Thomas Decker of Cozen O'Connor. Courtesy photo Thomas Decker of Cozen O'Connor. Courtesy photo

Thomas Decker, Cozen O'Connor

Decker is the vice chair of Cozen O'Connor and a nationally known corporate attorney with deep experience in M&A, corporate governance, and government strategies. Among Pennsylvania's business elite, though, Decker is simply known as the person to call when an institution needs a strong leader during a period of transformational change.

Over his 55-year career, he has led an Am Law 100 firm, Fortune 200 global company, state governmental agency, and served on the boards of iconic nonprofits. In each instance, Decker was brought in because the organization had reached a turning point and needed guidance from an authority in corporate structure and operations.

What's the most important thing you've learned during the course of your career that you wish you knew as a young lawyer?