Reed Smith

Reed Smith serves as Counsel for First Liberty Institute, focusing on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights.

Prior to joining First Liberty Institute, Reed worked for a high-stakes litigation firm, where he both represented and opposed Fortune 500 companies in commercial and intellectual property matters nationwide at both the trial and appellate levels.

Before joining private practice, Reed clerked for Judge Catharina Haynes of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and Judge Paul Stickney of the Northern District of Texas. Reed also served as a clerk for the Office of the Solicitor General of Texas, helping the State successfully defend an Establishment Clause challenge to the Texas Pledge of Allegiance. Reed is licensed to practice in the State of Texas and numerous federal courts.

Reed is a proud graduate with honors of the University of Florida, where he received a bachelor’s degree with honors in Philosophy. At Florida, Reed was also recognized as Dean’s Scholar and a National Merit Scholar. Following mission work in Poland, Reed attended the University of Virginia School of Law and served as an editor of the Virginia Law Review. Reed also served an officer of the UVA Law Chapters of the Federalist Society and Law Christian Fellowship.

During law school, Reed interned for the United States Department of Justice’s Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination.