Ex-SDNY Deputy US Attorney Celia Cohen Joins KKL in Return to Private Practice
August 4, 2025
Celia Cohen, a former Deputy US Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), has joined KKL as a partner, marking her return to private practice. The announcement, made public on July 30, 2025, highlights Cohen’s extensive experience in high-profile prosecutions and her transition to focus on complex commercial litigation and white-collar defense at the New York-based firm.
Cohen served nearly a decade at the SDNY, where she held significant roles, including Deputy Chief of the White Plains Division and a key position in the Public Corruption Unit. During her tenure, she prosecuted notable cases, including those involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams and former Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin. Her work also extended to cases against organized crime groups such as the Genovese family and the Trinitarios. Cohen’s resignation from the SDNY followed the controversial dismissal of the Adams case, which was ordered by the Justice Department’s Main Justice, leading to significant fallout within the office, including the resignations of several prosecutors.
Before her SDNY role, Cohen was an Assistant US Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where she tried high-profile cases, including a death penalty case involving the murders of two undercover NYPD detectives, earning her the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Superior Performance in 2014. She also served as Assistant General Counsel at JPMorgan Chase, leading internal investigations for the bank’s Government, Investigations, and Regulatory Enforcement Group. Her private practice experience spans over 15 years, including a stint at Ballard Spahr LLP, where she represented financial institutions and corporate clients in regulatory compliance, white-collar defense, and government investigations.
At KKL, Cohen will leverage her deep expertise in handling matters involving securities fraud, wire fraud, bribery, money laundering, and compliance with regulations such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Her move to KKL reunites her with Edward Y. Kim, a co-founder of the firm and former Acting US Attorney for the SDNY, who praised her as “an exceptional trial lawyer whose experience strengthens our ability to serve clients in high-stakes litigation and investigations.”
The move comes amid a turbulent period for the SDNY, marked by the resignations of Cohen, Andrew Rohrbach, and Derek Wikstrom, who cited ethical concerns over the Justice Department’s directive to drop the Adams case. In a joint letter to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the trio stated, “We will not confess wrongdoing when there was none,” highlighting their commitment to ethical prosecutorial standards.
Cohen’s return to private practice underscores KKL’s growing reputation as a destination for former federal prosecutors. The firm, known for its work in high-stakes litigation and regulatory enforcement, gains a seasoned litigator with a proven track record in both government and private sectors. Industry observers note that Cohen’s addition bolsters KKL’s capabilities in navigating complex legal challenges for corporate and individual clients in an evolving regulatory landscape.
For more information on Celia Cohen’s transition to KKL, visit Law.com.