Santa Monica

Cozen O'Connor established its Santa Monica office in October 2017 when attorneys from the real estate and commercial litigation boutique, Gilchrist & Rutter, joined the firm. Our Santa Monica attorneys have a strong background in all aspects of real estate, representing developers, investors, lenders, architects, contractors, brokers, and local government agencies. The full-service real estate practice encompasses commercial office, retail, multifamily, industrial, manufactured housing, development, financing, leasing, purchases, sales, joint ventures, and exchanges, along with a regulatory and government relations practice.

The lawyers of the Commercial Litigation group represent clients in trial and arbitration proceedings in state and federal courts in partnership disputes, corporate and LLC dissolution and partition actions, and in claims involving breach of fiduciary duty, unfair business practices unfair competition, defamation, invasion of privacy, insurance bad faith, and intellectual property.

People

John R. Carrigan, Jr.

John R. Carrigan, Jr.

Member

Thomas W. Casparian

Thomas W. Casparian

Member

Ethan Chernin

Ethan Chernin

Member

H. Sarah Fan

H. Sarah Fan

Associate

Susy Forbath

Susy Forbath

Regulatory and Government Relations Professional

Frank Gooch III

Frank Gooch III

Member

Jonathan S. Gross

Jonathan S. Gross

Co-Chair, Real Estate

Nicole Herter Perkin

Nicole Herter Perkin

Member

C. Edward Langhammer, Jr.

C. Edward Langhammer, Jr.

Member

Matthew Evan  Lewitz

Matthew Evan Lewitz

Member

Michele Ballard Miller

Michele Ballard Miller

Chair, West Coast Labor & Employment

Duane M. Montgomery

Duane M. Montgomery

Office Managing Partner

Megan R. Peitzke

Megan R. Peitzke

Member

Mitchell Poole

Mitchell Poole

Member

Jacob Prischak

Jacob Prischak

Associate

Alexander E.  Robinson

Alexander E. Robinson

Associate

Paul S. Rutter

Paul S. Rutter

Member

Emily Shoor

Emily Shoor

Member

Peter E. Swain

Peter E. Swain

Member

Brett D. Watson

Brett D. Watson

Chair, Retail Banking Practice

Jon S. Ziefert

Jon S. Ziefert

Member

Upcoming Events

News

Five Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as 2023 Southern California Super Lawyers

February 07, 2023 Super Lawyers has named Los Angeles attorneys Susan A. Grueneberg and Donald C. Nanney and Santa Monica attorneys Thomas W. Casparian, Jonathan S. Gross, and Paul S. Rutter to its 2023 Southern California Super Lawyers list.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Cozen O’Connor Lands Noted California-based Real Estate Attorney Mitchell Poole

July 06, 2020 Poole, who has for 20-plus years represented general and limited partners investing in national/international real estate funds and joint ventures, joins Cozen O’Connor as a shareholder.

Nine Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers

January 15, 2020 Super Lawyers has named nine Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2020 Southern California Super Lawyers.

138 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named to the Best Lawyers in America

August 28, 2019 Best Lawyers selected 138 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 21 of the firm’s national offices for inclusion in the 2020 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Better Call Paul: One of LA’s Top Lawyers Reflects on Decades of Deals

August 07, 2019 Paul Rutter was interviewed for an article in Commercial Observer regarding his 40 years of real estate experience.

West Coast Expansion Continues with the Addition of 13 Labor & Employment Lawyers from Miller Law Group in California

August 01, 2019 Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce 13 attorneys from California’s Miller Law Group — one of the largest woman-owned employment law firms in the country — have joined its San Francisco and Los Angeles offices.

Cozen O’Connor Attorney Paul S. Rutter Named the Urban Development Lawyer of the Year by Century City Bar Association

January 24, 2019 – Cozen O’Connor attorney Paul S. Rutter, a member of the real estate practice in the firm’s Santa Monica, Calif., office, has been named “Urban Development Lawyer of the Year” by the Century City Bar Association. The Association provides legal education, leadership opportunities, and a sense of community to more than 4,000 Century City attorneys. Paul is among six attorneys being recognized by the Association for distinguishing himself in his respective field of expertise.

Los Angeles and Santa Monica Attorneys Participates in Adoption Day

November 19, 2018 Los Angeles and Santa Monica offices finalized pro bono adoptions for six families.

Cozen O'Connor Leads McCarthy Cook & Co. in $179.7M Purchase of Mountain View Office Campus

September 14, 2018 Paul Rutter, a member in Real Estate, was featured in the Dealmaker Section of the Daily Journal. Paul led the Cozen O'Connor team that negotiated real estate investment and development firm McCarthy Cook & Co.'s $179.7 million acquisition of an office campus in Mountain View.

Contacts

Duane M. Montgomery

Office Managing Partner

dmontgomery@cozen.com

(310) 460-4478

Jeanette Rodriguez

Office Manager

JRodriguez@cozen.com

(310) 594-3130