The Cochran Firm
Encyclopedia
The Cochran Firm is a law firm
in the United States
. It has about 300 attorneys and is ranked as the 141st largest law firm in the United States. The Cochran Firm primarily does criminal defense and civil plaintiff
work.
The firm has been named to the National Law Journal Plaintiff's Hot List which compiles the United States' top 12 plaintiffs' firms.
The firm has 26 offices located in 15 states
, including in Miami, Los Angeles
, New York
, Atlanta, Chicago
, Dallas, Birmingham
, New Orleans, Washington, D.C.
, Richmond, Virginia
, and Columbus, Mississippi
.
The firm was founded by Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. over 40 years ago. Cochran died in 2005.
division representing mostly injured plaintiff
s. The firm handles products liability, medical malpractice
, mass torts, pharmaceutical litigation, and premises liability. The Cochran Firm has received verdicts and settlements totaling over $45 Billion. The partners of the firm have won 10 verdicts in excess of $100 Million and more than 35 over $10 Million. In 2004 one of the founding partners, Jock Smith, helped his client retain a verdict of $1.6 Billion, the largest jury verdict in 2004.
, Michael Jackson
, Tupac Shakur
, Todd Bridges
, Riddick Bowe
, Jim Brown
and Latrell Sprewell
. More recently the firm was counsel in the acquittal of former HealthSouth
CEO, Richard Scrushy of all white collar
charges involved in allegedly directing a massive $2.7 Billion earnings overstatement, the only successful defense of a defendant charged under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
.
's name to market the firm. The partners of the firm counter this by stating that older more traditional law firms have been around for over 100 years and still use the names of the founding partner
(s). Also, some have compared the Cochran Firm to a franchise
, selling the "Cochran name" to the highest bidder. The firm counters this by noting that many large defense firms are "merging" to expand their client base and that this is no different from what the Cochran Firm is doing.
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has about 300 attorneys and is ranked as the 141st largest law firm in the United States. The Cochran Firm primarily does criminal defense and civil plaintiff
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
work.
The firm has been named to the National Law Journal Plaintiff's Hot List which compiles the United States' top 12 plaintiffs' firms.
The firm has 26 offices located in 15 states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, including in Miami, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Atlanta, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Dallas, Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, New Orleans, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, and Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
.
The firm was founded by Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. over 40 years ago. Cochran died in 2005.
Civil practice
The firm maintains a massive civil lawCivil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
division representing mostly injured plaintiff
Plaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
s. The firm handles products liability, medical malpractice
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error. Standards and...
, mass torts, pharmaceutical litigation, and premises liability. The Cochran Firm has received verdicts and settlements totaling over $45 Billion. The partners of the firm have won 10 verdicts in excess of $100 Million and more than 35 over $10 Million. In 2004 one of the founding partners, Jock Smith, helped his client retain a verdict of $1.6 Billion, the largest jury verdict in 2004.
Criminal Defense Practice
The Cochran Firm also has a criminal defense section. Notable clients include: Sean "Puffy" Combs, O.J. Simpson, Snoop DoggSnoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
, Todd Bridges
Todd Bridges
Todd Anthony Bridges is an American actor. He is best known for his childhood role as Willis Jackson on the NBC/ABC sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, and for his recurring role as Monk on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris...
, Riddick Bowe
Riddick Bowe
Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...
, Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
and Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Sprewell
Latrell Fontaine Sprewell is a former American professional basketball player. During his time as a professional, Sprewell was named to the NBA All-Star game during four seasons, and played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves...
. More recently the firm was counsel in the acquittal of former HealthSouth
HealthSouth
HealthSouth Corporation , based in Birmingham, Alabama, is the nation’s largest owner and operator of inpatient rehabilitative hospitals. Operating in 26 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, HealthSouth serves patients through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals , outpatient...
CEO, Richard Scrushy of all white collar
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
charges involved in allegedly directing a massive $2.7 Billion earnings overstatement, the only successful defense of a defendant charged under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
The Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 , also known as the 'Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act' and 'Corporate and Auditing Accountability and Responsibility Act' and commonly called Sarbanes–Oxley, Sarbox or SOX, is a United States federal law enacted on July 30, 2002, which...
.
Criticism
The Cochran Firm is criticized by some who believe the remaining partners are using Johnnie CochranJohnnie Cochran
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was an American lawyer best known for his leadership role in the defense and criminal acquittal of O. J...
's name to market the firm. The partners of the firm counter this by stating that older more traditional law firms have been around for over 100 years and still use the names of the founding partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
(s). Also, some have compared the Cochran Firm to a franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
, selling the "Cochran name" to the highest bidder. The firm counters this by noting that many large defense firms are "merging" to expand their client base and that this is no different from what the Cochran Firm is doing.