Michael Koslen Builds Trusted Relationships

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Growing up, Michael Koslen learned two important business skills observing his parents as they owned and operated a national retail business. The first was taking ownership of a situation, like one’s career. “Running your own business is not a nine to five. And for most attorneys, I think it’s the same way,” says Koslen, litigation and investigations counsel at FirstEnergy, a publicly traded utility company. An individual’s success is commensurate to their dedication, he continues.

The second skill he learned was client service, which drives success. “As attorneys, we serve our clients and do what’s best for them, whether it’s individuals or companies,” says Koslen. 

He applies both skills at FirstEnergy where he oversees investigations and complex litigation, including securities and commercial issues, while also managing the cyber security and data privacy legal function, allowing the company to respond appropriately to ever-changing regulations.

Before coming to FirstEnergy, Koslen represented the energy company as outside counsel while at Jones Day. It was a tumultuous time. In 2018, the generation side filed for bankruptcy, then in 2020 FirstEnergy was anonymously named in a bribery scheme indictment leading to the arrest of the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. Koslen’s involvement provided him with invaluable experience. “In those days, the work was fast-moving and around the clock.  Given my knowledge of the client, I quickly moved into a more senior leadership role, learning from experienced senior attorneys at Jones Day and from other firms involved as the situation progressed,” remembers Koslen.

His leadership in those moments didn’t go unnoticed by outside partners. As Kamil Shields, partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, recalls, “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Mike over the past two years on major HB6 litigations and investigations. He’s an exceptional lawyer—knowledgeable, hard-working, and strategic. Mike’s been in the trenches with us every step of the way. It’s been a pleasure to partner with Mike and the rest of the great FirstEnergy legal team.” The respect Koslen earned during those high-pressure matters helped cement the trusted relationships that would shape his next career move.

Koslen was honing one of those skills he’d learned from his parents. “I took ownership and quickly had the opportunity to have leadership roles in related matters, like counseling the company on resulting litigation, employment, accounting, governance, and compliance issues,” says Koslen.

His work in the trenches and the relationships he forged with FirstEnergy’s in-house attorneys made his transition in-house seamless. “When I was at Jones Day, I really focused on building trusted relationships with the client. Unlike when someone starts a job at a new company they’re not familiar with, from day one at FirstEnergy I had trusted relationships, building upon what I already had and jumping in with both feet,” says Koslen.

Now Koslen is on the inside and building strategic relationships with his outside counsel. “I try to make them feel a part of the FirstEnergy fabric, kind of like I did when I came in-house. Working as a team, I don’t like to just give out work to our outside counsel team and ask for a final work product. I want open communication and to work on our matters together,” says Koslen.

Always eager to learn subject matter with which he’s unfamiliar, Koslen applied his project management skills to cybersecurity and data privacy upon his arrival at FirstEnergy. Koslen assembles stakeholders and organizes teams that address incidents as a single unit. He also assembles ad hoc teams when significant matters or investigations arise.

FirstEnergy’s legal team is highly specialized and rife with legal talent. Koslen encourages them to share their knowledge and work together, so everyone is rowing in the same direction. “How can we all contribute to moving the client strategy forward and help prepare the client to proactively address new issues,” says Koslen.

Outside of his role at FirstEnergy, Koslen served as an adjunct professor of appellate advocacy at The Ohio State University College of Law, just as the pandemic forced students to remote locations where they lost the opportunity to interact with their peers and professors in a more traditional law school setting. “It was rewarding to engage with students and give them as much time and attention as I could under the unprecedented circumstances,” says Koslen.

Over his ten-year career, Koslen has applied the two vital business skills he learned from his parents and added one of his own: building trusted relationships. “It’s not just about understanding the law and providing legal advice but building trust and teams that work well together. We can’t drive success on our own. It really takes teamwork to achieve the results that we’re looking for,” says Koslen.

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