PALO ALTO, Calif., July 25, 2023 — Duane Morris LLP has appointed Brian L. Johnsrud managing partner of its Silicon Valley office. Johnsrud succeeds Stephen H. Sutro, who took on the role last year while also serving as office head in San Francisco since 2014. He will be maintaining his position as office head in San Francisco, as well as his practice with the firm in commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense.
“We owe Steve an enormous debt of gratitude for his clear-eyed leadership in San Francisco, as well as for the direction he has provided the Silicon Valley office over the last year,” said Matthew A. Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris. “Brian is an excellent lawyer and a proven leader, having performed in a similar capacity at the Curley, Hurtgen & Johnsrud firm, with which we were fortunate enough to combine last fall. Since then, he has cemented his imprint on the fortunes of both the office and the firm at large, particularly given some of the important client relationships he and his team have brought with them as well as some very important client wins obtained in that short space of time.”
Johnsrud has represented companies in their most challenging employment law matters for more than 25 years. When anticipatory and strategic work does not prevent a dispute, he defends companies in multiple forums, from agency proceedings and hearings to arbitration and litigation. Johnsrud defends a wide variety of claims, from whistleblower/retaliation claims to gender, age and race discrimination cases as well as executive contract and compensation matters. He has defended many PAGA actions as well as other wage-and-hour claims. Johnsrud is a frequent adviser on sensitive investigations and executive separations.
A long-time resident of Silicon Valley, Johnsrud focuses his client representation in the technology, finance, and bioscience and life sciences industries. He has worked on employment law issues for artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, clean energy, communications, electronic gaming, hardware, internet, medical devices, mobile devices, semiconductors, software and transportation companies. Johnsrud has worked with startups and mid-size companies, as well as many of the largest technology companies in the world.
“I look forward to the opportunities and challenges the position of managing partner presents. I intend to do everything possible to advance the Silicon Valley office and cement Duane Morris as a staple of the legal community in Northern California,” said Johnsrud.
Johnsrud is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1996) and Saint Cloud State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1993).
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.
