LOS ANGELES, March 2, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Criminal trial attorney Philip Kent Cohen has joined the firm of Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz Sunshine Regenstreif & Taylor LLP (Liner) as a partner in its Los Angeles office. Cohen joins Liner from Venable LLP.
With a wide array of clientele, Cohen has defended both individuals and corporations against a broad spectrum of criminal allegations, ranging from securities violations, real estate fraud, and embezzlement, through narcotics offenses, major crimes, sex offenses and murder.
He has represented defendants in more than 30 state and federal jurisdictions throughout the country, through all stages of criminal investigation and prosecution, including appellate and habeas proceedings. In the past year alone, Cohen's trial work resulted in the return of not-guilty verdicts for clients charged with first degree felony murder, assault and, in the case of a local bank executive, DUI and reckless driving charges, after less than 30 minutes of deliberations. Cohen's representation last year of a UPS driver alleged to have been the ring-leader of a million dollar "in house" corporate theft ring, resulted in a mistrial and subsequent dismissal, after Cohen was able to establish mid-trial that UPS had withheld documents critical to the presentation of his client's defense. In the post-conviction arena, Cohen recently obtained habeas relief on ineffective assistance grounds for a client who plead guilty, and received a prison sentence of more than three years, based upon the faulty representation of her prior counsel.
In addition to his criminal caseload, Cohen has substantial civil trial experience and has obtained favorable jury verdicts on cases involving breach of contract, legal and medical malpractice, civil assault and business fraud.
Cohen's current client roster includes a South Bay plastic surgeon charged under federal indictment with over $4M in disability fraud; a Riverside County mortgage broker charged with the theft of escrow funds; and a major Southland real estate developer accused of bribing a San Bernardino public official. All of these matters will proceed to jury trial later this year.
"We are very excited about having Philip join the firm. He definitely adds another dimension to our existing white collar and criminal defense group," says Stuart Liner, firm managing partner. "I am pleased that we continue to be able to offer our clients attorneys of Philip's caliber to serve their needs."
Cohen credited his move to Liner to a common approach to the practice of law: "I am drawn to Liner because it is a firm that has drive and energy that is not the norm in the legal industry, and I truly believe that my arrival creates a very strong symbiotic relationship. I hope to bring to the firm a depth of courtroom and trial experience that will be an asset to the firm's litigation practice, and I know that Liner's business mentality and respect in the community will be a tremendous asset."
Cohen earned his J.D. in 1991 from the University of Southern California Law School, where he was part of the Hale Moot Court Honors Program. He received his B.A., with honors, in 1988 from Fordham University in New York City.
Cohen is the latest to join Liner since adding Stanton "Larry" Stein and Bennett A. Bigman from Dreier Stein Kahan Browne Woods George LLP.
About the Firm:
Liner Grode Stein Yankelevitz Sunshine Regenstreif & Taylor LLP is a full service firm with offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco that serve individual, entrepreneurial and Fortune 100 clients domestically and internationally. The firm is known for its legal services in the areas of intellectual property litigation, business and entertainment litigation, products liability, real estate, business and financial crimes defense, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, tax and estate planning, and financial services litigation. The firm is regularly named one of the best places to work in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Website: www.linerlaw.com