Morgan Chu

Partner, Irell & Manella

Morgan Chu is a partner of Irell & Manella. He was co-managing partner of the firm for two terms from 1997 to 2003 and has been a member of its executive committee since 1985. He also serves as chairman of the litigation group. After law school, Chu clerked for Charles M. Merrill of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He joined Irell & Manella as an associate in 1977, becoming a partner in 1982. He was lead trial counsel in some of the world’s largest – and in some cases precedent-setting – verdicts, judgments, and settlements.

Enjoy most: I learn from the brightest, most creative people on the planet.

Proudest moment: Seeing our young lawyers perform admirably in the crucible of a trial.

Best advice: Be yourself.

Most excited: In the next 20 years, our world has a chance to have made more progress in the quality of life than at any other time in the history of human kind.

Fun fact: I got a zero on a true/false final examination in high school after answering every question.

Alma Maters: BA, University of California, Los Angeles; MA, UCLA; Ph.D., UCLA; MSL, Yale University; JD, Harvard Law School.

Favorite destination: Recent travels include North Korea and Myanmar. Maui is fun, too.