Credentials

STEPHEN B. COHEN

Chicago’s Top Rated Lawyers of 2014

Stephen B. Cohen has been engaged in the practice of law since 1965. Licensed to practice in both Illinois and Indiana, he is also a certified mediator in Indiana of civil cases, certified for mediation complex civil cases in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, and certified for mediation by the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court County, Illinois. Mr. Cohen represents real estate owners, developers, contractors and lenders, and national sports organizations in connection with their general legal matters. He represents medical and other professionals in connection with peer group evaluations and certifications. His wide range litigation, arbitration, and mediation experience includes construction, business, real estate, professional liability, tort and transactional law. Mr. Cohen also has estate planning and probate law experience. Mr. Cohen is the principal of his Indiana officer under the name of Law Office of Stephen B. Cohen.

Admitted

  • Illinois Bar
  • Indiana Bar
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. Claims Court
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Memberships

  • Past President – East Chicago Bar Association
  • ADR Section Council, Indiana State Bar Association – Past Chair
  • Past Member, Attorney Fee Dispute Panel, Lake County (Indiana) Bar Association
  • Schools Committee, Harvard Club of Chicago
  • Past President of Board of Directors of the United States International Speedskating Association Charitable Foundation
  • Past Chairperson, ADR Section Council, Illinois State Bar Association
  • Past USATF Midwest Region Masters Coordinator
  • Past Member of USATF Athletes Board Review
  • Chair-USATF Masters Anti-Drug & Substance Abuse Committee
  • USATF Illinois Association Past Masters Chair

Education

  • AB, Harvard University, 1961
  • JD, Vanderbilt University, 1964
  • LLM with honors, International Law, University of Cambridge, Downing College, England, 1966
  • Diploma, International Law, University of Cambridge, Downing College, England, 1972

Stephen B. Cohen attended Harvard College (A.B.), Vanderbilt University Law School (J.D.) and Cambridge University (Downing College) in England (LL.M. in International Law and Diploma in International Law). Mr. Cohen is a member Of the Indiana State Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association. Mr. Cohen has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell in both Indiana and Illinois. Mr. Cohen has a lifetime connection with the State Of Indiana and for many years practiced with his Father, Cecil B. Cohen, (1900—1985). He continues the excellence and tradition Of Over 100 years of Cohen family attorneys in Lake County, Indiana. Stephen’s office is operated under the name of The Law Office of Stephen B. Cohen and is located at 900 Ridge Road, Suite K, Munster, Indiana.

Mr. Cohen is listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law and has twice been included in the Real Estate Section of the book entitled “The Best Lawyers in America.” Mr. Cohen has worked with contractors and developers in the states of Indiana and Illinois. His real estate practice includes the representation of parties in the sale and purchase of commercial properties, construction law developers and contractors, all aspects of residential real estate, and real estate litigation. Mr. Cohen is also a title agent for Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. in Indiana and several title companies in Illinois. His Real Estate practice also includes representing property owners in Eminent Domain and Probate matters.

Mr. Cohen is on the official list in Indiana for Court appointment as a Mediator in Civil cases. He has been mediating disputes since 1994, has represented numerous clients during the Mediation process, and is qualified as a Cook County Circuit Court Law Division Certified Mediator for Complex Cases and for court ordered mediation in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Mr. Cohen has arbitrated numerous disputes in Indiana and Illinois.

Mr. Cohen has a special interest in “Sports Law, he has created 501 (c) (3) organizations and has worked on eligibility, substance abuse, disciplinary, grievance, and due process issues. Mr. Cohen also advised professional baseball players on the requirements of Double Avoidance Taxation Treaty matters. He has been involved in numerous controversies under the By-Laws, Rules, and Regulation of the United States Speedskating Association, is a former member of the President’s Advisory Board for the United States International Speedskating Association (USISA/now USA Speedskating), and served as its Special Counsel for several matters. Mr. Cohen successfully represented USISA in a USOC decertification hearing under the Amateur Sports Act, has represented athletes on eligibility issues, has reviewed contracts for professional athletes and National Governing Body Sponsorship Agreements, and represented a National Governing Sports Organization in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association. Mr. Cohen played a significant role in structuring a merger of USISA and the Amateur Speedskating Union (ASU) to form USA Speedskating. He has consulted on the restructuring of other Amateur Sports Organizations and is a past President of the USISA Charitable Fund. In addition, Mr. Cohen is Mediator for grievances under the By-Laws of United States Track and Field.

Mr. Cohen is a member of the “East Chicago (Indiana) Sports Hall of Fame”, a former member of the Board of Directors of USISA Charitable Fund, a member of the Executive Committee of the Masters Division of USA Track and Field (USATF), is the former Midwest Regional Coordinator for USATF Masters, and is the current Chair of its Anti-doping and Substance Abuse Subcommittee. Mr. Cohen was inducted into “Northbrook (IL) Park District Hall of Fame” based upon his volunteer efforts for cycling and speedskating in Northbrook, IL. Mr. Cohen was President of the Northbrook Speedskating Club, the Northbrook Bicycle Club, and The Northbrook Cycle Committee and is still an active (a past National Indoor Masters Shot Put Champion) participant in Masters’ Track and Field. Steve was an All-State football player and track athlete at East Chicago Washington High School, played Varsity football at Harvard College, held the Shot Put record at Harvard College, was an NCAA Shot Put Medal winner, and still holds the Cambridge University (England) Shot Put record.

Mr. Cohen is a past chairperson of the Indiana and Illinois State Bar Association ADR Section Council, has planned and organized an ISBA (Illinois) Continuing Legal Education “Mediation” Seminar, and was a member of the Indiana Bar Association ADR Task Force formed to make recommendations on changes to the Indiana ADR rules. In addition, Mr. Cohen participates as an Arbitrator for the Cook County Municipal Court Mandatory Arbitration Program and the Cook County Circuit Court Law Division Pilot Program for Mandatory Arbitration of Commercial cases.

AS an attorney or mediator, he has been involved in mediated disputes concerning contract matters, medical malpractice cases, personal injury disputes (including pre-suit mediation), medical association peer review and admissions matters, construction disputes, real estate disputes, and sports law issues. His International Law exposure affords him the experience necessary to Mediate and Arbitrate disputes involving public Domestic or International Law controversies. Mr. Cohen has continued to actively litigate civil matters in Indiana and Illinois.

Mr. Cohen is currently active in several Indiana Bar Association Committees, namely: Litigation, Ethics and Attorney Fee Dispute Committee Section Councils. Stephen was active in the Chicago Bar Association (Chair of the Real Estate Condominium Committee and member of the Executive Committee of the Real Property Law Committee) and has lectured at Real Estate Seminars sponsored by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. He has also lectured on legal matters in Indiana.