PHILADELPHIA – May 30, 2019 – Cozen O’Connor welcomed three highly regarded investigative attorneys — Helen Park, Peter C. Lim, and Adam M. Shapiro — to its growing Institutional Response Group (IRG). Each brings to the firm a strong background conducting sensitive, often highly charged investigations involving child abuse, sexual and gender-based harassment, interpersonal violence, elder abuse, discrimination and harassment, and other forms of serious misconduct.
Park comes to the firm from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, where she served as assistant chief of the Juvenile Court Unit. Lim, also a veteran Philadelphia prosecutor, joins the firm from the University of Pennsylvania’s Office of the Sexual Violence Investigative Officer, where he served as the university’s Deputy Sexual Violence Investigative Officer. Shapiro served with New York-based Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he handled government enforcement matters and internal investigations across an array of global industries, including institutions of higher education. All three join Cozen O’Connor as counsel and will reside in the Philadelphia office.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Helen, Peter, and Adam to our group and to Cozen O’Connor. Their dedication, subject matter expertise and credibility in the field will expand our ability to provide educational institutions the level of trust and confidence they need to conduct informed and sensitive internal investigations,” says Gina Maisto Smith, chair of IRG. “Helen, Peter, and Adam each bring substantial yet very distinct legal backgrounds that will contribute to our group’s ability to work in partnership with institutions and help them develop trauma-informed, fair and impartial Title IX and child protection programs,” adds Leslie M. Gomez, vice chair of IRG.
“Since its inception in 2017, Gina and Leslie have done a terrific job building the Institutional Response Group into the preeminent investigations/compliance practice in the country,” says Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Thanks to their efforts, Cozen O’Connor is able to attract dedicated attorneys like Helen, Peter and Adam — the best and the brightest — who are looking to focus exclusively on what is for other firms a still-developing, part-time practice area.”
As assistant chief of the Philadelphia DA’s Juvenile Court Unit, Park managed 15 attorneys and 18 staff members, made investigation and charging decisions for juvenile offenders accused of sexual assault, and oversaw the initiation of all cases involving child victims and adult offenders. Park previously served with the Family Violence & Sexual Assault Unit, prosecuting domestic violence, child physical and sexual abuse and sexual assault crimes before judges and juries; and the DA’s Hate Crimes Task Force, targeting crimes of ethnic intimidation. As part of IRG, Park will draw upon her background to help institutions develop effective Title IX programs and conduct external investigations. Park earned her J.D. at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law and her B.A. in English literature and language at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
During his three years at the University of Pennsylvania, Lim conducted a wide range of investigations involving undergraduate, graduate and international students; supported faculty hearing panels; trained a range of staff members; and consulted with senior university officials to address challenging and emergent issues. In that role he often tapped the investigative skills he developed during the nine years spent as a trial attorney in the Homicide Unit and the Family Violence & Sexual Assault Unit at the Philadelphia DA’s Office. Lim brings to Cozen O’Connor more than a decade of experience conducting thorough and impartial investigations, including three years at a distinguished institution of higher education. He has a comprehensive understanding of the laws that apply in the higher education setting and established partnerships with schools in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Lim earned his J.D. at the Temple University Beasley School of Law in Philadelphia and his B.A. in economics at University of California at San Diego.
Prior to relocating to Philadelphia, Shapiro was an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP for six years, serving in the firm’s Criminal Defense and Investigations Group. In that role, he represented educational institutions and other publicly traded companies in a broad range of high-profile regulatory enforcement matters and internal investigations. He was part of an investigative team charged with evaluating historical allegations of child abuse at a New York educational institution. Immediately prior to joining Cozen O’Connor, Shapiro worked as a consultant in Kroll’s Philadelphia office, where he conducted investigations relating to sexual and gender-based harassment and violence at a large public higher education institution. Shapiro earned his J.D. at Columbia University School of Law and his B.A. in International Relations & Hispanic Studies at Brown University.
About Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group
Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group represents colleges, universities, K-12 educational and other child-serving institutions, as well as corporations, hospitals, religious institutions, and not-for-profit organizations in connection with policy, compliance, investigations and governance issues. The group’s attorneys have been at the helm of high-profile investigations and engagements at major public and private educational institutions, including both secular and religious institutions, throughout the country. The group also includes Cozen O’Connor subsidiary Margolis Healy & Associates, an on-site safety and security firm that serves universities, colleges, K-12 schools, government agencies, and private entities across the country.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has more than 925 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 services its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.
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