PHILADELPHIA, January 2, 2024—Duane Morris LLP has named partner Stephen H. Sutro as co-chair of the firm’s Trial Practice Group. Sutro joins Sharon L. Caffrey in the firmwide leadership of Duane Morris’ largest practice group, comprising more than 40 percent of the firm’s attorneys. He succeeds partner Wayne A. Mack, who will serve as emeritus chair of the Trial Practice Group and continue practicing as a partner.
“If there’s a lawyer who lives and breathes Duane Morris, it’s Wayne―and he has contributed significantly to our success,” said Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor. “Wayne’s service to the firm and leadership has been exemplary, and we are so pleased that it will continue well into the future.”
“Steve is a bona fide leader who will be a great co-chair with Sharon for our Trial Practice Group. Our largest practice area now has a dynamic team ensuring continuity along with new ideas and insights for the next stage of our development,” Taylor added. “Importantly, this appointment creates a more geographically balanced approach to our litigation practice. Duane Morris has enjoyed a 30-year growth trajectory in California, a trend that has generated even greater momentum in the last several years. Steve has contributed significantly to our success in California and we will benefit from the addition of his nationally recognized talent to our practice leadership team.”
The Trial Practice Group at Duane Morris most recently was named a Litigation Leader in multiple categories in BTI Consulting Group’s Litigation Outlook 2024, ranking nationally in Complex Commercial Litigation (top 5% of all firms), IP Litigation (top 11% of all firms), Class Action Litigation (top 11% of all firms) and Commercial Litigation (top 14% of all firms). Duane Morris was also recognized by BTI Consulting as one of the 12 “Most Feared Law Firms in Litigation.”
Sutro has led investigations and litigation on behalf of clients in matters involving government contracts and false claims, antitrust laws, securities fraud and insider trading, RICO, corporate governance, the environment, food and drug, homeland security and customs enforcement, trade secrets and public corruption. He is experienced in crisis management and managing responses to media in high profile investigations and litigation. The nature of Sutro’s practice demands experience not only in the courtroom, but also in risk management and compliance, strategies to minimize potential criminal and civil liability, and committed advocacy in the pursuit of justice.
Sutro, a member of the firm’s governing Partner Board, is a fourth-generation San Francisco lawyer. He is a member of the board of governors for the Northern California Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. Sutro has written and lectured on such topics as internal corporate investigations, SEC enforcement, antitrust enforcement, insider trading, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, trade secret litigation and joint defense agreements. He has been recognized for outstanding pro bono service by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the Bar Association of San Francisco.
Sutro is a graduate of the Santa Clara University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1994), where he was the senior comments editor of the Santa Clara Law Review, a merit scholar and now serves as a member of the School of Law Advisory Board. He is also a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
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.
