Meet Duane Morris’s Next Chairman and CEO

Matthew A. Taylor (L) Matthew Taylor (left) will succeed John Soroko (R) as chairman and CEO of Duane Morris.

In the last 10 years, Duane Morris has grown into a 750-attorney firm that’s expanded internationally and weathered hardships like the financial crisis and major changes in client expectations. And now the leading Philly firm has named Matthew A. Taylor as its next chairman and CEO.

Taylor, firm vice chair and trial practice group chair, will become the firm’s ninth chairman and CEO since the firm’s founding in 1904, assuming the role from John J. Soroko who served as chairman and CEO for the last 10 years. Soroko will become chairman emeritus and return on a full-time basis to his litigation, appellate and mediation practice. 

“As a member of our executive committee for the past eight years, Matt has been a critical part of our firm’s success and he has placed a major role in developing our key business strategies,” Soroko said in a statement. “Most of all, he has a very keen sense for what clients want and need from their law firms, which is absolutely critical in today’s legal industry.”

Taylor says his goals will be to advocate for all current lawyers to expand their practices and to attract new lawyers to further strengthen the firm. “It will be my focus to continue the success achieved by Duane Morris during the 20 years since I joined as a senior associate in 1997,” he said in a statement.

In the last 10 years under Soroko, the firm saw significant increases in revenue, profitability and capital structure. It grew its presence in Philadelphia, New York, Miami and Los Angeles and even established an office in Silicon Valley. The firm expanded operations abroad with Duane Morris & Selvam, the firm’s Singapore-based joint venture and built relationships with clients across Asia in locations including Taiwan, Shanghiai, Myanmar, Oman and Sri Lanka.

Thomas Servodidio, head of Duane Morris’ employment, labor, benefits and immigration practice will succeed Taylor as the firm’s vice chair. The leadership changes will become effective January 1, 2018.

Follow @fabiolacineas on Twitter.