Nossaman Names Elizabeth Cousins Chair of Infrastructure Group
Los Angeles, CA — We are pleased to announce Elizabeth (Liz) Cousins has been named chair of Nossaman’s Infrastructure Group. She will assume the role on January 1, 2024 from Patrick Harder, who has served as chair of the group since 2012. Patrick will remain a valued partner in the group.
“I am excited for this opportunity to lead one of the best practices of its kind in the world, a group I left Australia to join almost 10 years ago. I am humbled by the faith the Firm has placed in me,” Liz said. “I am fortunate to follow in Patrick’s footsteps. Patrick has been an extraordinary leader for the group during the past 12 years — growing its headcount significantly, creating a diverse, dynamic working environment and enhancing the group’s reputation in the Infrastructure and P3 fields. I am committed to building on his accomplishments.”
Liz joined Nossaman in 2014 from Clayton Utz Lawyers, one of Australia's most respected law firms, particularly known for its infrastructure practice. During the course of her career, she has served as a key advisor on an array of important infrastructure projects delivered through P3s, progressive and fixed price design-build, design-build-operate/maintain and other alternative delivery methods. She has been recognized as a “Banking & Finance Visionary” by the Los Angeles Times in 2023; by Law360 as a “Practice Group MVP” in 2022; by the Daily Journal as a “Top Woman Lawyer” in 2022 and 2021; by the National Law Journal as a “West Trailblazer” in 2021; and by the Los Angeles Business Journal as an “Influential Woman Lawyer” in 2021 and 2018. She has been an integral part of the Firm’s service to such valued clients as the City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the East County Advanced Water Joint Powers Authority, the City of San Francisco’s Public Utilities Commission, City of Buenaventura and the Sites Reservoir Joint Powers Authority.
“Liz’s comprehensive, yet nuanced, understanding of the Infrastructure and P3 fields is second to none and allows her to bring a unique viewpoint to the practice. She is an accomplished leader and strategist, and the Infrastructure Group is in great hands with her as the incoming chair,” said Patrick Harder.
Under Patrick’s leadership, Nossaman’s Infrastructure Group and the projects it has supported have received many accolades, including: Chambers & Partners ranking Nossaman in the Band 1 tier for P3 work in both its U.S. and Global guides, Law360 naming the Group “Transportation Group of the Year” five times and “Project Finance Group of the Year” four times and P3 Bulletin naming the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Automated People Mover project “Transport P3 of the Year” and “Global P3 of the Year” in 2019.
As one of Nossaman’s first minority practice group chairs, Patrick has helped create and inspire one of the most diverse legal teams in the industry, with the majority of the current group being comprised of women and minority attorneys.
Geoff Yarema, co-founder of the Firm’s Infrastructure Group and its first chair, added, “Having had the privilege of collaborating closely with both Liz and Patrick, I fully appreciate what superb lawyers and insightful leaders they are. We are very fortunate to have Liz stepping into the role of chair and I'm thankful for Patrick’s leadership during the past 12 years.”
As the new chair, Liz’s priorities include continuing to grow the group’s water/wastewater practice, further expanding the group’s footprint into emerging infrastructure practice fields, such as renewable energy, electric and autonomous vehicles and other green technologies and attracting and retaining best-in-class, diverse attorneys that will benefit the group’s clients and build on the strength of Nossaman’s outstanding brand.
Liz earned her LL.B and B.A. from Murdoch University in 2004 in Perth, Western Australia. She is admitted to practice in California.