WASHINGTON, D.C., May 5, 2025 — Cozen O'Connor is pleased to announce veteran maritime attorney Jeffrey Hardin Lewis has joined its Transportation & Trade Group, one of the most formidable transportation practices of any major U.S. law firm. Lewis comes to Cozen O'Connor from the federal Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD), where he served as chief counsel and provided legal and policy advice to the organization's leader, the Maritime Administrator, and its various offices and programs. He joins as a member and will reside in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.
Lewis has undertaken major advisory roles in the federal government's transportation and maritime space for nearly two decades, most recently with MARAD. He has also advised the Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. As such, he brings to the firm's maritime clients unparalleled, senior- level experience in maritime and marine environmental law, policy, legislation, and regulation.
"With the new administration signaling a strong interest in further expanding the country's maritime industry, adding a highly regarded maritime lawyer like Jeff—one with 20-plus years of federal government experience—is a real coup for our practice," said Robert K. Magovern, co-chair of the firm's Transportation & Trade group. "As someone who has played a fundamental role in shaping and enforcing maritime law in the U.S., Jeff will be a tremendous legal asset for our domestic and foreign clients. I'm thrilled he's chosen to join our group."
At MARAD, Lewis was a key part of the Maritime Administrator's leadership team, which is charged with promoting and developing the country's merchant marine industry. He managed 34 attorneys and five non-attorney professionals addressing a range of maritime legal issues, from administrative, legislative, fiscal, and ethics matters to civil rights, information disclosure regulations, and environmental law.
Prior to that, Lewis served as senior attorney-advisor to the Coast Guard, providing counsel on matters related to maritime cybersecurity, vessel and port safety and security, vessel inspection, outer Continental Shelf activities, marine casualty investigations, and federal preemption of state and local law. As counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, he advised on maritime and marine environmental law and played a key role in drafting and advancing bills, resolutions, and amendments throughout the legislative process, as well as moving numerous presidential nominations through the Senate advice-and-consent process.
"With one of the largest, oldest, and most renowned maritime practices in the nation, it's a pleasure to welcome Jeff to the firm and to our Washington D.C. office," said office managing partner Meridith H. Moldenhauer. "Ours is a diverse and growing office, populated with highly experienced attorneys advising and representing clients in everything from government contracts, antitrust, international trade, government investigations, and construction law. If we all have one thing in common, it's our strong focus on representing clients before the federal government and helping them succeed."
Prior to moving to public service, Lewis was an associate with a Washington D.C. law firm, representing corporations and trade associations before Congress and formulating/implementing legislative strategies to achieve client objectives. A member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, Lewis also serves as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, teaching a course on Admiralty and Maritime Law for J.D. and L.L.M. candidates.
"Having been a part of the maritime industry from a federal law- and policy-making perspective for many years, moving to the top transportation and trade practice in the country is a natural next step for me," Lewis said. "I've long been acquainted with the many talented attorneys here at Cozen O'Connor, and I'm very much looking forward to working with Robert, Meridith, and my other new colleagues."
Lewis earned his J.D. at Catholic University of America, with a certificate from the Comparative and International Law Institute, and a B.A. in Political Science at Louisiana State University.
About Cozen O'Connor
Established in 1970, Cozen O'Connor has over 925 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.
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