Reed Smith

Reed Smith, a global Am Law 40 firm

Case Study: The Modern Legal Experience Engine

A Composable Digital Platform for Reed Smith

Client: Reed Smith, a global Am Law 40 firm
Sector: Legal services
Our Scope: Technology strategy, backend engineering, complex integrations, design
Collaboration: Living Group, brand & experience design lead
Launch Date: December 2025

Novicell partnered with global law firm Reed Smith to architect and deliver a next-generation digital platform aligned with the firm’s elite market position. As the technical foundation and integration partner, we led the strategy, architecture and implementation of a composable ecosystem designed for long-term evolution, performance and governance.

Platform Performance at Launch

1.3 0 Seconds

Mobile page load speed. A 91% improvement over the previous platform

100 0 %

Accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA)

0 0 Blocking delays

The page is fully interactive from the moment it loads

Slow experience

Mobile page load times approached 15 seconds, which is unacceptable for C-suite buyers, general counsel and business leaders making rapid decisions where speed and confidence matter.
Fragmented search

Search results appeared as one undifferentiated list, forcing users to scroll extensively and leading to expertise discovery failures.
Manual data management

Siloed systems forced marketing teams to re-key lawyer and event information, pulling efforts away from higher-value work.
Rigid architecture

A monolithic platform restricted innovation, required major rebuilds to adopt new technology and increased time to market for critical updates.

The solution: composable architecture for a modern legal experience

To support its new visual brand and operate with the reliability and confidence expected of an elite Am Law firm, Reed Smith required more than a redesigned website. It needed a structural foundation engineered for speed, precision, unified intelligence and continuous evolution. Rather than rebuild another legacy monolith, the firm adopted a composable architecture using Umbraco as the CMS foundation. This was supported by API-driven components that enable integration, performance and long-term adaptability as the firm’s needs evolve. This decision addressed core priorities: faster access to expertise, unified knowledge and operational confidence at scale.

Outcomes

Zero-friction performance

Mobile load time dropped from 14.8 seconds to 1.3 seconds, representing a 91% improvement.
Curated search

Users find relevant expertise instantly, and the firm retains control over how results are shaped, increasing confidence that buyers are seeing the firm’s most relevant capabilities.
Unified insights

Consolidation strengthens institutional authority and reinforces the firm’s standing as a market-leading adviser.
Continuous data integrity

Marketing and other business services teams gain efficiency, while clients see accurate, up-to-date information across the site.
Security by design

Independently verified A+ security ratings validate that the firm meets enterprise security standards, supporting client due diligence and building confidence with risk and procurement teams.
Content migration

We completed the migration with minimal downtime and no disruption to editorial workflows, protecting the client experience and internal productivity during a critical transition.
Future-ready content foundation

A long-lasting, adaptable content platform that protects investment and reduces future replatforming costs.
Managed infrastructure

A highly reliable, resilient platform with reduced operational risk, enabling the firm to treat its digital presence as a protected business asset rather than an operational burden.
Integrated content

Reduced operational effort frees marketing teams to focus on creating original, high-impact content that strengthens market presence.

Agency collaboration

As part of the Reed Smith website launch, we worked alongside the global brand and digital agency Living Group.

Living Group led the brand and experience design for the website and, through that work, developed the refreshed visual identity adopted by the firm. We ensured that the new visual identity could be executed at scale on a composable platform supported by modern architecture and system integration.

“We wanted a modern digital platform that improved the experience for our clients and users, while giving the firm the flexibility to evolve. Novicell understood that from day one. The composable architecture provides a strong technical foundation that elevates the user experience and supports the firm’s continued growth.”

Rebecca M. Blaw

Senior Digital Marketing Manager

Why it matters

Reed Smith’s new website stands as structural proof that the firm operates at the pace and precision its clients expect. With composable architecture replacing the previous monolith, the firm now delivers instant access to expertise, unified intelligence and real-time accuracy across its global footprint. It closes the gap between expectation and delivery, giving clients frictionless access to the right counsel and offering the market a clear view of what an elite Am Law platform can achieve when engineered to evolve.

The full story here