Miami, October 13, 2021 — On the heels of launching a new office in Boca Raton, Cozen O'Connor continues to show its commitment to Florida with the recent hire of Ralf R. Rodriguez in our Miami office. He will join as a member of the Construction Law Group, which also has seen significant growth in the past year.

Rodriguez brings experience representing domestic and international general contractors, construction managers, sureties, and others in the construction industry in negotiation, litigation, arbitration, and mediation of construction and design defect claims, insurance claims, surety bond claims, and related matters. 

"Cozen O'Connor remains committed to its litigation roots by bringing on talented and experienced litigators to all of the firm's offices," said Bruce Ficken, chair of the Construction Law Group. "The Construction team has had our eye on Southern Florida for some time. Ralf is a perfect fit. With his addition to our group, we once again reinforce the importance we place on this rapidly growing department, and our commitment to bringing attorneys who are well regarded by their peers as true allies to our clients."

Cozen O'Connor recently expanded its domestic footprint with the opening of a new office in Boca Raton, Florida. Stuart R. Morris is the office managing partner of the new office in Boca Raton, and has been joined by Ellen S. Morris, Howard S. Krooks, Gregory S. Bloshinsky, Michael S. Gross, and Cassandra Jelincic. The Construction Law Group has been the center of expansion over the past year with the additions of former Toll Brothers Inc. vice president and litigation and risk management counsel Wendy F. Klein Keane and Lawrence M. Prosen, an international construction litigation and government contracts veteran.

"Construction litigation is an area of tremendous importance and continued growth in the South Florida area. With historic low-interest-rates and the Biden administration's focus on infrastructure, as well as the pandemic, there has been an uptick of activity in the construction and commercial real estate spaces," said Susan N. Eisenberg, the office managing partner of Cozen O'Connor's Miami office. "His ability to navigate sensitive issues in both domestic and international jurisdictions will be a significant benefit to our multinational clients and shows our continued commitment to meeting the needs of our local clientele."

In addition to Construction Law, the South Florida offices offer a full complement of legal services, including Corporate Law, Real Estate, Labor & Employment, Immigration, Intellectual Property, Private Client Services, and Elder Law.

"It is a tremendous honor and opportunity for me to become a member of this growing practice. I look forward to being able to draw upon well established relationships within the region and look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and helping navigate the increasingly difficult world of litigation," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has been recognized in the 2020 and 2021 editions of Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers in the practice area of construction and recognized in The Best Lawyers in America from 2019-2021. He received his law degree from the University of Miami (cum laude) where he was a member of the University of Miami Law Review and his B.A. from the University of Florida.