Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler, a prominent boutique specializing in litigation, employment, and white-collar matters, has strengthened its Commercial Litigation practice by welcoming Rob Cohen as a partner. Cohen, previously a founding partner at Taylor & Cohen, brings deep expertise in complex litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Throughout his career, he has represented clients across a diverse range of industries—including financial services, private equity, manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, and payment processing—handling shareholder disputes, employment cases, contract breaches, fraud, trade secret claims, class actions, and appeals.
Notable achievements in Cohen’s career include successfully litigating on behalf of a private equity fund against a multinational insurance company, achieving full judgment, fees, and costs. He also represented a startup in a federal trade secrets dispute and advised a private equity fund on internal membership conflicts. In another prominent case, Cohen defended an energy services company in a class action consumer fraud lawsuit, resulting in a full dismissal.
Prior to co-founding Taylor & Cohen, Cohen was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis in New York, where he earned recognition for his pro bono work as Firmwide Pro Bono Partner of the Year. He later served as special counsel and Director of Ethics and Lobbying Guidance for the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics, co-leading high-profile investigations of elected officials.
Cohen’s commitment to public service has driven significant pro bono work, including efforts that led to a major overhaul of psychiatric unit operations at Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn. He holds a J.D. with honors from the University of Chicago Law School, an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania (cum laude), and previously clerked for Judge Michael Hawkins of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before attending law school, he spent five years working on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant and a staff member of the Appropriations Subcommittee.
KEY QUOTES:
“Rob is not only an exceptional litigator but also a trusted advisor with a reputation for navigating complex disputes across industries. His depth of experience, reputation for excellence and commitment to clients make him an ideal fit for HSW. We’re excited to see the impact he will have as part of our team and what he offers our clients.”
Founding and managing partner Jonathan Harris
“HSW’s litigators are among the best in New York, and joining this team is a natural and exciting next chapter in my career. I’m eager to collaborate with such a talented group and draw on our collective experience to tackle our clients’ most complex challenges.”
Rob Cohen
