Mark Howard Cohen


Mark Howard Cohen is a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.

Biography

Cohen received a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in 1976 from Emory University. He received a Juris Doctor in 1979 from Emory University School of Law. He began his career as a law clerk to United States Magistrate Judge Joel M. Feldman of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, from 1979 to 1981. From 1981 to 1994, he worked in the Georgia Attorney General's Office, where he represented state agencies in federal and state litigation. In 1995, he served as Chief State Administrative Law Judge and managed the newly created Office of State Administrative Hearings in Georgia. He then worked for Governor Zell Miller, serving as Executive Counsel from 1995 to 1998 and Executive Secretary from 1998 to 1999. From 1999 to 2014, he worked at the Atlanta law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP, making partner in 2001.

Federal judicial service

On December 19, 2013, President Obama nominated Cohen to serve as a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, to the seat vacated by Judge Clarence Cooper, who took senior status on February 9, 2009. He received a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 13, 2014. On June 19, 2014, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote. On November 12, 2014, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed for cloture on Cohen's nomination. On November 17, 2014, cloture was invoked by a vote of 67–29 On Tuesday, November 18, 2014 the Senate confirmed him by voice vote. He received his judicial commission on November 20, 2014.