Washington, D.C., May 7 — Cozen O’Connor has continued to grow its Washington, D.C., office with the recent additions of health care attorney Ryan Blaney and aviation attorney David Heffernan, both of whom join the firm as members.
“Ryan and David practice in highly regulated and complex fields, and each brings the unique skills and savvy that our clients expect from Cozen O’Connor,” said Jeffrey A. Leonard, chair of the firm's Business Law Section. “They’re valuable strategic additions to our Washington, D.C., office, which is renowned for representing clients before government agencies and regulatory authorities in matters related to health care, aviation and other transportation issues.”
David Heffernan, previously with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP as chair of the Aviation Practice Group, practices in all areas of aviation law including regulatory, commercial, antitrust and transactional matters. His clients include major U.S. and foreign airlines, trade associations, airports, banks and financial entities, manufacturers, air express companies, and air travel companies. He regularly represents clients before various U.S. government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“David is a widely respected aviation lawyer with years of experience counseling key players in the aviation industry. He is a great addition to our already talented group of aviation attorneys,” said Jeffrey F. Lawrence, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Transportation & Logistics Practice Group. “Having David on our team underscores Cozen O’Connor’s strategic commitment to its strong and growing national and international transportation practice.”
Heffernan is the Editor-in-Chief of the American Bar Association’s quarterly journal, The Air & Space Lawyer, co-editor of two treatises on U.S. and European aviation law, as well as having authored numerous articles in aviation and space law journals. He is recognized as a Nationwide Leader in the Transportation: Aviation: Regulatory field in the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 editions of Chambers USA, and recognized in America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He is a graduate of Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
Ryan Blaney, previously a member of the Health Care Department with Proskauer Rose LLP, represents clients in the health care and life sciences industries in a wide range of matters including health care fraud and abuse, civil and criminal government investigations, qui tam and whistleblower disputes under the False Claims Act and other federal and state laws and regulations, HIPAA privacy and data security, health care transactions, and antitrust matters. Blaney has authored the HIPAA and Medical Privacy chapter in a highly regarded PLI Treatise on Privacy and Security Law. He also has extensive experience in Medicare reimbursement and antitrust litigation.
“We are thrilled that Ryan has joined our strong team at Cozen O’Connor and allowed us to further enhance our health care practice,” said Mark H. Gallant, chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Health Care Practice Group. “Health care is the single biggest issue in Washington, D.C., right now, and many law firms are seeking skilled, experienced health care lawyers. Cozen O’Connor’s diverse base of clients in the health care arena need and expect guidance in these tumultuous times, and we actively provide that.”
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a J.D., an M.Ed. and a B.A., Blaney taught middle school social studies, english and math and coached basketball at an under-resourced school in Charleston, S.C., as a participant in Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) teaching program before attending law school. Blaney was also named as a “Rising Star" in the Washington, D.C., Super Lawyers magazine.
About Cozen O'Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O'Connor has 575 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O'Connor serves its clients' needs through 23 offices across two continents.