Duane Morris has bolstered its trial practice group in Houston and New York with the addition of partner Joseph T. Walsh, formerly assistant general counsel at Exxon Mobil.
Walsh said his primary practice areas will include environmental litigation, products liability, commercial disputes, emergency response and risk management counseling.
Originally from Maine, Walsh said his career has been almost evenly split between Houston and New York.
“I really love the professional intensity of both places,” Walsh told The Texas Lawbook.
Walsh obtained his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in New Jersey. While a student, Walsh worked as a law clerk for Exxon. It would be the first of three stints he’d have with the oil giant.
Walsh went to work for Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker after graduating from law school. He worked there for about three years before taking a job with Exxon. Seven years later, when Exxon closed that office and moved to Houston, Walsh wasn’t ready to move to Texas.
He became a name partner at what was then called McCusker, Anselmi, Rosen, Carvelli & Walsh, where he represented Fortune 500 companies in federal and state courts along the East Coast, as well as before regulatory agencies.
Walsh rejoined Exxon and moved to Houston in 2007, where he held various roles across the company’s core legal areas, including chief attorney of finance and external relations and general counsel for downstream companies before becoming assistant general counsel in 2018, according to his firm bio.
Walsh heaped praise on his former employer. Exxon cultivated a strong work ethic while maintaining a culture of care for its employees, Walsh said. But he became eager for a new phase in his career.
“I had an extremely rewarding and satisfying career at Exxon Mobil. I always say it’s the three P’s: the people, the projects and the principles are the strongest that I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime,” Walsh said. “I’ve been blessed with those professional and personal relationships and I think the world of the company. That said, I just thought it was time for a change.”
In his return to private practice, Walsh found similarities to Exxon’s work culture at Duane Morris.
“When you look at the strength of their people and their principles and their projects, there are just really strong parallels with Exxon Mobil,” Walsh said. “I’ve worked with Duane Morris and their attorneys for a number of years and they work hard, they work smart, and they get terrific results.”
Walsh noted that he’s known Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor for more than 40 years.
“Joe Walsh is a nationally prominent litigator and environmental attorney and a great example of the type of marquee talent who adds significantly to our platform,” Taylor said in the firm’s announcement. “After nearly two decades of leadership at ExxonMobil, we are very pleased that Joe selected our firm to develop the next phase of his dynamic career and secure the best results for our valued clients.”