Sheppard Mullin Mourns Loss of Retired Partner Steve Taylor
Stephen C. Taylor, retired partner with Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Los Angeles, passed away Jan. 25. Taylor, who was born May 20, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, spent his entire career at Sheppard Mullin. He specialized in business, environmental and securities litigation with an extensive history of numerous and various commercial trials and arbitrations over the years.
“Steve was a Sheppard Mullin ‘lifer,’ a top-notch litigator, and a loyal partner, mentor and friend to many of our lawyers during his lengthy career. Steve worked closely with Gordon Hampton and other ‘founding’ partners and, as lawyer ‘number 11,’ made his own mark and did much to help build the firm into what it is today. All of us owe Steve a debt of gratitude for this. We are deeply saddened by his passing,” said Sheppard Mullin Los Angeles co-managing partner Andre Cronthall.
Taylor was admitted to the California Bar in 1961. He was a member of the Los Angeles County and American Bar Associations, The State Bar of California, and Association of Business Trial Lawyers. Taylor was also a Judge Pro Tem for the Los Angeles Judicial District. He was appointed to the Panel of Arbitrators, Los Angeles Superior Court, Panel of State Bar Judges, and was also on the Board of Directors of The Center for International Commercial Arbitration.
Taylor received his LL.B. from University of California, Los Angeles in 1960 and an A.B. from Princeton University in 1954 and then served in the Navy until entering law school. While attending law school, he was a member of the Board of Editors, UCLA Law Review, 1959-1960. Aside from being a consummate lawyer (and avid golfer), Taylor was a devoted husband to his wife, Liz, father and grandfather.