Cozen O’Connor brings 2009 to a close with the announcement that another group of high-profile attorneys has joined the firm. Melissa H. Maxman, Ronald F. Wick and Marcela B. Stras have moved to Cozen O’Connor’s Washington, D.C. office from Baker Hostetler. The addition of these attorneys marks more than 100 high-level lateral hires in the past year and the continued implementation of the firm’s strategic plan, which calls for aggressive recruitment of key laterals with strong commercial litigation and corporate law practices.
“Melissa, Ron, and Marcy are all exceptional attorneys--Melissa and Ron in antitrust and Marcy in immigration and trade regulation,” said Tad Decker, president and CEO of Cozen O’Connor. “All three are highly regarded throughout the capital and nationally in their respective practices. We are thrilled to be adding three great people who strengthen our commercial litigation practice and bring new expertise with export/import laws and regulations to our D.C. office, where we are focused on growth.
Melissa H. Maxman led the antitrust and trade regulation practice at Baker Hostetler. She concentrates her practice in prosecuting and defending class action lawsuits involving antitrust, RICO, environmental and intellectual property laws, and advising both U.S. and foreign corporations and their subsidiaries on how to comply with domestic and foreign antitrust laws.
Formerly an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Maxman clerked with the Honorable Harry T. Edwards of the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her background allows her to bridge the gap between civil and criminal trial practice.
Ronald F. Wick has a broad-based antitrust and trade regulation practice. He has defended clients against allegations of price-fixing and attempted monopolization under the Sherman Act, price discrimination under the Robinson-Patman Act, and unfair competition and false and deceptive advertising under the Federal Trade Commission Act. He regularly represents clients contemplating mergers and acquisitions in filing premerger notifications with the FTC and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and in working with both agencies, as well as state attorneys general, in resolving potential antitrust challenges to such transactions under the Clayton Act and state antitrust laws.
Wick also has an active trade association practice. He has assisted a number of industry groups in forming associations and instituting antitrust compliance programs, and he regularly advises existing associations with respect to ongoing antitrust compliance issues.
Marcela B. Stras has more than 20 years of international trade experience counseling clients on business immigration, customs and other trade issues. An experienced lobbyist, she has advised clients in matters concerning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, anti-boycott laws, antidumping and countervailing duties, Section 201 and 301 cases, business immigration and trade legislation.
Previously a lawyer for the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Stras has represented the U.S. government in trade negotiations with foreign governments and companies and has assisted with drafting trade laws.