Group Chair Len Bernstein.  "Jay's practical experience will be invaluable to clients striving for compliance with Virginia and federal banking laws."

A 1988 graduate of the University of Richmond School of Law, Mr. Spruill was named a member of Virginia Business Magazine's "Legal Elite" in 2009 in the Legislative/Regulatory/ Administrative category.  He has served on the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia since 1999; is a member and former chair of the Virginia Bar Association, Corporate Counsel Section; and is a member of the American Bar Association, Business Law Section.

Reed Smith is a global relationship law firm with more than 1,600 lawyers in 22 offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.  Founded in 1877, the firm represents international businesses, from Fortune 100 corporations to mid-market and emerging enterprises.  Its lawyers provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and other high-stakes matters; deliver regulatory counsel; and execute the full range of strategic domestic and cross-border transactions.  Reed Smith is an advisor to various industries including financial services, life sciences, health care, advertising, technology and media, shipping, energy trade and commodities, real estate, manufacturing, and education.