Mark Howard Cohen
2014 - Present
10
Mark Howard Cohen is a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Prior to joining the court, he was a litigation partner with the firm Troutman Sanders LLP in Atlanta, Georgia. He was nominated to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by President Barack Obama on December 19, 2013.[1] Cohen was confirmed by the Senate on November 18, 2014, by a voice vote.[2]
Education and early life
Cohen earned both his B.A. and J.D. from Emory University in 1976 and 1979, respectively.[1]
Professional career
- 1999-2014: Partner, Troutman Sanders LLP
- 1998-1999: Executive secretary, Governor Zell Miller, Georgia
- 1995-1998: Executive counsel, Governor Zell Miller, Georgia
- 1981-1994: Attorney, Georgia Attorney General’s Office
- 1979-1981: Law clerk, Magistrate Judge Joel M. Feldman, Northern District of Georgia[1]
Judicial career
Northern District of Georgia
 |
| Nominee Information |
| Name: Mark Howard Cohen |
| Court: Northern District of Georgia |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 334 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: December 19, 2013
|
| ABA Rating: Majority Qualified, Minority Well Qualified
|
| Questionnaire: Questionnaire |
| Hearing: May 13, 2014
|
| QFRs: QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: June 19, 2014
|
| Confirmed: November 18, 2014
|
| Vote: Voice vote
|
On December 19, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Mark Howard Cohen to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The vacancy was created when Clarence Cooper assumed senior status in February of 2009. On the nomination:
| “ | I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench... They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Courts.[3] | ” |
| —President Barack Obama, [1] | ||
The American Bar Association rated Cohen Majority Qualified, Minority Well Qualified.[4]
Cohen's nomination was returned by the Senate on January 3, 2014, and he was renominated on January 6th by President Obama.[5] Cohen had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 13, 2014.[6] The Senate Judiciary Committee reported Cohen to the full Senate on June 19, 2014, on a voice vote.[7]
On November 18, 2014, Cohen was confirmed by the United States Senate on a voice vote.[2]
Opposition to nomination
Cohen's nomination faced opposition by House Representative David Scott and civil-rights leaders. Cohen defended Georgia's Vote ID law, which the civil-rights leaders claim was targeted at suppressing black voters.[8]
| “ | If confirmed, the federal bench in Georgia will not reflect the current demographics of the state for at least another generation. There will soon be only one active African-American district court judge in Georgia. In addition, the views of some of these nominees reflect the regressive politics of the past. I want to share some very important and critical background information with the Committee before these nominations are considered. It is an abomination that these nominees for lifetime appointment were drafted in secret, not vetted by any legal groups among the President’s supporters, and announced on a holiday weekend. We must not allow lifetime appointed judges to be rammed through the hearing process without sufficient input from the people who will be affected by their future judicial actions. | ” |
| —Rep. David Scott, [9] | ||
Awards and associations
The awards and associations are as they appear on Cohen's questionnaire to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Awards
- 2012: "Legal Elite" in Appellate Law, Georgia Trend Magazine
- 2011: Best Lawyers in America in Government Relations Law
- 2007-Present: Lawyers Foundation of Georgia Fellow
- 2007: Best Lawyers in America in Administrative/Regulatory Law
- 2004-Present: Super Lawyer, Law & Politics and Atlanta Magazine for Excellence in Government Law
- 1998: Resolution of Commendation, State Bar of Georgia, for advancement of justice in Georgia and support of the State Bar of Georgia
- 1995-Present: AV-Rated, Martindale-Hubble
Associations
- 2007-Present: Fellow, Lawyers Foundation of Georgia
- 2003-2011: Board of directors, AMIKids Georgia Inc.
- 2008-2011: Vice chair
- 2003-2009: Advisory board, Emory Public Interest Committee
- 2002-Present: Honorary member, Gridiron Secret Society
- 1999-2003: Board of directors, Georgia World Congress Center Authority
- 1998-Present: Bleckley Inn of Court
- 1984-Present: Lawyers Club of Atlanta[10]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 White House, "President Obama Nominates Eight to Serve on the United States District Courts," December 19, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Library of Congress, "Nomination: PN1228-113," accessed November 19, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ American Bar, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III JUDICIAL NOMINEES 113TH CONGRESS," accessed December 26, 2013
- ↑ White House, "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate," January 7, 2014
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Judicial Nomination," May 13, 2014
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Results of Executive Business Meeting - June 19 2014," June 19, 2014
- ↑ USA Today, "Obama's Ga. supporters protesting his court nominees," December 23, 2013
- ↑ Atlantic Journal-Constitution, "Your daily jolt: David Scott to challenge Georgia judicial nominees," January 6, 2014
- ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Questionnaire for Judicial Nominees," accessed January 16, 2014
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United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia 2014-Present |
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State of Georgia Atlanta (capital) |
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