Duane Morris Announces New Leadership
Duane Morris is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael L. Fox as the new Managing Partner of its San Francisco office, effective January 3rd. Fox is a distinguished trial lawyer with extensive experience, succeeding Stephen H. Sutro, who transitions to a firmwide leadership role as the co-chair of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group. With a background in toxic tort, environmental release, and general liability matters, Fox brings a wealth of expertise to lead the San Francisco office during this time of growth and expansion. Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris, Matthew A. Taylor, commends Fox’s leadership skills, emphasizing his contributions since joining the firm in 2018. Taylor expressed confidence in Fox’s ability to build upon the legacy of Sutro. BASF congratulates and wishes Fox the best in this new position to enhance the firm’s standing in the San Francisco community and beyond.
Mark Fong to Senior Counsel at Minami Tamaki
2024 Leader Circle firm, Minami Tamaki proudly welcomes B. Mark Fong to the esteemed role of Senior Counsel, effective January 1st. Fong has led the firm’s personal injury practice since 2019, succeeding Dale Minami himself. With a tenure dating back to 2006 and becoming partner in 2024, FOng’s leadership has played a pivotal role in navigating generational transitions within the firm. Moving forward B. Mark Fong will continue to lend his expertise to personal injury cases while actively participating in community engagement, business development, and mentoring initiatives under the guidance of Managing Partner Sean Tamura-Sato.
Venable Promotes Amit Rana to Partnership
Venable proudly announces the promotion of Amit Rana to partnership in its San Francisco office. Specializing in commercial disputes and class actions, Mr. Rana is a seasoned litigator with a notable focus on successfully defending businesses against consumer class actions. With over 75 such cases under his belt, he brings a variety of experience in industries including consumer-packaged goods, multi-site franchises, food/restaurant, and computer software. Rana’s election to partnership underscores the commitment to excellence and client-centric legal solutions of Venable, a Leader Circle firm. Best of luck to Amit Rana!
Laura Zagar’s PBS NewsHour Interview on Challenges for Women in Law
In a recent interview, Laura Zagar, Perkins Coie San Francisco Office Managing Partner, shed light on the enduring challenges faced by women in the U.S. legal profession, drawing attention to the barriers that persist decades after Justice Sandra Day O’Connor appointment. As a Leader Circle firm, Zagar highlights the success of Perkin Coie’s San Francisco office, where a majority of partners are women. The interview served as both a reflection on the legacy of Justice O’Connor and a call to action, urging the legal community to continue dismantling obstacles and striving for gender equality. Zagar’s leadership at Perkins Coie stands as a testament to the transformative impact that proactive measures can have on creating a more equitable future for women in law.
Insights by Judith Waltz on Speaking of Health Law podcast
Judith Waltz, Managing partner of Leader Circle firm Foley & Lardner and Co-Chair of the Health Care Practice Group, recently participated in a podcast by the American Health Law Association, where she discussed important developments in health law for 2023 and expectations for 2024. She focused on significant changes in Medicare such as approaches by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to enrollment and enforcement, the inclusion of mental health providers in billing, and limitations on Medicare Advantage plans. Looking forward, she emphasized the importance of transparency in private equity investment, scrutiny over business structures for potential kickbacks, and challenges when it comes to cost controls. We commend Waltz for bringing her expertise to important developments that are sure to impact a significant number of individuals.
David Seidel promoted to partner at Joseph Saveri Law Firm
The Joseph Saveri Law Firm is pleased to promote David Seidel to partner. With experience in litigation, Seidel’s practice areas include antitrust, class action, and consumer protection. Since joining the firm in 2022, he has been a key player to many cases like their Varsity All Star and Scholastic Cheer Market Price Fixing Litigation, Medical Center Employee No-Poach Litigation, and the Microsoft Acquisition of Activision Litigation in addition to his pro bono representation for clients in need such as Guatemalan refugees and veterans suffering PTSD. His remarkable work has been recognized by Best Lawyers as “Ones to Watch” for 2023 and 2024, a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, and by Lawdragon for its “500X – The Next Generation” guide. We commend David Seidel for his contributions thus far and wish him luck as he steps into a leadership position at the firm.