Ronald Fox

For 25 years, Ron Fox has successfully defended clients in hundreds of cases in more than 35 jurisdictions nationwide. Well known as an effective maritime defense attorney, Ron has also successfully represented clients in a wide variety of high stakes trials.

In the maritime area, his exceptional defense results include:

First appellate ruling in the United States to hold that maritime employers are entitled to a jury trial in Jones Act suits
Over 15 judgments denying seaman status to Jones Act plaintiffs, including 6 jury verdicts
Front-page coverage for a defense verdict in a million dollar maritime contract and bailment action related to the Great Flood of 1993
Numerous defense verdicts in Jones Act cases tried throughout the Midwest, including “tough” jurisdictions such as the City of St. Louis, Madison and St. Clair Counties, Illinois, and federal district court in East St. Louis.

Recognized as a premiere maritime trial attorney throughout the inland waterways, Ron has published numerous articles on maritime issues and been a frequent speaker at national maritime conferences.

Beyond his maritime work, Ron has broad experience successfully defending dozens of serious cases. Ron has tried contract, medical malpractice, product liability, trucking and other complex or high exposure cases, including:

Defense verdict for a hospital in a Madison County, Illinois, suit charging wrongful death for failure to diagnosis a dissecting aortic aneurysm
Multi-million dollar judgment for a prominent St. Louis brewing family member in a will contest trial, including sealing the courtroom and keeping the matter out of the press
Defense verdict in the City of St. Louis for a refuse truck manufacturer involving crush injuries and death
Holding a plaintiff’s verdict to $8,100 when a Fortune 50 client admitted liability after a trucking accident causing plaintiff’s above-the-knee amputation
Successfully defending Japanese kerosene heater manufacturers in numerous product liability burn and fire damage cases throughout the region
Obtaining a judgment for an insurance underwriter charged with bad faith, fraud, and punitive damages

Ron began his legal career as a clerk to Missouri Supreme Court Judge A.J. Higgins. In his appellate practice, he has obtained numerous favorable rulings, including:

Successful argument in the Missouri Supreme Court establishing a basis to defeat venue in the City of St. Louis
In the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, reversing a multi-million dollar verdict against a lawnmower manufacturer due to improper denial of the state-of-the-art defense
Affirming jury findings of no seaman status in two separate appeals
Affirming judgment for a hospital arguing no duty to obtain patient consent to surgery

Ron Fox’s practice currently includes maritime, products liability, health care, insurance and commercial litigation matters, typically in Missouri or Illinois but also on a regional or national basis. He is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 6th, 7th, and 8th Circuits, and various United States District Courts in Missouri and Illinois.