Rafael Rivera

Member

Recent News:

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Rafael focuses his practice on matters involving directors and officers liability insurance coverage. He has experience handling all aspects of D&O claims management and coverage analysis in connection with securities class actions; derivative actions; Delaware appraisal petitions; opioid-related claims; qui tam lawsuits involving the False Claims Act; antitrust and unfair competition claims; investigations and litigation by the SEC and DOJ; and other complex litigation. In addition, he has represented D&O insurers in a number of high-exposure cases involving a wide variety of coverage terms and provisions.

Moreover, Rafael has broad claims and coverage litigation experience involving commercial general liability and first party property insurance policies. He is also committed to pro bono work, having previously represented an undocumented person in removal proceedings before the DOJ.

Rafael is an active member of the firm’s Professional Liability Coverage Practice Group, and Hispanic Attorney Resource Group. Before joining Cozen O'Connor, Rafael practiced law in Chicago for six years, and remains licensed in Illinois.

Rafael received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and his B.A. in political science from The University of Tampa. Following law school, Rafael served as a Judicial Law Clerk in the Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County for the Honorable Joan Powell. 

Experience

News

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 27 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

September 22, 2023

Thirteen attorneys were recognized as Super Lawyers and 14 were named “Rising Stars.”

21 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized as New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

October 03, 2022

Super Lawyers has named 21 Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2022 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

Cozen O'Connor Promotes 28 Attorneys to Member

March 25, 2022

Cozen O'Connor promoted 28 attorneys to member in March.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 17 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

October 04, 2021

Super Lawyers has named 17 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2021 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.

Rafael Rivera Named 2021 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow, Jordan Chisolm and Orla Thompson Named Pathfinders

March 09, 2021

Cozen O'Connor has chosen Rafael Rivera, an associate in the firm’s Global Insurance Department, to be a member of the 2021 class of fellows, participating in a landmark program created by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) to identify, train, and advance the next generation of leaders in the legal profession.

Super Lawyers Recognizes 21 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys in New York

September 29, 2020

Super Lawyers has named 21 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2020 New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.

Publications

Seventh Circuit Affirms Ruling that Notice of Amended Complaint was Untimely [Alert]

November 15, 2022

In R.W. Dunteman, the court rejected the insureds’ arguments as undermining the purpose and ordinary operation of claims-made insurance.

Ninth Circuit Affirms Application of Goods & Products Exclusion [Alert]

March 14, 2022

Angelo G. Savino and Rafael Rivera, Jr. discuss the Circuit Court's decision in Sentynl Therapeutics, Inc. v. U.S. Specialty Ins. Co.

Illinois Appellate Court Requires CGL Insurer To Defend Insured Against BIPA Claim [Casualty Coverage Chronicle Blog]

April 16, 2020

Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) restricts businesses that collect biometric information (e.g., DNA, fingerprints, facial and iris recognition) from disseminating that information. Although BIPA had been in effect for more than a decade, the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling in...

Delaware Supreme Court Validates Federal Forum Provisions in Delaware Corporations’ Charters [Alert]

March 24, 2020

Rafael Rivera discusses the Sciabacucchi decision and how it may impact state SCAs and limit attendant D&O-related costs.

Litigation Uptick (Best's Review)

March 03, 2020

Rafael Rivera published an article to Best’s Review titled, “Litigation Uptick.” In this article, Rafael discusses why insurers are seeing an uptick in litigation.

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 2011
  • The University of Tampa, B.A., 2007

Awards & Honors

Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016-2018

New York Super Lawyers "Rising Star" 2019 – 2023

Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2021 

Best Lawyers in America (Insurance Law) 2025

  • Illinois
  • New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court -- Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Illinois Circuit Court

Professional Liability Underwriting Society

American Bar Association

Hispanic National Bar Association

Nassau County Bar Association

Puerto Rican Bar Association