When Harry Plotkin came to the firm, it had eight lawyers. He lived in the same neighborhood as Al Arent and Henry Fox, and the three took turns car-pooling, often in an Oldsmobile station wagon.
Founded in 1942 and now with more than 350 attorneys in offices in Washington, DC, New York and Los Angeles, Arent Fox is a dynamic, diversified firm with 31 practice groups and an emphasis on litigation, intellectual property, life sciences and real estate/finance.
from Fortune 500 companies, government agencies and foreign governments to start-up companies, entrepreneurs and nonprofits.
Henry J. Fox, who founded the firm in 1942, started its labor, government contract and administrative practice. He successfully argued a case before the US Supreme Court establishing the obligation of the US government to pay double and premium pay to a large class of government employees who were required to work without extra pay on legal holidays during World War II. He served as the firm’s first managing partner.
Albert E. Arent joined the firm in 1944 and was actively involved in the business community and local charitable affairs. He founded the firm’s tax and real estate practice and was the initial guiding force behind the firm’s pro bono work. The firm’s award for outstanding pro bono work is named in his honor.
Edwin L. Kahn joined the firm in 1955 after serving in high-level positions with the Internal Revenue Service, where he played a prominent role in drafting the 1954 Internal Revenue Code. He was very active in the American Bar Association and was instrumental in establishing the firm’s national reputation in the field of federal income taxation.
Harry M. Plotkin joined the firm in 1956 after serving as the assistant general counsel to the Federal Communications Commission and founded the firm’s communications practice. He argued many important cases before the US Supreme Court, including cases that were significant in the development of the doctrine of freedom of speech as it applied to the media.
Earl W. Kintner joined the firm in 1961 after serving as chairman and general counsel of the Federal Trade Commission and helped build the firm’s national reputation in the field of federal trade regulation. He was also a major supporter of the Legal Aid Society and the Federal Bar Association. With Earl Kintner’s arrival, the firm adopted the name Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn. It was changed to Arent Fox in early 2004.
The firm grew steadily and by the 1970s was largely guided by two senior partners, Robert B. Hirsch and David M. Osnos.
Bob Hirsch joined the firm as a part-time clerk in 1949 while studying at George Washington University Law Center and became a full-time associate in 1950. He was made partner in 1956 and was an original member of the Executive Committee when it was established in 1978. Regarded as one of the most versatile lawyers at Arent Fox, Bob Hirsch continues to focus on corporate, securities and real estate law.
David Osnos joined the firm in 1956 after graduating from Harvard Law School. He was made partner in 1962 and was the original chairman of the Executive Committee. His principal areas of legal practice are tax, securities, real estate, sports and estate planning.
In the late 1990’s, David Osnos led more than a dozen Arent Fox lawyers working on the development of the MCI Center, the District of Columbia sports and entertainment complex developed by Abe Pollin, owner of the NBA’s Wizards. Arent Fox helped negotiate contracts and land acquisition issues with the District of Columbia. Since the early 1990s, Arent Fox has grown its health, food and drug, life sciences and bond financing practices to complement its already strong litigation, real estate and regulatory practices.
In January 2000, Arent Fox acquired the patent firm Nikaido, Marmelstein, Murray & Oram to strengthen its intellectual property practice.
Marc Fleischaker became Arent Fox chairman in 1997. He joined the firm in 1971, became a partner in 1978 and has been a member of the Executive Committee since January 1983. William Charyk joined the firm in 1973, became a partner in 1980, and served as managing partner for the firm for four years in the 1990s and was again appointed to this position in 2003.
Arent Fox opened its New York office in 1991 with nine lawyers and is in the process of expanding the office to 100 lawyers. In early 2008, Michael Blass was named the partner in charge of the New York office.
In January 2007, Arent Fox merged with O'Brien Abeles LLP, a Los Angeles litigation boutique. Robert O'Brien, who co-founded O'Brien Abeles in 1999, is the partner in charge of Arent Fox LLP's Los Angeles office.
In March 2010, Mark M. Katz succeeded Marc Fleischaker as chairman of the firm. In honor of Marc Fleischaker's successful 14 year tenure as chairman, the firm’s Executive Committee named him Chair Emeritus of Arent Fox.
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