Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Becky A. Girolamo will be the newest member of the Class Actions Practice in the firm’s Los Angeles office. She brings deep experience defending businesses across industries in class actions, including cases involving privacy, data breach, and consumer protection claims in the California courts. Girolamo has also defended financial services companies in class actions and derivative suits arising from alleged violations of securities laws. Girolamo’s joins from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and will focus on defending consumer class actions and advising clients on related compliance issues.
“Our class actions practice continues to expand through the addition of the highest caliber lawyers. Becky is a talented litigator with significant experience defending class and other mass actions in the California courts and Ninth Circuit, including matters involving cutting-edge privacy issues,” said Meredith C. Slawe, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Class Actions Practice and Retail Industry Group. “Becky is also a delightful person and fits right in with our group’s collaborative culture. We are thrilled to have her join us and strengthen our team’s presence in Los Angeles.”
Girolamo previously worked for an international law firm in Los Angeles where she represented businesses in actions involving claims under federal and state consumer protection laws and advised on best practices to mitigate the risk of private litigation and enforcement actions. Girolamo has deep experience addressing laws including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), Unfair Competition Law (UCL), Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), False Advertising Law (FAL), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). She has served as a trusted adviser to several companies regarding compliance with California privacy and consumer protection laws and has created best practices for operationalizing policies and procedures. In addition to her class actions background, Girolamo has also represented individuals and companies in internal and government investigations.
“I am pleased to welcome Becky to our team,” said Michael W. McTigue Jr., co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Class Actions Practice. “She is a first rate class actions litigator with a breadth of experience defending cases in the California courts. She will serve our clients well in their most significant class and mass actions. Becky’s addition reflects our strategy of recruiting the top lawyers dedicated to this area of practice across the country.”
Girolamo was ranked in Best Lawyers in America 2021 for “Ones to Watch” in Commercial Litigation. She recently co-authored a Thomson Reuters Westlaw article on Guidance from the UK Supreme Court on Collective Claim Certification. In addition to her collaborative work with her peers, Girolamo has provided extensive pro bono practice, having worked on several matters for the Alliance for Children’s Rights and on a range of immigration matters.
“Cozen O’Connor’s Class Actions Practice has a tremendous reputation both nationally and in California, and I am truly excited to bring my litigation experience in class action matters to the firm’s clients,” Girolamo said. “I welcome the opportunity to become a trusted colleague as well as a reliable adviser in helping clients navigate the rapidly evolving landscape.”
Girolamo’s hire supports Cozen O’Connor’s comprehensive strategic plan to identify the best lawyers across the country to build out the firm’s complex litigation, investigations, and privacy capabilities. The firm’s cross-practice team helps companies navigate all aspects of consumer protection and privacy issues, ranging from advocacy before legislatures to compliance and risk mitigation to government investigations and enforcement actions to class action litigation.
Girolamo earned her B.F.A. in film and television production from the New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, and her J.D. from the University of Southern California, School of Law.
