WASHINGTON D.C., October 30, 2023 — Cozen O'Connor today welcomed Ketan D. Bhirud, former chief litigation counsel, general counsel, and chief deputy attorney general at the Nevada Attorney General’s office, to its State Attorneys General (AG) group — the leading legal practice in the United States devoted entirely to state AG-related work. Bhirud, who comes to the firm from Troutman Pepper, joins the firm as a member and will work out of Cozen O’Connor’s Washington, D.C., office.
A former senior government official at both the state and federal level, Bhirud brings to the firm a diverse and lengthy track record of helping clients successfully navigate and resolve regulatory actions, investigations, litigation, and appeals — including interactions involving state attorneys general, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He also has experience representing clients in major antitrust and competition-related matters.
“With regulatory actions and investigations becoming ever-more prevalent, Ketan brings to our clients a strong track record of not only resolving difficult regulatory disputes, but also working with clients to instill new internal measures that will mitigate enforcement risk in the first place,” said Bernie Nash, co-chair of the State Attorneys General Group. “Litigators with the regulatory acumen Ketan brings to the table are in high demand and I’m thrilled to welcome him to our practice.”
“Ketan’s background includes developing successful strategies for defending clients in AG investigations and lawsuits, resolving state AG investigations, and counseling clients on how to manage AG scrutiny,” said Lori Kalani, co-chair of the State Attorneys General Group. “His depth and breadth of experience give him a unique ability to see all pieces of a state’s regulatory puzzle and guide his clients to clear and decisive action. I’m excited that he’s joining us and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
As general counsel for the Nevada Attorney General's office, Bhirud served as chief litigation counsel and a senior team member for both Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford. During his tenure, he managed all of Nevada’s high-stakes litigation, regulatory actions, and investigations, supervising some 200 in-house attorneys and 200 legal support staff distributed throughout five offices.
He also developed a litigation plan that reduced liabilities against the state from over $1 billion to less than $250 million; managed all tort litigation, including overseeing the Attorney General Tort Claims Fund; supervised the Bureau of Consumer Protection; and worked closely with the National Association of Attorneys General and individual states on multistate consumer protection matters.
As a presidential appointee, Bhirud has also served as deputy general counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C. He managed all Homeland Security high-stakes litigation and appeals; created a litigation plan to identify and resolve lawsuits with a potential for significant judgments; and supervised 1,400 attorneys over six agencies conducting regulatory actions, investigations, litigation, and appeals.
Fluent in Marathi, Bhirud has been recognized by Chambers & Partners, State Attorneys General Practice - Nationwide, 2023, and was recognized repeatedly as a Nevada Super Lawyer. He is the fourth recent major addition to the firm’s State Attorneys General Group, joining Siran Faulders, former Virginia senior assistant attorney general; Stephen Cobb, former Virginia deputy attorney general; and Swain Wood, former North Carolina First Assistant Attorney General, engaged in a strategic alliance with Cozen O’Connor.
“When I was in the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, I observed Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General group and was impressed with the work they were doing on behalf of their clients,” Bhirud said. “I admire the practice that Bernie and Lori built; when the opportunity arose to join their group, I jumped at it.”
Bhirud earned his J.D. at the University of Minnesota Law School and his B.A. in economics and political science at the University of California, Los Angeles.
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.
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