Duane Morris Marks 20 Years in Los Angeles at Academy Museum Celebration

LOS ANGELES - The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures provided a fitting stage as Duane Morris LLP celebrated its 20th anniversary in Los Angeles Wednesday evening.

"It was the perfect setting," said Cyndie M. Chang, managing partner of the Los Angeles office. "The Academy Museum honors storytelling and creativity -- qualities that reflect our firm's own journey here."

Chang, who joined Duane Morris as a junior associate nearly 20 years ago and has led the Los Angeles office for the past decade, reflected on both the firm's progress and its people. She spoke about balancing leadership with motherhood, recalling how she was appointed managing partner while pregnant with her second child -- a testament, she said, to the firm's support of women and families.

"When our office first opened, it was a small but ambitious team with a shared vision," she said. "Since then, we've grown into a dynamic practice as vibrant as Los Angeles itself -- spanning industries from entertainment to energy, real estate to environmental law. But what makes our story special isn't just growth -- it's the people, the relationships, and the shared commitment to excellence that define every chapter."

Chang thanked clients for their trust, staff for their dedication, and colleagues for their partnership, offering special recognition to long-time office manager Diane Martinez and to the firm's leadership team. "You make Duane Morris more than a firm -- you make it a family," she said.

Following Chang's remarks, Matthew A. Taylor, chairman of Duane Morris at the Philadelphia headquarters and only the ninth to hold that role in the firm's 122-year history, praised the Los Angeles team for its achievements in a "tough but extraordinary market."

"Twenty years in Los Angeles is a remarkable milestone," Taylor said. "This city demands excellence and rewards resilience -- and our office here has delivered both."

He highlighted the Los Angeles team's strength in litigation, business transactions, and complex product liability matters, noting that the office "packs more punch per partner than almost any other" in the firm's 29 global locations. Taylor also recognized recent growth in environmental, employment, and entertainment law, citing new additions such as Viviana L. Heger, Rebekah K. Prince, and Viviana L. Heger.

"Our attorneys here are leaders, not only in California but across the firm," he said. "They collaborate nationally and internationally, contributing to nearly a third of our cross-office work. That collegiality and culture are what make Duane Morris truly special."

Before the event program began, guests mingled among the museum's cinematic exhibits and city views.

"Tonight was about reflection," Chang said, "but also about momentum. Here's to the next 20 years -- brighter, bolder, and even more inspiring than the last."