Rodgin Cohen

H. Rodgin Cohen is a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.  He was Chairman of the Firm from July 1, 2000 through December 31, 2009 and has served as its Senior Chairman since January 1, 2010.  The primary focus of his practice is corporate governance, regulatory, acquisition and securities law matters for major U.S. and non-U.S. banking and other financial institutions.

Mr. Cohen has acted in most of the major U.S. bank acquisitions and government-sponsored and capital-raising efforts during the financial crisis and provides corporate governance advice to a large number of financial and non-financial institutions.  He has played a singular role in the market events that have changed the face of the financial services industry and economy, for which The American Lawyer ranked Mr. Cohen #1 among its 25 “Dealmakers of the Year” in 2009.

In March 2010, Mr. Cohen was recognized as one of the “Decade’s Most Influential Lawyers” by The National Law Journal.  In late 2009, he was among the top 25 people named to Institutional Investor’s “The Power 25: Leaders in Finance.” Mr. Cohen was also presented with an FT Special Achievement Award in recognition of his work on nearly 20 substantial credit crisis-related transactions by the Financial Times in October 2009.

Mr. Cohen is or has been a member of the FDIC Systemic Resolution Advisory Committee, The Pew Financial Reform Project, the IIF Special Committee for a Strategic Dialogue for Effective Regulation, the Treasury Advisory Committee on the Auditing Profession, The New York State Commission to Modernize the Regulation of Financial Services and The Financial Services Roundtable’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Enhancing Competitiveness.

Mr. Cohen is a trustee of New York Presbyterian Hospital, Rockefeller University, the Hackley School, Deerfield Academy, Hampton University, Lincoln Center Theater, New York City Partnership and, formerly, the Economic Club of New York.  He is also a member of Harvard Law School’s Visiting Committee and the advisory boards of United Way of Westchester-Putnam, the University of Charleston and Wall Street Rising, which in 2005 honored him with its annual Leadership Award for his “steadfast commitment to Lower Manhattan” in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11, 2001.  In May 2010, Mr. Cohen and his wife Barbara were honored with the Servant of Justice Award at the Legal Aid Society’s 33rd Annual Dinner.

• 1998, University of Charleston, LLBH
• 1968, Harvard Law School, LL.B.
• 1965, Harvard University, A.B.