Geoffrey H. Kozen

612.349.8500

Partner

GKozen@RobinsKaplan.com
612.349.8500

Pronouns: he/him

GKozen@RobinsKaplan.com
612.349.8500

Minneapolis

Experience

Geoffrey Kozen focuses his practice on antitrust, class action, and other complex commercial litigation. He has experience representing clients, ranging from individuals to large corporations, in a wide array of high-stakes disputes and has prosecuted and defended numerous actions in trial and appellate courts throughout the country. And while Mr. Kozen never backs down from litigation, he also recognizes that litigation is a tool to further a client’s business objectives, and often the best outcome lies in leveraging litigation into a business resolution.

Mr. Kozen is also dedicated to pro bono work. He has particular interest in representing clients in immigration courts and in advocating for those facing domestic violence.

Prior to joining Robins Kaplan, Geoffrey worked for the United States Senate and for a national antitrust policy organization.

Zuchowski v. SFC Global Supply Chain, Inc. (S.D. NY): Obtained a Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal of a putative nationwide false advertising class action against global food manufacturer SFC Global Supply Chain Inc. (“Schwan’s”). Plaintiffs sought millions in class-wide damages based on alleged false and misleading labeling and marketing of Schwan’s Red Baron pizzas with the use of “preservative-free crust” and “no artificial flavors.”
Jackson v. SFC Global Supply Chain, Inc. (S.D. Ill.): Represented global food manufacturer SFC Global Supply Chain, Inc., in a putative false-advertising class action challenging the labeling of Red Baron pizzas. After most of the damages claims were dismissed under Rule 12(b)(6), achieved a confidential settlement and stipulated dismissal.
In re: LIBOR-Based Financial Instruments Antitrust Litigation, 11-md-02262 (S.D.N.Y.): Robins Kaplan represents an investment management company that holds financial instruments with provisions to receive interest payments at rates indexed to British Bankers’ Association London Interbank Offered Rate (“BBA LIBOR”) benchmark rates set by defendant banks. Plaintiffs allege that defendants, who are panel bank members that report Intercontinental Exchange (“ICE”) LIBOR rates daily for the benchmark’s calculation, conspired to suppress those rates between August 2007 through at least 2011. The case is ongoing before the trial court.
In re: ICE LIBOR-Based Financial Instruments Antitrust Litigation, 19-cv-00439 (S.D.N.Y.): Robins Kaplan serves a co-lead counsel on behalf of a class of plaintiffs who hold financial instruments with provisions to receive interest payments at rates indexed to Intercontinental Exchange London Interbank Offered Rate (“ICE LIBOR”) benchmark rates set by defendant banks. Plaintiffs allege that defendants, who are panel bank members that report ICE LIBOR rates daily for the benchmark’s calculation, conspired to suppress those rates since February 2014.
In re Cattle Antitrust Litigation, 19-cv-01222 (D. Minn.): Robins Kaplan serves as the court-appointed liaison counsel on behalf of cattle ranchers who sold fed cattle to meatpacking defendants, including Tyson and Cargill, among others. Plaintiffs allege that defendants conspired to suppress the price paid for fed cattle since 2015. The case is ongoing before the trial court.

In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, 05-md-01720 (E.D.N.Y.): Robins Kaplan, serving as plaintiffs’ co-lead counsel, reached a $6.25 billion antitrust settlement on behalf of a class of over 10 million U.S. merchants who have accepted Visa and Mastercard credit cards and debit cards for the purchase of goods and services. This settlement, the result of 15 years of litigation, is the largest known settlement of a private antitrust case in the 120-year history of the Sherman act. The defendants include Visa and Mastercard, as well as major card-issuing banks such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Capital One. The settlement, which is subject to possible reduction of up to $700 million in the event opt-outs exceed a certain threshold, was given final approval by the court in December 2019. Appeals are ongoing.

In re Wholesale Grocery Products Antitrust Litigation, 09-md-02090 (D. Minn.): Robins Kaplan defended grocery wholesaler Supervalu Inc. in a putative antitrust class action by grocery retailers in 13 states alleging that Supervalu and another wholesaler, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., conspired to allocate territories and customers in the Midwest and New England in violation of the Sherman Act. This significant multidistrict litigation began in 2008 and involved five separate Eighth Circuit appeals and a petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court. The case was ultimately resolved to the benefit of all parties.
Robins Kaplan is representing The Gap Inc. and its subsidiaries in suits seeking relief related to hundreds of store leases affected by COVID-19 store closures and the effects of the pandemic across the United States
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Anthem v. Insys, No. 2:17-cv-02286 (D. Ariz.): Robins Kaplan represents insurer Anthem in litigation against the pharmaceutical manufacturer Insys alleging that Insys marketed Subsys, a powerful painkiller indicated only for cancer patients, to patients who did not have cancer and then lied to Anthem to get the prescriptions paid. On June 10, 2019, the filing was stayed due to Insys’s bankruptcy.

Twin Cities Diversity in Practice Racial Equity Challenge 2021 Certification

Minnesota State Bar Association: Named a “North Star Lawyer” for providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services (2022)
Twin Cities Diversity in Practice: Minnesota Racial Equity Challenge Certification (2021)

Amara Legal Center, Co-Founder and Volunteer (2014-2015)

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts
Minnesota
New York
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Education

Georgetown University Law Center, J.D., cum laude (2013) The Georgetown Law Journal, Notes Editor (2011-2013)
Cornell University, B.A. (2008)

Professional Associations

American Bar Association
Minnesota State Bar Association, Antitrust Council
New York State Bar Association

"Confirmation Of 3rd FTC Dem Locks In Ambitious Agenda," Law360 (May 11, 2022)

Antitrust Fundamentals
Panelist, Minnesota State Bar Association CLE (September 29, 2022)
How Affirmative Recovery Can Make Legal a Valued Business Partner
Panelist, Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Minnesota In-House Counsel Conference, Webinar (June 17, 2021)
Watch Your Step: The In-House Lawyer’s Field Guide to Antitrust Compliance in the Biden Era
Co-Presenter, Minnesota CLE, Webinar (May 26, 2021)