In early 2025, the Los Angeles wildfires devastated communities across Southern California, displacing families, destroying homes, and leaving thousands navigating an overwhelming and unfamiliar insurance landscape. With deep roots in the region and many of its own staff members directly affected, Reed Smith* mobilized its Insurance Recovery Group (IRG) to respond. What began as an internal effort to support colleagues quickly expanded into a large-scale pro bono initiative aimed at helping wildfire victims understand their rights, document losses, and access the insurance benefits essential to rebuilding their lives.
We spoke with members of Reed Smith’s Insurance Recovery Group, including Amber Finch, IRG’s Global Chair and Partner of the firm’s L.A. office, and Ben Fliegel, IRG partner and Managing Partner of the firm’s L.A. office, about this effort and the importance of rapid mobilization, cross-office collaboration, and leveraging specialized legal expertise to support communities in crisis.
- Please tell us about this project.
The Los Angeles wildfires that began in early January 2025 were a tragedy that impacted thousands of people, businesses, and other entities in the region with effects that are still being felt today. Reed Smith, with offices in downtown Los Angeles, Century City, and Orange County, has a significant presence in the region, and it became immediately clear to the firm that many of our own personnel were directly affected by the fires and in need of assistance. Our Insurance Recovery Group (IRG), a leading global practice of policyholder-side insurance lawyers experienced in the challenges of disaster recovery, has a strong presence in southern and northern California and has been dealing with these issues for years. Our team took immediate action to help colleagues in need and provide access to our expertise in insurance claims. We quickly recognized that our abilities would also be helpful to many people outside of the firm, so we rapidly formed a task force of volunteers with the goal of providing critical insurance information and guidance to others in need of assistance at no charge.
In order to accomplish these goals, we promptly set up a pro bono hotline, so that those affected by the fires could call in and receive information about the duties insurance companies owe to their policyholders, and how to best document and prepare the claim in order to obtain any and all insurance benefits to which they were eligible. We also prepared informational booklets that we made publicly available, and hosted webinars so that this information could be quickly and widely disseminated to the thousands of California residents who were affected by the fires. Over the following months, our team of lawyers helped multitudes of our neighbors who were facing terrible circumstances and did not know where to turn. It was incredibly fulfilling to be able to utilize our unique experience in this field to help our community.
- What has been the role of Reed Smith volunteers in this project?
While the fires were still raging, the Insurance Recovery Group (IRG) rapidly formed a team of lawyers from across its U.S. offices to provide pro bono assistance to wildfire victims in need of insurance assistance. Over the course of several months, this task force of 46 IRG lawyers (51 total Reed Smith lawyers) donated over 900 hours of their time answering calls and questions, at a value of over $1 million. The team utilized its vast experience in maximizing claim value and disaster response to answer questions, provide updates on California insurance law and regulations, and guide those affected through the insurance claims process.
Additionally, the team created and disseminated a Wildfire Relief Resources Guide and a FAQ document that were shared widely by victims to help address their immediate questions. Throughout the crisis and its aftermath, we closely monitored the crisis and its ramifications on insurance. We then updated the documents accordingly i to provide the latest and most relevant information possible to victims. These documents, along with client alerts and blog posts on the subject, were made available on a purpose-built page on the Reed Smith website so that visitors could easily access the most accurate and up-to-date information during what was often a chaotic and rapidly evolving situation.
- What organization(s) did the law firm collaborate with for this project? Why are collaborations with them so important?
In the weeks following the outbreak of fires, the firm partnered with the Cal Tech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the African American Board Leadership Institute, the University of Southern California, and Pepperdine University to provide informational webinars for audiences of affected individuals and/or businesses from those institutions. We also have been working closely with United Policyholders, a non-profit entity committed to serving the needs of policyholders, to get key information disseminated as quickly as possible to the greatest number of people.
These live webinars provided fire victims with critically important insurance-related information, including first steps for victims to take, how victims can make sense of their insurance policies, the filing of claims on such policies, FEMA assistance, and additional resources available to victims to aid in their recovery.
- What is the impact of this pro bono work?
The L.A. wildfires pro bono team provided targeted guidance that helped Los Angeles wildfire victims navigate the complex insurance claims process after the 2025 fires. By explaining coverage, assisting with claim preparation and submission, and clarifying how California’s insurance regulations applied, our lawyers helped residents avoid common pitfalls and accelerate claim resolution. We also connected victims to other available forms of assistance, expanding the support beyond insurance recovery. In total, the team devoted nearly 900 hours, delivering practical, timely help that improved access to benefits and sped up financial recovery.
- What would you say is the most challenging part of this type of work?
The most challenging aspect for us was learning the true nature of the damage caused by the fires. After the fires, our co-workers were displaced, and our community was devastated. People not only lost their lives and homes, but also years of irreplaceable personal belongings. Historic buildings and communities were lost. Some families have owned their homes for generations, and are not in a position to rebuild, especially if underinsured. Even a fully paid claim cannot restore what was lost or make them whole. Hearing these stories and knowing that there are hundreds of them is not easy. It can be difficult to discuss the road ahead, with potential coverage disputes, increased costs of construction, and housing shortages caused by the fires.
- Is there any advice that you would give to other law firms who want to become more focused on a certain pro bono issue?
Lawyers and law firms need to know what issues are important to their communities and see how they can meet the needs of people. The law can be a blunt tool and is not very effective at addressing trauma. Do not let that stop you, and do not let it slow your response. Use the tools that you have to make an impact in the area so that you can provide value to the people who live and work around you.
| Each year, the signatories to the PBI Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® and Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® initiatives provide important pro bono services to underserved, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure the legal assistance needed to address critical problems. The PBI Signatory Showcase spotlights some of the amazing work signatories have done to serve those in need. VIEW THE SIGNATORY SHOWCASE |
* denotes a Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® signatory
** denotes a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory
† denotes a Law Firm Pro Bono Project® member