Geoffrey Kozen does not shy from a challenge. With a practice focused on antitrust, class action and other complex commercial litigation across an array of high-stakes matters, he enjoys masterminding legal solutions that impact people across society. Licensed in Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York, he has prosecuted and defended numerous actions in trial and appellate courts throughout the country.
While some would consider financial and regulatory matters to be dry subjects, Kozen discovered their allure while working for the United State Senate during his second summer of law school. He returned to Georgetown University and shuffled his schedule to include an antitrust course. “I had a wonderful professor, Howard Shelanski, who made the material fun and interesting,” he says.
Following graduation, Kozen began his law career working with the American Antitrust Institute (AAI), a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting competition that protects consumers, businesses and society. Working with the AAI was a crash course in antitrust law that prepared him well for private practice.
Roughly two years later, Kozen interviewed with Robins Kaplan’s New York office. He didn’t shy away when he learned he was needed in Minneapolis, despite the fact that it was January and -30 degrees. “I was looking to leave D.C. It was too hot there in the summer, and I wanted to move somewhere colder.”
It turns out that Kozen’s move to Robins Kaplan was a perfect match for more than the weather. “Robins Kaplan has been a wonderful place to practice,” he says. “I’ve been able to work with a variety of different partners, all of whom are very skilled and have been great mentors. They all have different styles that I can incorporate a part of in my practice to get really effective outcomes for clients. I came from AAI with a much better grasp of the substance of antitrust law than a lot of second or third-year associates have, but I had never litigated and didn’t know anything about discovery. Just a few months into my time with the firm, I was doing significant work. I had interesting opportunities from the beginning and have been able to build on those opportunities. It’s a place where I feel valued while getting the kind of experience I want to get.”
Kozen’s passion for his work is driven by a sense that he is improving society at large. “Briefly in law school, I worked for Legal Aid, but I felt I was dealing with symptoms, not problems. What I do now allows me to change the system in a way that affects everybody. I also enjoy that the casework is varied and challenging on a daily basis. Every day I am dealing with something totally unforeseen that makes me think and work. I get an in-depth look into major parts of the economy we often don’t think about, like how food gets to the grocery food shelves, or how the bank decides what the interest rate on your mortgage will be. I love seeing behind the curtain and how things work.”
Kozen gets the satisfaction of impacting individual lives by participating in pro bono service. He co-founded the Amara Legal Center with law school friend Stacie Reimer, whose vision was to provide legal assistance to survivors of sex trafficking and to sex workers in the D.C. area. In the past year, he has given many hours to a death row appeal in Texas. In his free time, Kozen enjoys street photography, travel and spending time outdoors.
“My ‘why’ in the practice of law is the intellectually engaging work and the challenge of solving complex problems. At Robins Kaplan, I have found a community of smart people who really care about their clients and colleagues. I love the people and the work.”
