SAN FRANCISCO, January 3, 2024—Duane Morris LLP has appointed Michael L. Fox managing partner of its San Francisco office. Fox succeeds Stephen H. Sutro, who served as managing partner since 2014. Sutro was recently named to the firmwide leadership of Duane Morris’ largest practice group as a co-chair of the Trial Practice Group.
“As Steve transitions from his office management role to a practice group one, we’re fortunate to have a depth of talent in our San Francisco office to fill his well-regarded shoes,” said Matthew A. Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris. “Michael is a respected, heavy-duty trial lawyer who is well known and highly regarded in the Bay Area. Having joined us in 2018 as part of the group that came over to Duane Morris from the former Sedgwick firm, he carried management responsibilities, including recruiting, partnership recommendation, mergers and retirement plan oversight. We know he will serve the firm well in this critical market.”
Fox represents energy producers, chemical and equipment manufacturers, construction and pharmaceutical companies and public entities in toxic tort, environmental release, general liability and serious personal injury matters. He has extensive experience litigating complex, multiparty disputes involving alleged exposure to airborne and groundwater contaminants, as well as commercial disputes involving antitrust claims, trade secrets, corporate governance and insurance. Fox has tried and arbitrated several cases to verdict. He has argued numerous appeals before the California Supreme Court, California Courts of Appeal and the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including disputes involving toxic exposures, insurance coverage, privacy rights, public access, premises liability, civil procedure and application of California’s anti-SLAPP statute.
“It’s an exciting time of growth and expansion for our San Francisco office, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Fox. “I look forward to building upon the work Steve has done this past decade to further enhance our contributions to the San Francisco community and the firm as a whole.”
Fox is a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law (J.D., 1994) and the University of Pennsylvania (B.S., 1991).
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today’s multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 900 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. Duane Morris has been recognized by BTI Consulting as both a client service leader and a highly recommended law firm.
