11/29/2005
Leading West Coast Trial Lawyer Joins Cooley Godward
San Diego, Calif. - November 29, 2005 — Cooley Godward LLP announced today that Steven M. Strauss will join the Firm December 1, 2005 as a partner in its Litigation department. He will be resident in Cooley’s San Diego office. Strauss joins the Firm from locally-based Procopio Cory Hargreaves & Savitch where he was head of its litigation practice. At Cooley, Strauss will focus on complex business litigation and intellectual property and patent litigation.
Strauss has not lost a trial in his 24 years of practice. During his career, he has obtained trial verdicts and settlements in excess of $100 million including a $40 million judgment for breach of partnership and fiduciary duty – one of the largest jury awards in the State of Arizona. He also successfully represented and defended the City of San Diego resulting in the well-publicized renegotiation of the San Diego Chargers lease.
“I have unfulfilled ambitions as a trial lawyer and the transition to Cooley Godward will help me realize those ambitions by providing me with the opportunity to step-up to a national platform with national and international cases,” said Strauss.
“We continually look for opportunities to build a deeper national trial practice. Steve’s extensive trial experience in complex business litigation will further reinforce our position as a dominant litigation presence nationwide,” said Stephen Neal, chairman and CEO of Cooley Godward. “Steve adds extraordinary strength at the senior trial levels of the Firm. By joining Cooley, Steve simultaneously benefits our clients, his career and our Firm.”
“Steve is highly regarded as a premier litigator in San Diego as well as an important contributor to our community,” said Fred Muto, partner in charge of Cooley Godward's San Diego office. “Not only is he a superb trial lawyer with few peers in our market, but his civic contributions on the Boards of the La Jolla Playhouse, the Junior Seau Foundation and other organizations are unparalleled. We are delighted to welcome him to our team.”
Strauss received his law degree in 1981 from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a 1978 graduate of Claremont Men’s College. In 1994, 1995 and 2003, he received the Outstanding Trial Lawyer award from The San Diego Trial Lawyers Association. He is currently President of the Board of Trustees of the La Jolla Playhouse, Trustee of The Bishop’s School, a member of the International Council of the Salk Institute and a member of the Board of Directors of the Junior Seau Foundation.
About Cooley Godward’s San Diego Office
Cooley Godward’s San Diego practice has evolved into the preeminent law office serving technology and life sciences companies, venture funds and investment banks in the Southern California region. The San Diego office represents more than 225 technology and life science companies.
About Cooley Godward
Cooley Godward is an established provider of strategic litigation and business transaction services and a recognized leader in the representation of high-growth private and public companies, financial institutions, venture capital firms and nonprofit organizations. Our singular focus on providing the highest quality legal services has enabled our clients to achieve their strategic business objectives and garnered for Cooley recognition as one of the country's leading law firms.
Cooley was recently named to The American Lawyer magazine’s 2005 “A List,” the publication’s annual ranking of “the best of the best” among the nation's top law firms. For additional information please visit www.cooley.com.