As co-founder of the firm’s practice group Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies (CPS) and former head of the New York City and state practice, Stuart offers clients comprehensive government relations and advocacy services. Combining substantive experience and strong relationships with decision makers in all branches of local, state, and federal government, Stuart provides customized strategic advice that enables clients to advance their agendas before legislators, administrations, regulatory policymakers, members of the media, or third-party interest groups in New York, Washington, D.C., and beyond, with an approach that is persuasive, effective, and politically salient. He is highly respected by his colleagues and clients for his resourcefulness, creativity, intellect, and passion.
Stuart has experience in a broad range of areas, including gaming and sports betting, media, education, finance, insurance, retail, technology, and telecommunications. He works to build innovative solutions to solve client problems and organize effective strategies tailored to each client’s specific needs. Over the past four decades, Stuart has represented colleges, sports, industry and trade associations, not-for-profit organizations, major insurance companies, and a host of other companies and entrepreneurs seeking change in government policy or an opportunity to present their positions and have their voices heard. He has served on the Clinton Presidential Transition Team and on transition teams for statewide officeholders. He has provided strategic advice to numerous public-office candidates, including senators, governors, congressmen, and local and state officeholders.
Throughout his legal career he has been looked to as a trusted counselor to clients in high profile matters. In 2019, Stuart was at the counsel’s table before the U.S. Supreme Court on a precedent setting First Amendment case involving cable TV public access channels where his client not only prevailed but set out important new precedents that will determine First Amendment obligations for public forum platforms operated by social media companies. Stuart negotiated directly with the Attorney General of the State of New York in a case that was front page news involving GNC and the DNA of supplements. He has led negotiations on the purchase, sale and financing of numerous corporate clients in the media space and he has been appointed by the courts as a guardian ad litem in probate proceedings, receiver in real estate proceedings, and has served as a fiduciary to numerous high net worth clients whose trust he has gained. Stuart sits on the board of the Citizens Crime Commission of New York and was a recipient of its 2017 Distinguished Service Award.
In 2021 and 2020, Stuart was named to City & State New York’s Law Power 100 list. The list is based on “who’s having an impact in New York’s political and government spheres” and features prominent public officials, top legal advisers, and powerful prosecutors at the local, state and federal level. Stuart is also one of City & State's 10 Lifetime Achievement Award winners, joining the ranks of the most notable civic servants in New York City who have committed decades of their lives to making the city a better place.
Stuart served for many years as regulatory and licensing counsel for clients appearing before the Federal Communications Commission, where he represented a wide spectrum of companies in the broadcast, cable, broadband, new media, and publishing industries. He was the first member from outside of Washington, D.C., to serve on the Executive Committee of the Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA). He founded the FCBA’s New York Chapter and has served as chair of the FCBA’s Transactional Practice Committee. In 1995, he received that association's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. He is also general counsel and a member of the board of directors of the International Radio and Television Society (IRTS). He has lectured frequently at national conventions and has authored numerous articles on communications law issues. He was an adjunct professor of communications law at Hofstra University Law School. His case, Steele v. FCC, established a landmark constitutional precedent on gender preferences in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Stuart earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University. He is a graduate of the New York University School of Law, where he was named a University Scholar.