SAN DIEGO – The Philadelphia law firm of Cozen O’Connor is expanding its California presence, adding a construction industry litigator to its San Diego office.
The addition of J. Michael Schiff expands the firm’s construction practice to San Diego, said Marion Hack, a shareholder in the firm’s Los Angeles office.
Construction Industry Litigator
Cozen O’Connor
“The (construction) practice group in California services all regions and Mike adds to that coverage by being in San Diego where we did not previously have a presence,” Hack said. “Also, his breadth of construction knowledge will add increased depth to an already strong construction practice group.”
Cozen O’Connor has had an office in San Diego since 1987 but did not have anyone local focusing on construction.
“It has always been an office of litigators, but Mike is the first construction litigator in that office,” said Lisa Haas, chief marketing and business development officer at Cozen O’Connor.
Shareholder
Cozen O’Connor
The addition of Schiff in San Diego will broaden the firms local focus, which has concentrated on insurance, according to Schiff.
“It’s just an opportunity for the firm’s construction section to really expand and offer high-level construction litigation advice,” Schiff said. “I’m happy to be the lone (Cozen O’Connor) construction litigator here in San Diego, especially because I get to live in San Diego.”
Schiff’s wife, Rebecca Schiff, in January was appointed director of neonatal services at Rady Children’s Hospital.
Texas Ties
With a firm-wide staff of 850, Cozen O’Connor has 70 lawyers in California, seven of whom focus on construction cases. The San Diego office has 14 lawyers.
A 2010 graduate of Texas State University with a bachelor’s degree in history. Schiff received a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.
Before joining Cozen O’Connor, Schiff was senior counsel then shareholder in the Houston law firm of Andrew Myers.
Although he will be based in San Diego, Schiff said that he will continue to represent clients in Texas.
“Part of the goal is to add to the depth of the bench and enable the firm to offer the same services in Texas as in the rest of the country,” said Schiff, who grew up in Sacramento but has spent his legal career in Texas. “I don’t consider my relationship with that state severed by any means.”
The expansion of Cozen O’Connor’s construction practice comes at a time when high interest rates and the high cost of materials has put a damper on new construction.
“Construction in the public sector has not slowed, which is the bulk of the work that we litigate on,” Haas said.
Contrary to what some developers and builders might think, Hack said that California doesn’t have more construction-related lawsuits than other areas of the country.
“I believe Philadelphia has more than we do,” Hack said.
Schiff said that he gravitated toward construction law because it was less esoteric than other forms of legal practice.
“It was really refreshing to be involved in things you can touch and see around you,” Schiff said. “I like that most cases are going to involve going to a project site, whether it’s commercial development or infrastructure or industrial. You get to see what it is that you’re litigating.”
Cozen O’Connor
FOUNDED: 1970
HEADQUARTERS: Philadelphia
MANAGING PARTNER: Vincent McGuinness Jr.
BUSINESS: law firm
EMPLOYEES: 850
WEBSITE: www.cozen.com
CONTACT: 619-234-1700
NOTABLE: Cozen O’Connor is an international law firm practicing in 32 cities across North America and Europe.
