Kerry is an experienced commercial litigator with concentrations in complex real estate disputes and general commercial litigation for large enterprises. He is also a skilled nonprofit lawyer.
Kerry has over a decade of experience representing building owners, developers, cooperatives and condominiums, commercial landlords and tenants, and other real estate entities in a wide range of real estate disputes, including matters involving large-scale construction, property damage and maintenance, landlord-tenant issues, financing issues, fraudulent conveyances, partnership/membership disputes, and zoning and licensing matters. Kerry advises condominiums and cooperatives on board governance, fiduciary issues, quality-of-life issues, handling of liens, and litigated and out-of-court resolution of disputes with unit owners, shareholders, sponsors, and third parties. He has also represented real estate entities in municipal regulatory matters concerning, among other things, zoning resolutions, signage rules, and environmental restrictions.
In his general commercial litigation practice, Kerry has represented financial service companies, trading firms, global corporations, labor unions, and other large enterprises in litigation, regulatory enforcement matters, and responses to civil investigative demands and subpoenas from state and federal regulators.
Kerry also maintains an active practice representing charitable and non-charitable nonprofits on a range of operating, regulatory, and dispute-resolution matters. He counsels nonprofits on corporate and governance issues, including formation, dissolution, fiduciary issues, governance policies, conflicts of interest, and crisis management. He handles the nonprofit compliance aspects of transactions, including grant agreements, fiscal sponsor arrangements, contracts with service and implementation partners, asset-sale agreements, and mergers. He advises nonprofits on regulatory compliance, including with respect to federal and state tax exemption, grantmaking, state charitable registrations, and regulations pertaining to educational and religious organizations. He counsels nonprofits on political law compliance, including lobbying rules, electioneering restrictions, and political activity regulations.
Kerry's active pro bono practice is focused on representing economically disadvantaged students with disabilities and their families in litigation against public school districts and municipalities to secure their special education and related rights under education and anti-discrimination laws. He is passionate about reforming and improving education policy and regularly provides trainings and workshops for public interest groups, attorneys, educators, service providers, and parents.
Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor, Kerry was special counsel and director of pro bono at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, where he maintained a commercial litigation practice, led the firm’s nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations practice, and administered the firm’s efforts to provide pro bono legal services to underserved populations.
Kerry earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Maryland School of Law, where he was a member of the Maryland Law Review and National Moot Court team. He earned his B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania.