The Center for Trial and Appellate Advocacy will be sponsoring the appearance of Johnnie Cochran on February 26. The Center was established in 1989 with a gift from Edwin Heafey.
The purpose of the Center is to expose students to the best in oral arguments and brief writing. To this end, it has sponsored a program called Distinguished Advocate in Residence where an attorney spends a time on campus talking to alums and to law classes about their work. This helps students appreciate the additional dynamics of important or controversial cases that are in the public eye.
Since the beginning of his career, Johnnie Cochran has been making history. He is one of the nation’s leading authorities on criminal justice, and is a crusader for social change.
From Michael Jackson, Todd Bridges, Abner Louima, Cynthia Wiggins and Sean Puffy Combs, Reginald Denny and the Oklahoma City case, to the world famous O.J. Simpson trial, , he continues to be America’s best known attorney. In fact, he was selected as one of the best lawyers in America and was inducted into The American College of Trial Lawyers, whose membership consists of the top one-percent of Trial Lawyers in the United States. Additionally, he and his wife Dale were the recipients of the prestigious Golden Bell Award, established to honor those who have made a significant contribution toward the improvement of the human condition in the community.
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of California at Los Angeles. Mr. Cochran graduated from Loyola University School of Law in 1962.
In 1963, he began his legal career in Los Angeles, California as a Deputy City Attorney for the city’s criminal division. He remained in that position for three years before co-founding Cochran, Atkins and Evans. The firm practiced civil and criminal cases.
In 1977, after several victories in the court room, he was honored by the L.A. Criminal Courts Bar Association as the “Criminal Trial Lawyer of the Year”. He returned to public service in 1978, when he became the first African-American Assistant District Attorney of Los Angeles County.
In 1981, Cochran formed the law practice of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. The firm specialized in entertainment law, criminal defense, public financing and personal injury litigation.
In 1990, Cochran expanded his reach to Washington, D.C. under the name of Cochran, Mitchell & Lotkin. His autobiography, Journey to Justice, is a national bestseller.
On February 26, from 12:10 – 1:00 p.m., he will speak on “Effective Advocacy” in Bannan Hall. This will be followed at 3:00 p.m. with a reception in the Strong Common Room.
