GE hires former senator as senior attorney

William Cowan

GE has hired former Massachusetts senator William ‘Mo’ Cowan to serve as vice president of litigation and legal policy, as of April 1. 

In his new role, Cowan will report to GE senior vice president and general counsel Alex Dimitrief and will be responsible for litigation, enforcement proceedings, investigations and compliance globally for GE. He will also continue to help lead the GE Boston team, advising senior leaders and engaging with the city and state authorities as the company moves forward with the construction of its new global headquarters campus in the Fort Point Channel neighborhood of downtown Boston, according to the company.

Cowan was most recently of counsel to Mintz Levin and president and CEO of ML Strategies, the law firm’s government relations and business advisory affiliate. At GE he will replace Bradford Berenson, who is due to join TPG as general counsel next month (CorporateSecretary.com, 2/1).

‘GE could not have picked a better lawyer and person than Mo for this esteemed position,’ says Bob Bodian, managing member of Mintz Levin, in a statement. ‘Mo is not only an accomplished and thoughtful litigator, but he also brings with him his good judgment, character, sense of community and responsibility that will serve him well in his new position. We wish our good friend and colleague all the best and look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with him and our valued client GE for years to come.’

Before rejoining Mintz Levin, where he practiced from 1997 to 2009, Cowan represented the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as interim US senator from February to July 2013, filling the vacancy created when John Kerry was appointed US secretary of state.

‘When GE began its discussions with the City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts over the potential relocation of our HQ, we immediately reached out to Mo to help us navigate the complexities of the regulatory process and craft the agreement that ultimately set the stage for our move to Boston,’ Dimitrief says in a statement.

‘I have been fortunate to work with GE over many years ‒ including most recently with a great team at Mintz Levin and ML Strategies ‒ and am thrilled to have this opportunity to concentrate my efforts on helping the company prosper in Boston and beyond,’ Cowan says.

Immediately before his Senate service, Cowan served in several leadership positions for Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, including as chief legal counsel, chief of staff and senior adviser.