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Cozen O'Connor forms lobbying group

The Cozen O'Connor law firm of Center City yesterday announced the formation of a lobbying and government relations subsidiary that will focus on guiding clients over regulatory and legislative hurdles in Washington as well as at state and local levels.

    by Chris Mondics, Inquirer Staff Writer
    Published 

The Cozen O'Connor law firm of Center City yesterday announced the formation of a lobbying and government relations subsidiary that will focus on guiding clients over regulatory and legislative hurdles in Washington as well as at state and local levels.

Mark Alderman, the former chairman of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen L.L.P. before its dissolution earlier this year, will head the Washington-based office. David F. Girard-diCarlo, the former chairman of the Blank Rome law firm, also will be part of the leadership team, the firm said. Girard-diCarlo was a key player in the establishment of a government relations subsidiary in Washington for Blank Rome L.L.P. before he was named U.S. ambassador to Austria by President George W. Bush, taking office in July 2008. Girard-diCarlo left the ambassadorial post in December.

He was a key fund-raiser for Bush and other Republicans and joined Cozen O'Connor as a partner earlier this year.

Cozen O'Connor said that, in addition to Washington, the firm's lobbying arm will focus on government agencies in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey.

Along with legislative and regulatory work, the government relations staff also will assist clients in obtaining contracts from government agencies, the firm said.

The firm's strategy seems to be to build on the senior-level contacts of its lobbying staff. Alderman was an early supporter of President Obama and a key fund-raiser for him during the Democratic primaries. The governmental relations subsidiary also includes a former member of the New York City council, Kenneth K. Fisher, and Stuart Shorenstein, a former member of the transition team of President Bill Clinton in 1992.

Also on the staff is lawyer Jeffrey Nash, who is vice chairman of the Delaware River Port Authority and a Camden County freeholder. The law firm said that Nash will do no lobbying, and his role would be confined to advising clients.

He will not advise clients on matters involving Camden County and the DRPA, the firm said.