Ronald Fox | Partner

Admissions: Missouri, Illinois; U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Circuits; various U.S. District Courts in Missouri and Illinois.

Practice Areas: Maritime | Environmental | Product Liability / Insurance Coverage | Commercial Litigation

Education: St. Louis U. Sch. of Law, '81, Washington University, '78

Associations/Affiliations: Maritime Law Association, Missouri Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association, Madison County Bar Assoc. St. Clair County Bar Assoc., Bar Assoc. of Metro. St. Louis, Missouri Org. of Def. Lawyers

Contact: p: 314.588.7000 x 122 | f: 314.588.1865 | e: RFox@FoxGalvin.com

Biography:
For nearly 30 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 handling hundreds of serious cases. Ron has tried contract, medical malpractice, product liability, trucking, and other complex or high exposure cases, including:

  • Leading a team of attorneys in a major environmental action involving RCRA, clean air, and water claims involving the mining industry.
  • 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.
  • Keeping 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.

Ron Fox's practice currently includes maritime, environmental 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.