Cozen O’Connor recently held its annual board of directors’ election, electing two new members and re‐electing two others for three‐year terms. Edward L. Baxter and Herman C. Fala will continue to serve on the board of directors while Josh M. Greenbaum and Suzanne S. Mayes are new to the firm’s board.
"We’re looking forward to working with Josh and Suzanne; they are sure to bring a fresh perspective to the board" said Tad Decker, president and CEO of Cozen O’Connor. "And, of course, we are thrilled that Ed and Herman will continue to serve. The insight and guidance provided by the board, including Ed and Herman, are invaluable and have contributed greatly to the firm’s exceptional performance these past few years."
Edward L. Baxter, a former chair of the business law department, concentrates his practice in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, general corporate matters, and corporate taxation. He has extensive experience in the general representation of businesses, both public and privately owned, including the corporate and tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions; public offerings of debt and equity securities; corporate formations, restructurings and liquidations; and financing techniques including asset‐backed securitizations and syndications.
Baxter earned his undergraduate degree from Widener University (B.S., 1968) and his law degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law (J.D., 1971), where he was an editor of the law review.
Practicing in Cozen O’Connor’s business law department, Herman C. Fala is co‐chair of the firm’s real estate group. He handles local and national transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, financings, joint venture arrangements, leases, project finance transactions, syndications, public and private debt and equity placements, and transactions involving the development and management of hotels, office buildings and other projects. He has represented banks, pension funds, publicly traded companies, insurance companies, REITs, and real estate developers and has extensive experience in the management, financing, acquisition, development and franchising of hotels.
Fala earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame (B.S., summa cum laude, 1971) and his law degree from Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1974).
Josh M. Greenbaum concentrates his practice in construction law litigation, product liability, casualty defense, commercial litigation, and complex tort litigation. He has handled all types of litigation matters, including product liability cases, security and premises liability cases, dram shop cases, asbestos defense cases, lead paint litigation, construction litigation, trucking and transportation accident litigation,
directors and officers litigation, fraud, tortious interference, and civil conspiracy litigation. He has represented many corporations and insurance companies including Accuride, ACE, AIG, Allstate, Aramark Corporation, Bovis Lend Lease, CHUBB, Daniel J. Keating Company, Essex Insurance Company, Fireman’s Fund, First Union Bank, Fisher & Paykel, Imperial Parking, Liberty Mutual, National Oil Well/Varco, Parkway Corporation, the Philadelphia Phillies, R & L Trucking, Rimex, Rohm and Haas, Starwood Hotels, US Aviation Underwriters, and Wackenhut Corporation.
Greenbaum earned his undergraduate degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1981) and his law degree from Widener University School of Law (J.D., 1988).
Suzanne S. Mayes is co‐chair of the public and project finance practice group, in the firm’s business law department. Mayes also works with Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, advocating for clients with decision‐makers in all branches of local, state and federal government. She focuses her practice on municipal and project finance law, including economic development, transportation, government, education and single, multifamily and senior housing. She serves as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel and borrower’s counsel for a variety of clients, and also acts as special counsel in matters involving the implementation and financing of major capital projects and debt refinancing for public, for‐profit and not‐for‐profit organizations. In addition, Mayes counsels issuers on large‐scale general obligation borrowings, student loan bond financings and airport and toll road issuances and also has extensive knowledge of various financing structures, including hedging instruments such as swaps, forward delivery financings, and synthetic fixed rate and variable rate debt.
Mayes earned her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1988) and her law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1991), where she was an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif.