Illinois Lawyer Finder

Presiding 23 years over 34,000 evidentiary hearings/trials in contested Municipal, County, and State Adjudication cases. (30,000 total docket cases)

• Cook County Dept. Admin Hearings, Administrative Law Judge, 2007 – 2026
• City of Des Plaines, Municipal Adjudicator ALJ, 2011 – 2026
• City of Harvey, Municipal Adjudicator ALJ, 2022 - 2023

Presiding 17 years over 103 Nomination Papers Objection evidentiary litigation trials

• Chicago Board Election Commr’s, Nomination Papers Hearing Officer, 2010–23
• Cook County Officers Electoral Bd, Nomination Papers Hearing Officer, 2015–24
• Illinois State Board of Elections, Nomination Papers Hearing Officer, 2009, 2018-22
• Berwyn, Calumet City, Dolton, Elk Grove Village, Maywood, Melrose Park, Norridge; Summit Argo School District #104; Bloom & Orland Township Electoral Boards (Circuit Court Judicial appointments) 

Cohen decisions upheld in: Rosenzweig v Hebda, 238 Ill.2d 674 (2020); Rosenzweig v State Elections Board, 409 Ill.App.3d 176 (2011); Vazquez v Chicago Electoral Board, 2016 IL App (1st) 160349-U; Burns v Elk Grove Village Electoral Board, 2020 IL 125714 (2020); Scrementi v Wilcox, 2021 IL App 1st 210238; and Jones v Calumet City Electoral Board, 2021 IL 126974.

Appointee of County Division Judges 2013-2025 (to hear municipal election petition cases)
Prosecutor, Illinois Secretary of State for Administrative Hearings 2002-2022 
Presided over 1900 unemployment benefits trials and wrote 1900 decisions as Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Department of Employment Security, 2003-2005
Decided Appeals from ALJ Decisions as Member of Illinois Department of Employment Security Board of Review (Appellate Board Member), 2005-2007
Arbitrator, Mandatory Arbitration Service, Cook County Circuit Courts, 2000 – 2025.
Arbitrator, Mandatory Arbitration Service, Lake County Circuit Courts, 2010 – 2025.

Litigation Experience:

• 200 indigent court-appointed defense cases in Cook County Juvenile Court.
• 200 indigent criminal defense cases in Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha County Circuit Courts.
• Five jury trials to verdict – three criminal juries as first chair.
• Eight probation/parole revocation defense cases were tried to verdict in Wisconsin jails and prisons.
• 20 indigent juvenile delinquency adjudication defense trials to verdict in Cook County Juvenile Court.
• Tried 15 Medicare reimbursement cases before a Federal Administrative Law Judge.
• 100 real property assessment reduction briefs filed for Cook County Board of Review hearings.

--13-year partner in 130-lawyer Loop law firm (Holleb & Coff).
-- Midwest Regional Director, US Dept., Health, Education & Welfare (13,000 staff, 6 states).
-- Twice elected 46^th Ward Alderman, City of Chicago (Uptown/Lakeview).
-- Chief of Staff, Cook County Board President George Dunne.

-- Illinois Hospital Licensing Board Member. Governor’s appointment
-- Illinois Employment Security Dept Board of Review Member. Governor’s appointment
-- Illinois Medical Center Commission Member. Appointed by Mayor Washington

-- Researched, decided, wrote 42 national labor arbitration decisions between national employers & unions.
-- Illinois Real Estate Broker license #475-086148 active 1984 - 2025
-- Graduate of University of Michigan (B.A.) and University of Michigan Law School (J.D.)