PHILADELPHIA, February 1, 2022 — Cozen O’Connor announced that Ingrid Welch has been appointed as the firm’s new general counsel. A member of Cozen O’Connor since 2014, Welch has more than 35 years of experience in corporate transactions, focusing on private equity and private real estate fund formation, private placements, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and SEC investment adviser and broker/dealer registration and compliance. She will continue her law practice in addition to taking on her new role as firm general counsel. Welch succeeds Sandra Bloch, who served as the firm’s general counsel since 2012 and is retiring from the practice of law.
Welch will oversee all the firm’s legal matters as chief legal counsel for the firm, and will work closely with Brian Flaherty, the firm’s litigation counsel, Deborah Friedman, the firm’s employment counsel, the firm’s ethics and professional responsibility counsel Tom Wilkinson, and the firm’s conflicts counsel Deborah Winokur and Barry Golob. Additionally, in her new role, Welch will act as a change agent, proactively staying abreast of the rapidly changing ways that law firms are doing business in the new competitive industry landscape. “I am excited to take on the challenge of general counsel for the firm. The industry is experiencing so much change and innovation, and I am thrilled to help spearhead Cozen O’Connor’s legal challenges as we continue to grow our firm, and incorporate additional ancillary offerings for our clients.” said Welch.
“We are extremely appreciative of Sandy Bloch’s superb service over the last decade, and are looking forward to having Ingrid’s excellent counsel moving forward,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s executive chairman and chief executive officer. “Over the past six years, Ingrid has been a dynamic force. Her proven track record in corporate legal matters and knowledge of the business of law will be invaluable in her new role as the firm’s general counsel.”
Prior to joining Cozen O'Connor, Welch served as the Philadelphia office managing partner of a Detroit-based law firm representing private equity, real estate, and corporate clients, prior to which time she spent 22 years as in-house counsel to CMS Companies, a Philadelphia-based private equity and real estate investment boutique with 12 years as a principal and member of the investment committee. She earned her undergraduate degree from Villanova University and is a magna cum laude graduate of Villanova Law School, where she was an editor of the Villanova Law Review.