CHICAGO – March 4, 2019 – Cozen O’Connor today welcomed the newest member of its fast-growing Public Strategies Group, attorney Matthew T. Glavin, who previously served as national director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for American Water, the largest investor-owned water utility company in the United States. With a career that includes nearly two decades of public and private service, Glavin joins Cozen O’Connor as counsel and principal of its Public Strategies Group and will reside in its Chicago office.

Prior to joining American Water, Glavin held a number of high-level state government positions under former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, including director of the Illinois Office of Business Development and chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Earlier in his career, he served as deputy press secretary for U.S Senator Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill.

As Public Strategies’ tenth high profile addition in as many months, Glavin will now work closely with Patrick G. Martin, who joined Public Strategies last July to drive the organization’s Chicago-based government relations and public affairs expansion.

“Matt’s hiring underscores our goal to greatly expand our lobbying capabilities in Illinois,” Martin says. “His state and national experience with American Water—combined with his experience working within Illinois state government — gives Matt a strong sense of the many business and legal issues facing our clients. He’s going to be a great addition to the team as the Public Strategies group continues to grow.”

At American Water Glavin developed and executed the company's federal, state, and local government affairs and regulatory initiatives in some 47 states. Prior to that, he served as American Water’s Illinois director of Government and Regulatory Affairs, establishing strong state-wide relationships with key stakeholders, including elected and appointed government officials at the state, county, and municipal level. 

“Matt will help our clients better understand and successfully navigate the complex legislative and regulatory environment within Illinois,” says Mark L. Alderman, chairman of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. “He’s also cultivated strong ties to a range of important national organizations — including the National Conference of State Legislators, the National Governors Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.”

As director of the Illinois Office of Business Development, Glavin supervised a staff of 20 and administered a range of grant and tax programs, including the EDGE Tax Credit and the Advantage Illinois low-cost loan program. He also negotiated and awarded contracts to numerous companies that ultimately relocated to Illinois, facilitating billions of dollars in economic growth and creating thousands of new jobs.

As Chief of Staff for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, he managed 500 employees, a budget of $150 million and led the agency’s lobbying efforts, including negotiations with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Illinois Credit Union League and the Illinois Bankers Association. He also directed the agency’s day-to-day operations, supervising the human resources, legal, labor relations, legislative, and information technology departments.

“I chose Cozen O'Connor because of its stellar reputation within the legal community and its recognition of just how important the intersection between law and government affairs is,” Glavin says. “The firm’s commitment to public strategies rivals any firm in the nation and I’m both honored and excited to part of that.”

As part of his pro-bono practice, Glavin serves as board member for a number of Illinois-based organizations, including Equality Illinois, the state's largest LGBTQ organization; the Illinois Chamber of Commerce; and the Institute for Regulated Policy Studies. He earned his J.D. at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his B.A. in Political Science at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Glavin’s hiring also underscores Public Strategies’ ongoing and rapid growth. In January 2019 Joe Hill returned to Public Strategies as a government relations principal to lead its expansion in Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania.

In October 2018 Thomas A. Lisk signed on as Public Strategies’ managing director in Richmond, Va., while Alexandra Campau returned to Public Strategies in Washington, D.C., as principal and director of health policy in August.

In July Julia Ciarlo Hammond and Ryan F. O’Toole joined Public Strategies’ Richmond, Va., office; James L. Ansorge joined Cozen O’Connor’s New York office as a government relations adviser within Public Strategies and as counsel within the law firm; Martin was brought in to lead Public Strategies’ Midwest operations.

In May 2018 Mary Cooley joined the group’s growing New York City government relations team as a government relations advisor; and Evan Bayh — the former two-term United States senator and governor of Indiana — joined the firm’s Washington D.C. office as a senior adviser to Public Strategies and as of counsel to Cozen O’Connor.

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans across several industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

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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