Toronto, ON/Vancouver, BC – June 14, 2021 – Cozen O’Connor has taken a significant step forward in adding depth and breadth to its Canadian offices with the strategic addition of a team of attorneys from Cassels and intends to continue building out its presence in Canada. All four attorneys, Brigeeta Richdale, Shane Hardy, Peter Henein, and Rebecca Sim, will practice in the Vancouver and Toronto offices of Cozen O’Connor. The new additions will further expand the firm’s North American Intellectual Property, Securities Litigation, White Collar Defense & Investigations, Product Liability, and Commercial Litigation practices.
“Our clients have seen a dramatic uptick in international litigation and cross border transactional activities, and we recognize the importance of having a strong local presence to best serve our clients’ needs,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Having already established a strong litigation practice in Canada, it was only natural to continue building out our presence. The key additions of Brigeeta, Shane, Peter, and Rebecca, demonstrates our continued commitment to add strength and experience to the Cozen O’Connor team and further enhances our abilities to work across the border.”
“When it comes to the protection of intellectual property, there are no borders. The addition of a highly recognized team well-versed in all aspects of intellectual property, including trademark, copyright, unfair competition, cybersecurity and data breaches, right of privacy, right of publicity, domain names, counterfeiting, and licensing, as well as all areas of intellectual property litigation is a significant bolster to our already robust practice,” said Camille M. Miller, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Intellectual Property Practice, which was recently recognized by the World Trademark Review Top 1000. “We look forward to enhancing our capabilities and anticipate a significant amount of cross-border collaboration.”
“I am thrilled to be joining Cozen O’Connor and being a part of an already robust intellectual property team,” Hardy commented. “Having established a strong foothold with major multinational companies in Canada to handle their trademark and intellectual property rights, I welcome the opportunity to work with my new colleagues to be a resource in all cross-border activities, and to further grow Cozen O’Connor’s international reach.”
Hardy, joining as the chair of the Canadian Intellectual Property Practice Group, brings an extensive trademark practice and is one of the few Canadian practitioners recognized for his experience in both contentious proceedings and commercial transactions relating to intellectual property. Able to masterfully handle both dispute and transactional-based matters, Hardy frequently represents well-known brands needing assistance in acquiring branded businesses, licensing, enforcement, and trademark protection. Major international corporations and successful domestic businesses rely on his counsel for all aspects of their intellectual property needs. Hardy is highly regarded for his intellectual property and trademark work, having been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, Managing Intellectual Property, Who’s Who Legal, World Intellectual Property Review, and the World Trademark Review Top 1000.
“Complex commercial disputes, product liability issues, and toxic tort claims are often the result of changes in economic and environmental policies, especially when it involves cross-border activity. Having an already strong litigation team in place in Canada, this strategic expansion strengthens the resources that we can offer Cozen O’Connor clients,” said James H. Heller, who chairs Cozen O’Connor’s Product Liability Practice Group and is co-chair of the Commercial Litigation Department. “We are still far from understanding all of the repercussions from the global pandemic, and I am thrilled to welcome the addition of a highly regarded and experienced team to handle the potential litigation and liability claims that we have seen steadily increasing.”
“Given Cozen O’Connor’s reputation as a powerhouse in commercial litigation, intellectual property and product liability disputes, I look forward to joining the team.” Henein noted, “It is also a great opportunity to offer to our clients the depth of Cozen O’Connor’s numerous and diverse practice areas.”
As a seasoned commercial litigator, Henein brings his experience in the areas of intellectual property and entertainment litigation, as well as product liability and class actions. Henein frequently acts for clients in trademark, copyright, and patent disputes in the Federal Court of Canada as well as the provincial courts of Ontario and British Columbia. Henein represents numerous manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and specialty insurers in product liability claims, including multi-district class actions. He provides risk management and recall advice for a diverse range of manufacturers and distributors in different sectors, including auto and medical device products, and assists corporate clients with risk management issues and shareholder disputes. Henein has been repeatedly recognized as a leading lawyer by Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star: Intellectual Property” and by Managing Intellectual Property as an “IP Star” as well as Best Lawyers in Canada for Product Liability and Entertainment Law. World Trademark Review Top 1000 noted he is “supremely comfortable in the courtroom.”
“Along with increased activity within the corporate transactional and capital markets spaces, regulators continue to apply increased scrutiny and compliance standards to market participants,” said Barry Boss, co-chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department and co-chair of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice Group. “The addition of a talented team of Canadian advocates, allows us to provide seamless counsel to our clients on a multi-jurisdictional level.”
“I am thrilled to be joining such a dynamic and talented firm that is focused on providing a wealth of resources to our clients,” Richdale said. “I look forward to collaborating with my new teammates at Cozen O’Connor, and I am eager to share my background in enforcement and investigations to support and protect our client’s best interests.”
Richdale, joining as a vice-chair of the White Collar Defense & Investigations Practice Group, focuses on all aspects of enforcement actions and securities regulatory proceedings, and internal investigations. A Certified Fraud Examiner and a former prosecutor in the Enforcement Department at the British Columbia Securities Commission, as well as a former Criminal Investigator and Special Provincial Constable, Richdale brings an extensive depth of experience and risk-management advisory services and crisis response leadership. Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada and Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star: Securities Litigation, White Collar Crime Defense,” Richdale successfully represents clients in matters involving regulatory bodies including Canadian securities commissions, the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission, the RCMP’s Commercial Crime Division, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Interpol.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 825 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 32 offices across two continents.