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In Memoriam

It is with heavy hearts and sorrow that we bid farewell to our respected partner, colleague, and friend Sam Fox who has left an indelible imprint on our firm. (April 9, 2020)

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To view our firm announcement regarding the passing of Samuel L. Fox, please click here.

Samuel L. Fox

Samuel L. Fox enjoyed a prestigious career at Sterne Kessler. He joined the firm in 1984 and became a named partner in 1990, when the name of the firm was changed to Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox. He served as the managing director of the firm for a decade and retired in 2002.

In retirement, Sam enjoyed life on his farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia raising cattle with his wife Elizabeth. He remained engaged with the firm family attending events and welcoming visitors to his farm, where he and Elizabeth would host a cookout after hiking Old Rag Mountain, a firm tradition.

Sam was a member of Sterne Kessler’s Biotechnology/Chemical Practice Group. With an extensive background in chemical patent law, his technical expertise extended to organic chemistry, diagnostics, genetic engineering, cancer therapeutics, polymers, chemical engineering processes, and related areas. He counseled clients on patent preparation and prosecution, patentability, infringement and validity investigations, United States Claims Court litigation, and contracts.

Samuel Fox, Edward Kessler, Robert Sterne, and Jorge Goldstein

Prior to entering private practice, Sam was an examiner in the Chemical Operation of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Before that, he worked in the chemical processing industry and was an owner and vice president of a chemical processing firm specializing in the recovery of metals, in addition to the production of metal salts for medical and industrial uses.

Sam was deeply engaged with clients. He understood the practical needs and challenges of the chemical and pharmaceutical industries from the perspective of a corporate executive, an applied research chemist, and an intellectual property attorney.

Sam earned his J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center and his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Maryland. After post-graduate course work in biological sciences at The George Washington University, Sam taught chemistry at the University of Maryland.

Sam was more than a law partner—he was a mentor and a dear friend to both attorneys and staff. He was family. Sam will be sorely missed, but his legacy lives on at our firm.