Recent Publication:
In Episode 5 of Season 5 Chris Allen and Hannah Land analyze Texas AG Ken Paxton’s recent $1.4B settlement with Google over alleged use of embedded tracking software and what it tells us about AGs’ privacy and data security concerns.
Chris offers clients the unique combination of legal acumen, policy understanding, political insight, and boots-on-the-ground practicality he has cultivated through practicing in the State Attorneys General niche for more than a decade. He understands the important strategic considerations that distinguish handling a State Attorney General (AG) matter from private litigation or litigation against the federal government, and he uses this savvy to guide his clients through complex investigations, litigation, and public policy advocacy on the state and federal levels. Chris also provides advice and counsel on the myriad compliance issues his clients face daily.
Representing clients ranging from small startups to the third-largest company in the United States, Chris has a truly national practice with particular focus in the areas of consumer protection, antitrust, data privacy (including data breaches, data security, and data collection), and the False Claims Act. Outside the State Attorneys General realm, Chris also has significant experience representing consumer products manufacturers and distributors in product recalls, compliance matters, and industry-wide investigations led by the Consumer Products Safety Commission.
Chris strives to be a true partner to his clients, helping those facing a State AG investigation navigate the attendant political and policy concerns, nuances among the various state laws at issue, and the strategic considerations unique to State AG matters. Drawing upon the vast institutional knowledge of the firm’s State Attorneys General Practice, Chris has the perspective on State AGs and their staff needed to identify and examine all of the possible factors driving an investigation. He uses this insight to help his clients articulate their defense in a thorough, consistent, and persuasive manner.
His broad client base encompasses companies in industry sectors including telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, disruptive technology, telemedicine, cannabis, transportation, hospitality, and nutrition/personal health. Chris also has significant experience representing trade associations. He regularly handles issues centering on state Unfair and Deceptive Acts or Practices laws, state data breach reporting and notification laws, Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, state and federal False Claims Acts, state Medicaid Fraud Acts, the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, among others.
Chris was a recipient of the Phi Delta Phi Award for Excellence in Jurisprudence and Professional Responsibility. He also maintains an active pro bono practice, including representing a number of clients with cases pending before the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. In addition, he regularly serves as a guest judge for collegiate and law school mock trial and moot court competitions.
News
August 15, 2024
Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.
February 15, 2024
The firm announced several new practice group chairs, office managing partners, and leaders of firm committees and initiatives
July 18, 2016
Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General Practice represented Herbalife International, Inc. and Herbalife International of America, Inc. in separate settlements with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
May 05, 2015
On the heels of its recent announcement of the addition of 60 lawyers in Chicago, Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce the addition of ten attorneys and government professionals and the formation of the firm’s State Attorneys General Practice.
Publications
May 19, 2025
In Episode 5 of Season 5 Chris Allen and Hannah Land analyze Texas AG Ken Paxton’s recent $1.4B settlement with Google over alleged use of embedded tracking software and what it tells us about AGs’ privacy and data security concerns.
April 07, 2025
In Episode 2 of Season 5, as the new administration pursues actions that will fundamentally reshape US government, former Arkansas AG, now Cozen O’Connor State AG Group Co-Chair, Dustin McDaniel and team members Chris Allen and Grace Garver discuss how state AGs will step up and the tools they have to fill the regulatory void.
March 24, 2025
Season 5 of State AG Pulse kicks off with State AG Group attorneys Chris Allen and Ann-Marie Luciano in conversation with Vice-Chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Group, Mike Schmidt, on the Trump administration’s recent EOs on DEI, the latest guidance from the EEOC, and what state AGs are doing in reaction to these developments.
March 06, 2025
Christopher Allen and Hannah Land discuss regulations and pending law suits to prevent companies from charging customers additional fees at the point of purchase.
December 11, 2024
In this article for Bloomberg Law, Ketan Bhirud, Chris Allen and Grace Garver offer tips for how businesses can better position themselves as a new political era dawns.
June 21, 2024
In this Law360 article Chris Allen, Siran Faulders and Hannah Land discuss multistate efforts and what businesses should understand about these collective actions.
May 13, 2024
In this episode of State AG Pulse, Chris Allen, Jerry Kilgore and Howard Schweitzer consider AGs’ journeys both into the office and after leaving office, and the relational nature of both state and federal politics in an increasingly polarized political environment.
February 20, 2024
In Law360 Ketan Bhirud, Chris Allen and Emily Yu discuss how recent state AG enforcement actions offer a taste of what’s to come in 2024.
November 06, 2023
When 23andMe suffered a data breach that potentially exposed sensitive data collected in genetic testing, Connecticut AG William Tong took action. Chris Allen and Hannah Cornett discuss the implications of the breach and identify best practices for anticipating and responding to data security incidents.
October 11, 2023
In Law360 Chris Allen and Stephen Cobb discuss the EATS Act and how state AGs are making their voices heard at the federal level.
October 02, 2023
In Episode 4, Chris Allen and Emily Yu look at the history of the SAFER Banking Act and consider whether the latest legislative proposal will realize AGs’ bipartisan ambitions for a regulatory and enforcement regime for cannabis that generates additional state revenues, deters bad actors, and provides businesses with predictability and legal certainty.
September 18, 2023
This episode of State AG Pulse looks at an investigation by Minnesota AG Keith Ellison into student loan providers alleged to have violated consumer protection and registration laws in his state, and the likelihood that it will sweep in other regulators and ripple throughout the debt servicing industry.
August 16, 2023
In a series of three articles Chris Allen summarizes panel discussions on antitrust law history, state/federal cooperation and emerging antitrust trends.
August 10, 2023
Chris Allen shares key takeaways from AG Alliance’s recent gaming workshop.
June 26, 2023
In the season 2 finale of State AG Pulse, General Rokita of Indiana joins Jerry Kilgore and Chris Allen to talk about the challenges of upholding Indiana’s interests against the federal bureaucracy, and the power of states.
May 24, 2023
In a sneak preview of Season 3 of State AG Pulse, Chris Allen and Emily Yu dig into a story from last week’s state AG news about a cryptocurrency scheme that set off flares in the state AG world.
April 17, 2023
Elected for a second term in 2022, Attorney General Keith Ellison has led his state through the pandemic and its enormous social and economic consequences. He talks with Lori Kalani and Chris Allen about navigating those challenges and their impacts on individuals and businesses in Minnesota.
April 03, 2023
Even when state AGs are not specifically authorized in a particular area, they can still be highly influential on their federal counterparts when it comes to regulation, enforcement, rulemaking and interpretation of statutes. Our team digs into state/federal collaboration: the who, what, why and how.
February 08, 2023
Legal Dive Lead Editor Robert Freedman listened to our podcast Money Money Money: Where does it go and why and teases out some of the key themes related to restitution, disgorgement and penalty negotiations in state AG settlements.
February 06, 2023
In this episode we draw back the curtain on attorney general settlements, including an AG’s statutory authority and motives, and the factors that determine the size and composition of a settlement, and provide insights to help businesses negotiate for the best possible outcome.
October 06, 2022
As election day 2022 approaches, members of the Cozen O’Connor State AG Group share their thoughts on some of the trends and themes that have emerged over the course of the primary season.
August 12, 2022
Lori Kalani, Bernie Nash and Chris Allen joined host Richard Levick on the “In House Warrior” podcast to discuss all things state AG.
July 01, 2022
Lori, Bernie and Chris engage Sean Rankin, President of the Democratic AGs Association, on the challenges and opportunities he sees for the Democratic party as it fights headwinds going into the November 2022 election.
June 20, 2022
The two leading contenders for Maryland AG come from very different backgrounds. In this week’s podcast, host Bernie and his State AG Group colleagues Milton Marquis and Chris Allen debate what this means for their election prospects and the future of the Maryland AG’s office.
June 06, 2022
In this first of four panel discussions held at the 2022 NAAG Spring Conference, three sitting AGs discussed the most pressing and cutting-edge consumer protection issues they are confronting.
June 06, 2022
The third panel was comprised of consumer protection chiefs from Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Vermont. It provided a brief glimpse into the most common complaints received by their respective offices, and how those complaints are mediated by their staff.
June 06, 2022
The second panel of the day was hosted by Iowa’s Deputy AG for Public Protection, Jessica Whitney, and focused on the emerging issues involving so-called “dark patterns,” and whether they constitute deceptive or unfair trade practices.
June 06, 2022
The fourth panel of the day examined the complexities of negotiating resolutions to state AG investigations and litigation, and featured panelists with extensive experience resolving multistate AG investigations and litigation.
May 23, 2022
This week Bernie and Lori engage with State AG Group team member Chris Allen on the race in New Mexico, where the AG’s office is likely to stay blue but a red wave, if it comes, could shake things up. They also ponder AGs’ use of outside counsel to supplement – or supplant - internal AG staff resources.
May 12, 2022
In the fifth article in our Elections 2022 series, Chris Allen and Mira Baylson discuss how the political affiliations of state attorneys general matter—and how they don’t.
May 03, 2022
In the fourth article in our Elections 2022 series, Mira Baylson and Chris Allen focus on what businesses should be thinking about as changes in state AG offices loom.
February 14, 2022
In our second article analyzing the impact of the 2022 state AG elections on corporate America, Jerry Kilgore and Chris Allen look at how an AG’s experience prior to taking office can inform a business’s approach.
June 30, 2020
Christopher J. Allen discusses state AGs wielding their legal, political, and policy-making authority and increasing enforcement to protect consumers, enhance data privacy and security, eliminate price-gouging, and combat false claims for payment to state authorities.
Events & Seminars
Upcoming Events
May 20, 2025
- Webinar
Cozen O’Connor invites you to attend a weekly webinar series exploring critical issues impacting the legal landscape for health care and life sciences businesses.
Past Events