In an effort to grow its corporate practice, which it cites as a generator of business and client relationships across the firm, Cozen O'Connor has brought on a new practice group leader from a fellow Philadelphia-based law firm.

Katayun "Kathy" Jaffari has joined Cozen O'Connor as a partner and chair of the firm's corporate governance and securities group in Philadelphia. She joins from Ballard Spahr, where she was a partner for eight years.

Jaffari brings nearly 30 years of experience in helping corporate boards and executive management teams execute multibillion-dollar securities and M&A transactions.

"This is a leadership opportunity for me," Jaffari said. "Cozen recruited me to the firm to lead the corporate governance and securities group, and I have a passion for it."

There are about 10 attorneys in the group, and the firm has plans to grow it. Cozen O'Connor's strategy is to grow its corporate group, with about 70 attorneys to date.

"All of the new attorneys that Cozen is bringing on is exciting to me," Jaffari said.

Jaffari's clients include life sciences businesses, energy companies and fintech providers, such as NRG Energy Inc. and Minneapolis-based ClickSWITCH.

"We do capital raising transactions, working closely with the financial and in-house legal teams [at fintech companies]," Jaffari said.

Jaffari said she will continue to focus on governance issues that affect public and private companies. Her client base was attractive to Cozen O'Connor, and as to whether her clients will move with her, she said, "I am very optimistic."

Ira Gubernick, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's corporate practice group, said the firm wanted to bring Jaffari on for a number of years.

"The corporate practice is the top exporter of work to other practices in the firm, and we are always looking to grow this practice," Gubernick said.

Cozen O'Connor has brought on 13 corporate attorneys in the last month, 10 of whom are based in Philadelphia, including Jaffari's hire and its acquisition of nine-lawyer tech and corporate boutique Baer Crossey McDemus. The firm also announced last week that it added a five-lawyer group of litigators from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, also in Philadelphia.

"We are really excited about the growth of our technology, privacy and data security group, including the recent addition of the group from Akin Gump," said Gubernick. "The representation of tech companies, as well as the counseling of companies on their electronic transactions and privacy issues is growing across the firm."

Before joining Ballard Spahr, Jaffari practiced at Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr for over 16 years, where she began her legal career as a summer associate. In her latest move, Jaffari has reunited with former Saul Ewing colleagues Suzanne Mayes, Dave Zambito and David Hackett, at Cozen O'Connor.

"With 25-plus years of working closely with global business leaders, Kathy will not only advance our governance and securities practice, but help us grow other related practice areas as well," Cozen O'Connor CEO Michael Heller said in a statement. "Regulatory measures are growing more complex by the day, and Kathy is often in the position to advise corporate clients facing other legal challenges, such as litigation, regulatory, labor, and/or employment issues."

Ballard Spahr did not respond to a request for comment on Jaffari's departure.

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