| Still Going Strong
GARY PULEO, By Times Herald Staff,
November 14, 2007
Not many attorneys can say
they’ve been practicing law for half a century.
Even fewer can claim to have been with the same
firm all those years.
But Leon Fox Jr. is one of them.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Leon Fox Sr.,
who set the groundwork for Fox and Fox Attorneys at
Law 85 years ago, the avid sports fan and family man
said his predecessor was an obvious role model for
him.
The elder Fox — who was the first U.S. Assistant
District Attorney in Philadelphia — practiced law for
61 years.
At 75, his son has no time for the “R” word either.
“I really love what I’m doing, which is why I’m still
working and not retiring,” Fox said. “And I have my
son Craig and wife Lois here with me, plus the others
in the office have been here forever.”
Fox’s assistant, Kathleen Duke, came on board at
age 17. Another office manager, Jennifer Dinan, has
been with the firm for a decade.
“So we must be doing something right here,” Fox
said, laughing.
Twenty-five years ago, a fire at the original building at
523 Swede St. forced a move to the current address,
just a few blocks away at Swede and Airy streets.
Fox fondly recalled his first job as a teenager, when
iconic Times Herald sports editor Reds McCarthy
hired him as a stringer.
“Everything except football and basketball,” Fox said.
“The paper had their own reporters to cover those.
Even after such a long and esteemed career, he
remembered McCarthy as one of his biggest
influences.
“He had me writing these articles while going to
school and I learned to make decisions and do things
quickly. So in college, my writing skills were probably
better than some other people’s.”
After graduating A.D. Eisenhower High School
(Norristown High), Fox went on to Penn Law School,
where he met his future wife, a University of
Pennsylvania undergraduate. They’ve been married almost as long as he’s been
practicing law.
“And she’s been my office manager for 35 years,”
said Fox, whose specialties are family law, estates
and personal injury.
Anyone hoping for the inside story on some of the
well-known cases the firm has handled over the years
is out of luck — that venerable client-lawyer privilege thing.
“That never stops, even after a person dies,” Fox
said. “I can never discuss cases, from an ethical point
of view.”
The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently honored
the Norristown native and three others as 50-year
members.
“Every year somebody hits that mark now,” Fox said.
Noting that he had played tennis the previous night
for an hour and a half, he admitted that staying fit has
been a long-time priority. A consistent gold and silver medal winner at the
Pennsylvania Senior Games, Fox relies on those halfhour
or 40-minute daily treadmill stints to keep him at
the top of his game.
For further inspiration in aging well, he needs to look
no further than one of his best buddies, Federal
Judge Bill Ditter.For more than 50 years they’ve served as pitcher and
catcher, respectively, for the annual Pennsylvania
Bar Association softball games.
“We started back in 1956, and the guy is now 85
years old and still playing,” Fox said. “Even when
there’s a 98-degree game, he says, ‘Leon, it’s too hot
for you to pitch.’ In the meantime he’s stooping
behind the plate with his mask on and shin guards.”
Fox then offered the ultimate self-testimonial to a long
and still vigorous run:
“If I had it to do over again, there would be no
hesitancy about anything I’ve done.”
| 
