John is a highly sought after commercial litigator with a long track record of vigorously representing individuals and companies in their most consequential business and contract disputes. He has rapidly emerged and is recognized as one of the leading attorneys in the country representing immigrant investors pursuing the recovery of the investments that were made through the federal EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.
An experienced Am Law 100 business litigation attorney, former Fortune 400 general counsel, and seasoned former prosecutor, clients rely on John when they face real material risk — and his track record of success in big-dollar, bet-the-company matters justifies their trust.
John leads high-stakes litigation involving breach of contract and business fraud claims, securities and shareholder actions, and government investigations and select criminal defense cases, and he regularly appears in state and federal trial and appellate courts and before arbitration panels in jurisdictions across the country.
Prior to rejoining Cozen O’Connor in 2020, John served as general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief compliance officer for a Fortune 400 public real estate developer and home builder. In those roles, John was a trusted adviser to senior management and the board of directors on a full range of corporate, operational, regulatory, and crisis management issues. He led a 60-person legal team and oversaw national litigation, transactions, corporate compliance, risk management, and investor relations. He continues to serve as a trusted adviser to business clients facing legal and marketplace challenges.
One emerging focus of John’s practice is the representation of foreign investors defrauded through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. As this type of complex targeted fraud has become more prevalent in recent years, John has become one of the country’s leading EB-5 practitioners. Through aggressive investigation and discovery, John is often able to ferret out corrupt conduct by U.S.-based EB-5 developers, regional centers, and sponsors and recover significant funds on behalf of his clients.
John began his legal career as an assistant district attorney at the District Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia and that prosecutorial experience continues to inform his practice today. He served in the appellate and trial divisions, appeared regularly before the Pennsylvania Superior Court, and prosecuted more than 30 jury trials and hundreds of felony bench trials, including complex and high-profile cases involving multiple defendants.
Outside of his legal practice, John’s passion is his work with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that supports families affected by breast cancer. He served on the board of directors and organizes an annual fundraiser in memory of his mother. John also serves on the board of directors of Philadelphia Youth Basketball, a youth development organization that provides mentoring and academic support to under-resourced girls and boys to develop their potential as students and leaders. John still hits the pickup basketball court at least twice a week to stay fit for the courtroom.
John earned his B.A. from Haverford College and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.