Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed joins global law firm as a partner

Kasim Reed, Atlanta’s former two-term mayor, has joined Squire Patton Boggs as a partner, the firm announced Monday.

Reed, who became an associate at Paul Hastings and later a partner at Holland & Knight after earning his bachelor’s and law degree from Howard University, said he has known attorneys at Boggs for years and was always impressed by the caliber of its people and vast international footprint.

“When considering my return to private practice, it became clear that the firm offers a unique proposition to the market,” said Reed in a statement. “Joining a firm that places such a high value on diversity was also incredibly compelling.

“The fact that so many of the firm’s leadership, including the global managing partner and the team [in] Atlanta, are diverse is unique and refreshing.”

Reed served as member of the Georgia General Assembly for 11 years, beginning as a House representative in 1999. He became a state senator in 2002 and served as vice chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

In 2009, Reed launched a successful bid to become Atlanta’s 59th mayor, serving two terms from 2010-2018. He launched a historic bid for a third term last year, but he conceded after being locked out of the runoff between City Council President Felicia Moore and Councilman Andre Dickens.

Squire Patton Boggs opened in Atlanta in 2018 with three partners and has grown into an office of approximately 30 lawyers. The firm also recently hired J. Randolph Evans, the former ambassador to Luxembourg during the Trump administration.