Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce 13 attorneys from California’s Miller Law Group — one of the largest woman-owned employment law firms in the country — have joined its San Francisco and Los Angeles offices. The new hires represent yet another milestone in the expansion of the firm’s highly regarded Labor & Employment practice, as well as the continued development of its West Coast presence.
“Miller Law Group’s focus for the past 20 years has been helping clients navigate the challenging and increasingly complex California employment law environment. Whether a Fortune 50 powerhouse or a burgeoning startup, we know California employment law,” said Michele Ballard Miller, founder of Miller Law Group. “Many of our clients, however, have facilities across the country as well as in other countries. In order to meet these broader needs, we recognized that we needed to change. Cozen O’Connor was the obvious choice. Joining Cozen O’Connor, a firm with a nationally recognized, full service Labor & Employment Department, gives our clients access to professionals who can advise on the full complement of employment issues, including immigration and OSHA and employee benefits,” said Miller.
“Cozen O’Connor’s commitment to diversity and inclusion was also a key factor in our decision,” said Miller. “Miller Law Group is certified women-owned and active in many organizations that are committed to achieving diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Cozen O’Connor’s commitment to this important issue, coupled with the myriad of programs they have instituted in furtherance of this goal, best reflected our core values.”
“A key element of our strategic plan remains growing our Labor & Employment Department nationally and, as part of our recent commitment to Mansfield 3.0 certification, continuing to diversify our leadership ranks and talent pipeline,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Michele Ballard Miller is one of the country’s leading labor and employment attorneys. Further, seven of the incoming attorneys are women, bringing top-notch litigation skills to bear on a growing and important practice area.”
“We are excited to welcome the Miller Law Group attorneys to Cozen O’Connor,” said Joseph E. Tilson, Co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department. “I have known of Michele Ballard Miller for a number of years, and her stellar reputation and that of the firm she has built are impeccable. The addition of Miller Law Group also drives our West Coast expansion, especially in California, which we see as one of the most fertile areas of employment litigation.”
Cozen O’Connor currently has West Coast offices in Seattle, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Its western expansion was bolstered in 2017 with the hiring of all of the lawyers from real estate and commercial litigation powerhouse, Gilchrist and Rutter, and the opening of a Santa Monica Office.
Miller, who joins Cozen O’Connor as a shareholder and Chair of the West Coast Labor & Employment Practice, represents California businesses in all aspects of workplace employment matters. Consistently named to “Women Leaders in Law” lists nationwide, in 2019 Miller was again named a Southern California Top Lawyer by The Los Angeles Times and a Northern California Top Lawyer by San Francisco Magazine.
Joining Cozen O’Connor with Miller are Miller Law Group shareholders Walter M. Stella and Kerry McInerney Freeman.
Source: www.cozen.com
