PHILADELPHIA, August 31, 2021 — Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce the promotion of seven members to shareholders: Steven P. Katkov, Erick J. Kirker, Cheri L. MacArthur, Alycen A. Moss, Lisa J. Myers, Michael Rafalko, and David A. Shimkin. Additionally, Patrick Martin has been promoted to managing director at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies.
“Throughout their careers, each of these attorneys has demonstrated remarkable professionalism, leadership, and dedication to the firm and to our clients,” said Michael J. Heller, president and chief executive officer of Cozen O’Connor. “We congratulate this group of exceptional lawyers on their well-deserved promotion and we look forward to their continued success at the firm.”
Steven P. Katkov represents and counsels clients in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, including financings/commercial lending, acquisitions, dispositions, sale-leaseback transactions, commercial leases, rights-of-way and easement agreements, and portfolio acquisitions and dispositions around the nation ranging from $50 – $900 million. He also advises builders, developers, and landlords seeking government approvals to pursue project entitlements and in defending alleged regulatory violations. Steve regularly represents national industries in leasing across all product types and leads the firm’s real estate initiatives for clients engaged in the cannabis industry in 13 states.
Erick J. Kirker is a subrogation attorney with over 15 years of experience handling large loss property damage claims. Prior to joining the firm, Erick had a diverse litigation practice that also included the representation of personal injury clients, product manufacturers, and building contractors and developers. Erick has tried cases and argued appeals in numerous state and federal courts in multiple jurisdictions. He has also successfully resolved numerous subrogation matters for clients using alternative dispute resolution methods, including arbitration and mediation. He has participated in the resolution of numerous million and multimillion dollar matters on behalf of clients.
Cheri L. MacArthur is office managing partner of the Denver office and chair, Subrogation & Recovery, Rocky Mountain Region. She focuses her practice on representing insurers in large loss subrogation cases arising out of product failures, construction defects, and other negligent conduct. She also represents insureds and other clients with large deductibles or self-insured retentions under similar circumstances. Cheri has tried several cases to verdict in Colorado, Kansas, and California. She has efficiently, effectively, and creatively prosecuted various theories to obtain successful recoveries from responsible third parties.
Alycen A. Moss is vice chair, office managing partner of the Atlanta office. She concentrates her practice in civil litigation, and she has extensive experience with matters pertaining to property, casualty, and trucking issues and she also regularly litigates civil and commercial matters pertaining to transportation and logistics, as well as mass and complex torts and class actions. Alycen has also litigated complex cases involving environmental and toxic exposures, including asbestos, diacetyl, mold, and chemical exposures. Additionally, Alycen is the co-chair of the Property Insurance Group at Cozen O’Connor and she regularly advises property and casualty carriers on various coverage issues and also defends the carriers in lawsuits brought by the insureds.
Lisa J. Myers litigation experience includes significant property loss claims arising from water and fire damage as well as product liability claims resulting in personal injury or property loss. She has favorably resolved subrogation claims involving complex property and business interruption damages throughout the United States and Canada. Lisa has successfully litigated numerous cases in local, state, and federal courts. Based on Lisa’s trial skills and litigation experience, she was chosen to serve as an assistant district attorney in Philadelphia as part of the Cozen O’Connor Partners Program. During that time, she received recognition in the press and by the deputy district attorney for her aggressive prosecution of felony and misdemeanor crimes.
Michael Rafalko is a nationally recognized authority on long-term care insurance issues and chair of the firm’s Long-Term Care Insurance Practice. Michael has an industry-leading depth of experience advising insurers, brokers, and brokerages, third-party administrators (TPAs), and other entities connected to the long-term care insurance community. He is regularly engaged as lead defense counsel and strategist in the largest and most sophisticated class actions filed in the long-term care insurance space. He is also regularly engaged in complex coverage litigation and pre-litigation disputes. He has more than a decade of experience counseling insurers on the avoidance and defense of bad faith claims and is one of the nation’s leading authorities on the responsible prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse. Michael has counseled and defended insurers in litigation, pre-litigation, regulatory, and administrative disputes in more than 40 states and territories from coast-to-coast.
David A. Shimkin focuses his litigation practice on representing clients in the hospitality, construction, and transportation fields, including trucking companies involved in interstate and intrastate claims. He is experienced in the defense of cases involving alleged food contamination and has also defended restaurant clients in dram shop/liquor liability matters in multiple jurisdictions. David also has extensive experience in defending class actions and handling toxic exposure and contamination cases involving both property damage and bodily injury claims.
Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, a bipartisan lobbying firm that offers comprehensive government solutions at the federal, state, and local level, and an affiliate of the Global 100 law firm Cozen O'Connor, has promoted Patrick Martin to Managing Director.
Patrick Martin directs the firm’s government relations and public advocacy efforts in the Midwest. His practice focuses on advising highly regulated companies in the health care, energy, financial services, retail, transportation, cannabis, and higher education industries. Patrick advocates for clients before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and state and local governments. He is a member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, participating in local clubs in both Chicago and in Washington, D.C. — counseling students and interns on how to best pursue careers in government and public policy. He also serves on the board of directors for Rainbows for All Children, a national nonprofit organization that provides support for children navigating trauma or loss, and on the Junior Board and Government Relations Committee for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.