Penn Carey Law honors the legacy of Stephen Cozen C’61, L’64, a legal giant in Philadelphia and the Law School community.
Stephen Cozen C’61, L’64, a Philadelphia legal legend whose philanthropic efforts spanned throughout Penn Carey Law and the Greater Philadelphia area, passed away on December 19, 2024. He was 85.
Stephen Cozen C’61, L’64
“Steve Cozen was an extraordinary individual whose legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of Penn Carey Law and the broader Philadelphia legal community,” said Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law Sophia Z. Lee. “His unwavering commitment to justice, dedication to the legal profession, and profound generosity have left a lasting mark on our institution and the lives of countless students, faculty, and colleagues. We mourn his loss deeply and celebrate the remarkable life he lived with gratitude and admiration.”
Cozen founded the Cozen O’Connor law firm, which grew from four attorneys in Philadelphia in 1970 to more than 925 attorneys and 33 offices across the United States, Canada, and the UK. A proud Philadelphian, Cozen was widely known for his lifelong commitment to the community.
“A true giant in the legal world, he will be mourned as an incomparable advocate, counselor, business leader, and philanthropist,” the firm said in a statement on Cozen’s passing. “We at Cozen O’Connor intend to honor the legacy that Steve built and fostered, now and well into the future.”
For over 60 years, Cozen and partner Patrick O’Connor guided what began as a boutique firm focusing on insurance related and commercial litigation to what is now regarded as among the top 100 in the country, with success in high-profile cases like the Three Mile Island accident, the Hyatt Regency Kansas City walkway collapse, and the 1991 One Meridian Plaza high-rise fire in Philadelphia, in which Cozen defeated eight class actions, settled thousands of claims, and recovered in excess of $100 million from 16 defendants.
“I take a lot of pride in that, but that’s not my accomplishment,” Cozen said in a Spring 2022 Penn Carey Law Journal article in recognition of his induction into the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best of the Bar Hall of Fame. “My accomplishment is what you see every day in Cozen O’Connor. That’s my accomplishment, and that’s something Pat [O’Connor], Mike Heller, and I could never be prouder of — that’s all we ever wanted to do, to be the best we could be in everything we did and just go out and kick butt.”
Cozen was also lead counsel in the landmark antiterrorism lawsuit against the Saudi Arabian government that began in 2003, which seeks to hold financial and logistical sponsors responsible for damages resulting from the September 11, 2001, attack.
And in 2013, Cozen won a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case that allowed Girard College to continue operations as a tax-exempt entity.
He was a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, a designation held by only the most respected and experienced courtroom practitioners, a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a senior fellow of the Advisory Board of the Litigation Counsel of America.
Earlier this month, Cozen was recognized at the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Annual Meeting as a 2024 inductee to the organization’s 60-Year Club, celebrating his many decades in practice and the 100% membership of his firm’s attorneys.
“Steve Cozen was a pioneer and he built a law firm with a culture that makes us all feel welcomed and included,” said Chancellor-Elect Katayun Jaffari, chair of the Corporate Governance Group, co-chair of the Capital Markets & Securities Group, and co-chair of the ESG Group at Cozen O’Connor in a statement from the Philadelphia Bar Association.
“Steve believed in this City and in the power of Philadelphia lawyers,” said Jaffari. “He encouraged Cozen attorneys to grow and achieve in our practice, but also to look beyond the firm to see how we could serve our community and make a difference. I am grateful for the inspiration I gained from his leadership.”
Cozen’s influence and philanthropic reach also spanned across his alma mater. As a student at Penn, he was a Class of 1961 Officer and played varsity baseball. A lifelong supporter of Penn Athletics, Cozen gave generously to Penn varsity basketball.
As an alum, he served on the Law School’s Board of Advisors as a Member from 1985-2010 and Emeritus from 2010 until his death. He was also a member of the board of the Institute for Law & Economics (ILE), the Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Leadership Council, Law School Campaign Executive Committee, Time to Shine Host Committee, Penn Law Volunteers, Associate Trustee, and President’s Council. Cozen also co-chaired the Penn Law Class of 1964 Reunion Committee, which celebrated 60 years in May 2024.
“Steve Cozen was a remarkable man who lived a remarkable life,” said Osagie Imasogie LLM’85, Chair of the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s Board of Advisors. “An erudite attorney of strong intellect and great wit, a passionate supporter of the Penn Carey Law, and a very dear friend of mine. He is already truly missed.”
For nearly 60 years, Cozen was a major contributor to various programs, departments, scholarships, endowments, and building projects at both the Law School and University, including the Dean’s Distinguished Professorship Established in Honor of Michael A. Fitts, Dean’s Distinguished Scholarship Fund established in honor of Theodore W. Ruger, the Institute for Law & Economics Fund, and the Michael A. Fitts Endowed Scholarship Fund, among many others.
In 2003, in tribute to its co-founder, Cozen O’Connor endowed the Stephen A. Cozen Professor of Law Chair at the Law School, the Law School’s first endowed professorship from a law firm, currently held by Professor of Law & Professor of Political Science, Jacques deLisle.
“It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be the inaugural holder of the Stephen A. Cozen chair at Penn Carey Law,” said deLisle. “A great feature of receiving a chair named for a living person is that you get to meet the namesake—especially when that is someone with Steve’s remarkable qualities. He was an extraordinarily smart and insightful lawyer and a generous supporter and tireless pursuer of deeply held values in politics and policy.”
“He had a lively and wide-ranging intellect, eager and able to engage on many topics,” deLisle continued. “I will greatly miss his quick wit, his many stories about the famous and not-so-famous, and our conversations on everything from foreign sovereign immunity, to protecting voting rights, to promoting pro bono legal work, to Chinese law—a field that he was remarkably warm in welcoming as the specialty of the first person to have the honor of being named to the Stephen A. Cozen chair.”
And in 2021, with the support of a multi-year gift from Cozen and his wife of 63 years, Sandra ‘Sandy’ Wexler, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School launched the Cozen Family Voting Rights Fellowship, which provides two years of funding for a graduate working to advance and protect voting rights.
“Steve embodied a unique combination of personal, professional, and familial passions that one seldom, if ever, sees in one individual,” said former Penn Carey Law Dean Michael A. Fitts. “A dear and cherished friend and counselor, Steve was a legend in the legal, Penn Carey Law, and Jewish communities. Once a friend, he was always a friend.”
Throughout his career, Cozen was recognized for his accomplishments as a litigator, counselor, and important figure in the legal community. He was awarded the 25th Annual Americanism Award—the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) highest honor—in 2002 and named to countless local and national leading and influential lawyer lists.
He served as chair of the Board of Councilors of the USC Shoah Foundation from 2015 to 2019, leading a capital campaign that raised $100 million for genocide research and education.
“His impact on Penn Carey Law, over many decades of service, sprung from his desire to see his alma mater rise to preeminence, all while dedicating himself to his family and the Jewish community—truly a giant among men,” said Fitts. “All those who encountered Steve, whether professionally or personally, were better for having known him.”
A South Philadelphia native who grew up in Wynnewood, Cozen was a founding benefactor of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and a major supporter of the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia. Additionally, Cozen was a top Democratic fundraiser and adviser, including for President Joe Biden.
Cozen also served on the boards of the Philadelphia Foundation and the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, where he was the recipient of the inaugural Only in America Humanitarian Award earlier this year.
“I’m a born and bred Philadelphian,” said Cozen in 2022. “I think a lot of people have the very, very misguided impression that the great lawyers in this country all come from New York, D.C., and Los Angeles. Maybe a few in Chicago. Nothing could be further from the truth. The quality of the Bar in Philadelphia is as high, if not higher, than anywhere else in the country, so I’m very proud to be a member of the Philadelphia Bar.”
Contributions in Cozen’s memory may be made to the Samuel D. Cozen Memorial Foundation, c/o of Nancy Rounbehler, Cozen O’Connor, One Liberty Place, 1650 Market St., Suite 2800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 267-210-9036 or USC Shoah Foundation, The Institute for Visual History and Education, 1150 S. Olive St., Suite 2500, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
Original source can be found here.