Cohen's upbringing in the South influenced his trajectory as a civil rights lawyer.[5] After law school, Cohen practiced law in Washington, D.C., with Charles Morgan Jr. for seven years. In 1986, at the urging of Morris Dees, he moved to Montgomery, Alabama and became the legal director of the SPLC. Two months after he joined SPLC, he was asked to defend a case in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, in which the Justice Department wanted the court to reverse a lower court order requiring Alabama state troopers to promote one black trooper for each white trooper promoted.[2]
As general counsel, Cohen subsequently litigated against various white supremacist groups as well as lawsuits defending civil rights.[3] In 1997, Cohen was named by The American Lawyer as one of 45 public sector lawyers "whose vision and commitment are changing lives." He was also a finalist for the national Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work on the Macedonia Baptist Church arson lawsuit.[6]
In 2003 he became president of the SPLC.[7] Cohen stepped down in 2019 with the ousting of Dees.[8][9]
Referencesedit
^Brown, Melissa; Lyman, Brian; Yawn, Andrew J. "Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen to step down". The Montgomery Advertiser.
^ ab"Virginia Alumni at the Ready on Civil Rights". University of Virginia School of Law. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
^ abPaik, Carol (August 2007). "Richard Cohen '76: Champion for Those in Need". Columbia College Today. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
^""You Never Retire from the Fight"". Columbia College Today. April 9, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
^Fadulu, Lola (December 29, 2018). "Fighting Nazis for a Living". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
^"Richard Cohen". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
^Sayers, Susannah Cullinane, Hollie Silverman and Devon M. (March 24, 2019). "Southern Poverty Law Center president resigns after a co-founder was fired". CNN. Retrieved September 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Blinder, Alan (March 23, 2019). "Southern Poverty Law Center President Plans Exit Amid Turmoil". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
This American law–related biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
richard, cohen, american, attorney, president, chief, executive, officer, southern, poverty, center, from, 1986, 2019, cohen, 2017bornrichmond, virginia, alma, matercolumbia, university, university, virginia, occupationcivil, rights, lawyerknown, forformer, pr. J Richard Cohen is an American attorney who was the president and chief executive officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center from 1986 to 2019 1 2 J Richard CohenCohen in 2017BornRichmond Virginia U S Alma materColumbia University BA University of Virginia JD OccupationCivil rights lawyerKnown forFormer president of the Southern Poverty Law CenterBiography editCohen was born and raised in Richmond Virginia to a Jewish family His father ran an interior decorating firm and his mother was a legal secretary When crosstown busing came to Richmond he persuaded his parents to let him attend a public school as opposed to a private school and Cohen left high school one year early to attend Columbia University He graduated from Columbia University in 1976 and the University of Virginia School of Law in 1979 3 He studied under Raymond Geuss and Arthur Danto at Columbia 4 Cohen s upbringing in the South influenced his trajectory as a civil rights lawyer 5 After law school Cohen practiced law in Washington D C with Charles Morgan Jr for seven years In 1986 at the urging of Morris Dees he moved to Montgomery Alabama and became the legal director of the SPLC Two months after he joined SPLC he was asked to defend a case in front of the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Justice Department wanted the court to reverse a lower court order requiring Alabama state troopers to promote one black trooper for each white trooper promoted 2 As general counsel Cohen subsequently litigated against various white supremacist groups as well as lawsuits defending civil rights 3 In 1997 Cohen was named by The American Lawyer as one of 45 public sector lawyers whose vision and commitment are changing lives He was also a finalist for the national Trial Lawyer of the Year Award for his work on the Macedonia Baptist Church arson lawsuit 6 In 2003 he became president of the SPLC 7 Cohen stepped down in 2019 with the ousting of Dees 8 9 References edit Brown Melissa Lyman Brian Yawn Andrew J Southern Poverty Law Center President Richard Cohen to step down The Montgomery Advertiser a b Virginia Alumni at the Ready on Civil Rights University of Virginia School of Law Retrieved September 3 2021 a b Paik Carol August 2007 Richard Cohen 76 Champion for Those in Need Columbia College Today Retrieved September 3 2021 You Never Retire from the Fight Columbia College Today April 9 2019 Retrieved June 4 2022 Fadulu Lola December 29 2018 Fighting Nazis for a Living The Atlantic Retrieved September 3 2021 Richard Cohen Southern Poverty Law Center Retrieved September 3 2021 Richard Cohen Southern Poverty Law Center Sayers Susannah Cullinane Hollie Silverman and Devon M March 24 2019 Southern Poverty Law Center president resigns after a co founder was fired CNN Retrieved September 3 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Blinder Alan March 23 2019 Southern Poverty Law Center President Plans Exit Amid Turmoil The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved September 3 2021 nbsp nbsp This American law related biographical article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title J Richard Cohen amp oldid 1193211453, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
