Justin L. Cohen

Justin L. Cohen

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Background

Accomplished trial counsel with experience litigating a wide range of disputes. Adds value with flexible and practical approach to matters and deep courtroom experience. Recognized community leader committed to giving back and pro bono work.

Justin Cohen is a commercial litigator who counsels clients in disputes concerning contract-based issues, fraud and other business torts, and breach of fiduciary duty. Justin brings a depth of experience to the courtroom, having served as trial counsel in numerous bench and jury trials, arbitrations and administrative hearings. He has represented investors, developers and other entities in the real estate and construction industries, private companies and individuals involved in shareholder and partnership disputes, municipalities and large public companies.

Justin excels in managing complex commercial matters, forming strong relationships with his clients, working effectively with opposing counsel and supervising teams of attorneys to advocate for his clients’ interests. He also regularly counsels hospitality, cannabis, health care, energy and technology companies as well as individuals and businesses in an array of other industries. Justin is experienced in securities and oil and gas litigation, as well. 

A community leader, Justin is past-chair of the Joint Management Committee of the Colorado Bar Association and the Denver Bar Association. He is involved with the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado (APABA), of which he is a past president, and is the current president of the APABA Foundation. His community involvement also includes extensive pro bono work, including assisting domestic violence survivors in obtaining civil protection orders and improving working conditions for Peruvian sheepherders on the western slopes. 

Justin is a former co-chair of the firm’s Summer Associate Committee.

Representative Matters

Recent Experience

  • Trial counsel to manager of an ambulatory surgery center in arbitration against a majority physician owner group. The physician owner group sought to remove the manager, in violation of the parties’ limited liability company agreement. We successfully obtained injunctive relief and retained management control of the center following a two-week arbitration hearing.

  • Lead trial counsel to a municipality being sued for nearly $60 million for alleged civil rights violations. The jury returned a complete defense verdict for the municipality.

  • Trial counsel to a hospitality client in an administrative hearing concerning the tax valuation of our client’s hotel property. The administrative panel significantly reduced our client’s tax liability.

  • Counsel to a major oil and gas company in two class action disputes in which the plaintiffs sought tens of millions of dollars in damages based on alleged underpayments of royalties. On two separate occasions, we obtained a dismissal of the entire case on behalf our client.

  • Counsel to a limited partnership, its general partner, and officer of the general partner in action brought by limited partner in defense of claims for civil theft, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil conspiracy. We obtained dismissal of limited partner’s claim to remove the officer, and also prevailed on two separate occasions when limited partner sought emergency injunctive relief.

  • Counsel to one of the largest health insurance companies in the country in a lawsuit alleging violations of the Sherman Act and Colorado Antitrust Act. We asserted counterclaims under the Sherman Act, Colorado Antitrust Act, Colorado Consumer Protection Act, and ERISA, in addition to various tort claims. The case was ultimately settled on favorable terms for our client.

  • Successfully represented the Colorado Oil and Gas Association in litigation against the cities of Lafayette, Fort Collins, and Longmont regarding bans or moratoria on hydraulic fracturing activities, prevailing on summary judgment in each matter. This litigation involved precedent-setting issues pertaining to state versus local preemption of oil and gas activities, and culminated in two rulings by the Colorado Supreme Court striking down Longmont's ban and Fort Collin's five-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing.

Insights & Publications

Credentials

Education

  • J.D., 2012, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Order of St. Ives
  • B.A., 2007, Winthrop University, magna cum laude

Previous Experience

Judicial Extern for the Honorable Ed Moss, 17th Judicial District

Judicial Extern for the Honorable C. Scott Crabtree, 17th Judicial District

Admissions

  • Colorado

Memberships

Asian Pacific American Bar Association

Colorado Bar Association

Community Involvement

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

Board of Directors, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado

Associate Board of Directors, Big Green

Board of Directors, Colorado Common Cause

Second Vice President, Denver Bar Association

Former Board Member, America SCORES

 

Recognition

AWARDS:

5280 Top Lawyers, 2024

Best Lawyers in America, 2019-2025

Colorado Super Lawyers, 2024; Rising Stars, 2018-2022

ColoradoBiz, Gen XYZ Top 25 Young Professionals; Top 5 Young Professionals, 2020

Denver Bar Association, Young Lawyer of the Year, 2020

Law Week Colorado, Up & Coming Lawyers, 2017

General Editor, University of Denver Law Review

Colorado Bar Association Leadership Program