Attorney

Steven M. Cohen

Steve Cohen has more than 30 years of experience as a lawyer in private practice and in public service. He is the founding member of Blue Raven LLP, a legal advisory firm focused on providing strategic advice to businesses, corporate boards and executives as well as providing outside General Counsel services. Prior to forming Blue Raven LLP, Steve was General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer for MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, where he oversaw the legal, government relations and communications needs of a diversified corporate portfolio. In his eight years at MacAndrews, Steve was involved in all manner of legal issues including complex corporate litigations, shareholder litigations, internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, corporate acquisitions and public company governance matters.  

Steve also spent over a decade as a law firm partner where he represented numerous individuals and corporations in connection with investigations and prosecutions conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the New York State Attorney General, the National Association of Securities Dealers, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. His wide-ranging civil practice routinely included civil litigation involving claims against officers and directors of publicly traded entities. He also counseled clients with respect to online copyright issues.

While in private practice, Steve spearheaded the successful effort to gain the release of two men wrongfully convicted of the 1990 Palladium nightclub murder. He was named New York Bar Association Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year for his efforts.

Early in his career, Steve served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he participated in the creation of the Violent Gangs Unit, which he supervised as Unit Chief. While an AUSA, Steve investigated, prosecuted and supervised hundreds of cases involving murders and gang violence. He was awarded both the Attorney General’s Award for Superior Service and a Director’s Award for Distinguished Service.    

In 2011, Steve served as Secretary to New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. In that position, Steve was the governor’s most senior advisor and had overall responsibility for management of the governor’s administration. Steve was tasked with overseeing the administration’s successful effort to secure the passage of the Marriage Equality Act. Before serving in the Governor’s Office, from 2007 to 2011, Steve was Chief of Staff and Counselor to the New York Attorney General. As Counselor, he was the Attorney General’s chief advisor and was involved in the supervision of all cases, investigations, legal positions, and initiatives undertaken by the office. As Chief of Staff, Steve was responsible for the operation of the Office of the Attorney General, an independent executive agency with a total staff of 1,800 employees, including 650 lawyers and 16 offices.

He currently teaches corporate law at New York Law School, and speaks and writes frequently on the topic of corporate governance.

Steve’s extensive career in public service also has included the following positions: Chair of Empire State Development (New York’s economic development agency), Chair of Gateway Development Commission, Vice-Chair of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, member of the NYS Commission on Judicial Nomination, Commissioner of the NYS Financial Control Board, Chair of the New York City Mayor’s Committee on City Marshals, Commissioner of Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation.  

Steve graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from New York University. Following law school, Steve served as law clerk to the Honorable Stanley Sporkin of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and Frank X. Altimari of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  

Steve currently serves on the board of Whole Earth Brands Inc. and as outside legal advisor to Ayr Wellness, Inc. He previously served as a Director of Bank Leumi USA and OTG Management. In the civic realm, Steve is a member of the following boards: New York University, the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, the Perelman Performing Arts Center and the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. He also is a Co-Chair of Maccabi USA Hockey. He was a member of the 2013 and 2017 USA Masters Maccabi Hockey Team that competed at the quadrennial games in Israel.