PHILADELPHIA – Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matt Taylor has been named a recipient of the Most Admired CEO Award by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Taylor, who has been the chairman and CEO of Duane Morris since 2018, was honored with a select group of local executives on December 8, 2022.
The Business Journal received more than 100 nominations from a broad range of industries for the 2022 Most Admired CEO Awards. An editorial team selected a group of 26 local executives for the eighth class of awardees. According to the Business Journal, “Honorees are established leaders with a strong record of innovation in their field, outstanding financial performance, a commitment to quality, a strong vision, a commitment to diversity in the workplace and contributions to Greater Philadelphia.”
Duane Morris is a Philadelphia-based law firm with more than 900 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. Since assuming the role of chairman and CEO, Taylor has overseen one of the most significant growth periods in the firm’s nearly 120-year history and has also led the prioritization of the firm’s industry-focused client initiative, which is now deeply ingrained in the firm’s fabric and culture.
Taylor joined Duane Morris in 1997 and served as the chair of the firm’s Trial Practice Group, the firm’s largest practice, from 2005 to 2018, when he was appointed chairman and CEO. While leading the firm, Taylor also maintains an active practice in the area of commercial litigation, handling matters in state and federal courts across the United States.
“Under Matt’s leadership, our growth curve and pace of innovation have reached new heights, as has our recruiting program, our policy-making and more,” said Charles O'Donnell, chief operating officer of Duane Morris. “As a result, the Duane Morris brand has earned a powerful and unprecedented position in this extremely competitive business.”
Added Joseph K. West, the firm’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, “Every single day, Matt Taylor comes to work to serve every single member of the Duane Morris family. I always marvel at how he seems to know every member of the firm, every lawyer, every assistant, every receptionist, every mailroom worker. He even knows their family members. In short, Matt cares―and at the end of the day that is the heart of what true leadership looks like.”
“In a business environment where issues of diversity and inclusion―and particularly of women―are paramount, Matt Taylor walks the walk, every single day. He values the diverse views and opinions of Duane Morris’ lawyers and staff, and makes sure all voices are heard and respected,” said Christiane S. Campbell, partner and chair of Duane Morris’ Women’s Impact Network for Success (WINS). “Matt has responded to the changing needs of a modern workplace and made game-changing strides toward improving the benefits―including family planning, parental leave, flexibility and Duane Morris’ innovative ramp down/ramp up policy―for all Duane Morris attorneys.”
In addition to the commitments of his practice and firm leadership, Taylor serves on the CEO Council for Growth (a council of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce) and serves on the board of the Kimmel Center, one of the nation’s leading performing arts organization. Matt also serves on the board of BLOCS (Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools), is a past member of the board of trustees at Malvern Preparatory School and a member of the board of visitors at Georgetown Law.
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.
