MINNEAPOLIS – November 3, 2025 – Cozen O’Connor, a leading international law firm, and Moss & Barnett, a preeminent Minneapolis law firm, today announced they have agreed to merge effective January 1, 2026. The merger is expected to substantially increase Cozen O’Connor’s footprint in Minnesota by adding more than 50 attorneys and further advance the firm’s strategic expansion across the Midwest. The merger will also bring Cozen O’Connor’s total roster to over 1,000 attorneys located across 33 offices. Cozen O’Connor’s board of directors and shareholders and Moss & Barnett’s board of directors and shareholders voted to approve the merger.
Cozen O’Connor and Moss & Barnett are both cutting edge, entrepreneurial firms built on collaboration and exceptional client service. Founded in 1892, Moss & Barnett brings substantial experience serving businesses, families, and individuals in Minnesota and beyond across a wide range of important practice areas, including Real Estate, Corporate, Regulatory/Government, IP, Energy & Public Utilities, Litigation, Real Estate Finance, Trusts & Estates, and Family Law. Its Energy & Public Utilities Practice is Chambers USA ranked, with a client base that includes leaders in the technology and environmental sustainability space, and its Family Law and Real Estate practices have nationally recognized practitioners.
“Moss & Barnett’s century-long history of excellence and its deep community ties in a corporate hub like Minneapolis make it a perfect fit for Cozen O’Connor’s strategic vision for growth. This combination advances our commitment to deepen our presence across the Midwest, a strategically important region for the firm and our clients,” said Michael J. Heller, Cozen O’Connor’s Chairman and CEO. “We explored the possibility of a merger a decade ago, but the timing wasn’t right. When we resumed these discussions recently, we were immediately reminded of our many shared cultural and practice synergies that have contributed to each firm’s success.”
This combination marks a major step in Cozen O'Connor’s plan to significantly expand its transactional and commercial practices across key Midwest markets. The Twin Cities — home to the highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies per capita among large U.S. metropolitan areas — represents a cornerstone of that strategy. The resulting Minneapolis presence of more than 70 lawyers, along with more than 50 in Cozen O’Connor’s Chicago office, brings the firm’s Midwest team to over 120. The merger immediately and substantially enhances the firm’s depth and breadth of services in the Midwest, particularly across its regulatory, transactional, and financial practice areas. Moreover, it increases the firm-wide roster of its nationally regarded real estate practice to over 100 attorneys.
“We’re excited to join forces with Cozen O’Connor. We’re both multidisciplinary, client-centered law firms that deliver seamless, team-based, custom counsel,” said Brian T. Grogan, Moss & Barnett’s President and CEO. “Both firms are regarded as innovators, and both are well-known for delivering outstanding value to our clients. Integrating our local expertise with Cozen O'Connor's national resources and full suite of legal services will provide Minneapolis’ dynamic business community with a robust team capable of handling their most sophisticated legal matters.”
Both firms also share a deep commitment to meeting the needs of their communities. Through its M&B Cares initiative, Moss & Barnett provides financial contributions and dedicated volunteer support to Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota-based organizations focused on fighting food insecurity, supporting underserved youth, assisting veterans, and helping those experiencing homelessness and illness. Through the Cozen O’Connor Foundation, Cozen O’Connor supports charities and nonprofits in its communities, including schools, medical centers, cure organizations, civic, social, and cultural institutions, and has been recognized by Law360 as one of the 10 most charitable law firms in the country. Additionally, both firms actively support their attorneys in providing pro bono legal services and serving in leadership positions on various legal, civic, charitable, and faith-based institutions.
Upon completion of the merger, Cozen O’Connor will relocate its Minneapolis operations from 33 South 6th Street to Moss & Barnett’s existing location at 150 South Fifth Street. The firm intends to begin an immediate search for a new space designed to accommodate the combined team. The merger will firmly establish Cozen O'Connor's Minneapolis office as its fourth-largest office of its 33 locations, making it the firm's biggest office outside of Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, D.C.
About Cozen O’Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 1,000 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 33 offices across two continents.