HE LAW OFFICES OF JEFFREY S. COHEN is a sole proprietorship founded by attorney Jeffrey S. Cohen in early 2001.
Mr. Cohen has an extensive background in the practice of law, and especially within the Probate arena. Probate Law consists of many different sub-categories, including Probate Administration (Decedent's Estates), Conservatorship, Guardianship, Will & Trust Contests, Probate Litigation, Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts), and various Elder Law and Mental Health issues.
Mr. Cohen is a Los Angeles native who attended California State University at Northridge, having received a Bachelors of Arts (BA) degree in Psychology, with honors. In the early 1990's, Mr. Cohen began his legal career as a probate law clerk with Berman & Berman, a Los Angeles law firm. Mr. Cohen then attended Southwestern University School of Law, received many academic honors including Southwestern's "Exceptional Achievement Award," tied the highest marks for receipt of a CALI academic honors award, and was an Oralist Finalist in the Intramural Moot Court Competition.
While in law school, Mr. Cohen also worked at the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and was solely responsible for drafting and implementing official City Procedure and Policy regarding probate-related issues. Mr. Cohen graduated from Southwestern Law School in 1999 obtaining a Juris Doctorate (JD) degree, immediately passed the Bar Exam, and was admitted to the California State Bar as a full-fledged lawyer that same year. Once a licensed attorney, Mr. Cohen remained working in that same law firm as a probate attorney until early 2001, when he decided to open up his own private practice of law.
In addition to his private practice, Mr. Cohen serves as a court-appointed attorney as part of the Los Angeles Superior Court's Probate Volunteer Panel (PVP) program. PVP Attorneys, as they are known, are often appointed to represent persons who typically are subject to conservatorship, such as the elderly and infirm, and the court will protect their rights by appointing an attorney to advocate on their behalf. Further, Mr. Cohen also serves as part of the Van Nuys court's Settlement Officer program, acting as a mediator in the courthouse at the time of a contentious hearing in an attempt to informally resolve disputes. Additionally, Mr. Cohen also volunteers and provides low-cost legal services to seniors on behalf of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association at the One-Generation Senior Center in Reseda, California.
Mr. Cohen is an active member of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association (SFVBA); the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA), Trusts and Estates Section; the San Fernando Valley Estate Planning Council (SFVEPC); the State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Section; and has had prior affiliations with the American Bar Association (ABA); the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA), Trusts and Estates Section; the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA); and the Consumers Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA).
The City of Los Angeles, through Councilman Dennis Zine, previously honored the Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Cohen for providing valuable services to the people of the City of Los Angeles.
Mr. Cohen is also available for media requests. Mr. Cohen has previously been interviewed and quoted by Ken Lee from People Magazine (see Links page), Bonnie Fuller from the Huffington Post, and contacted by Doug Kriegel for KNBC News, all concerning probate-related issues regarding internationally known celebrities in the media spotlight.
Jeff Cohen was born and raised in Los Angeles (within the San Fernando Valley), is an avid Los Angeles Kings ice hockey fan, and presently resides in Woodland Hills with his beautiful wife Francoise, who presently works as the Art Director (former Set Designer) on two very successful prime-time network television sitcoms, namely "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory." Further, Jeff & Francoise are extremely proud to announce the birth of their first child, their son, Mitchell Sydney Cohen, in February of 2010.