Debra R. Cohen

Debra R. Cohen is a Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. She has taught since 1993, focusing on courses such as Business Organizations, Civil Procedure, and Legal Drafting. Previously, she held tenured positions at institutions including the University of Massachusetts School of Law and West Virginia University College of Law. She is a member of the Order of the Coif and has practiced law at Sullivan & Cromwell, specializing in mergers and acquisitions.

Education:

• A.B., Brown University
• J.D., Emory University School of Law (with distinction)

Her research interests span business law, corporate governance, legal writing, and academic hiring practices. She has authored influential works on limited liability companies, legal drafting standards, and professional responsibility. Her scholarship bridges doctrinal analysis and practical legal education.

Major Awards:

• Order of the Coif membership
• Third prize in the 1997 Donald Trautman CALI Lesson Writing Competition

Her career combines legal practice expertise with pedagogical innovation, reflected in her CALI lessons on partnership law, shareholder rights, and contractual language. She has also contributed to law reviews and taught internationally at the Universidad de Montevideo.