The Cozen O'Connor Life Insurance and Annuities Group was named by The Legal Intelligencer one of the Top Lateral Hires of 2018 after joining the firm in April 2018. The team was led by Michael J. Miller, Gregory J. Star, and Stephen R. Harris and joined by 11 other attorneys: members Joseph Kelleher, Jennifer Smith and Susan Stauss; counsel Nicole Calabro, Jessica Goebeler and Lisa Stern; and associates Alex Hayden, Sarah Kalman, Daniel Thiel and Laura Zulick.

The Legal Intelligencer’s Top Laterals Hires of 2018 list highlights which moves made the biggest impact on the legal landscape. The lawyers, groups and firms named to the list were either major additions to their new firm, a big loss to their former firm or helped to grow their new firm—either by establishing an office in a new location to expand their footprint or to simply add to their overall headcount.

The Legal noted that the lateral hires allowed Cozen O’Connor to launch two new practice groups, led by Miller and Star. The two became the chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the firm’s new life insurance and annuities practice groups, and  they co-chair a newly created software industry team.

The group’s practice includes representing software companies in complex commercial litigation and representing life insurance companies in stranger-originated life insurance cases. They also handle traditional life insurance claims cases and structured settlement issues and litigation.