Cohen's Legal Practice: What's The Verdict?

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen was disbarred in New York State in 2019, and later in Washington in 2023, meaning he can no longer practice law. However, some sources suggest that Cohen may be able to practice law again in the future, although it would be difficult.

Michael Cohen was disbarred by New York State

Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred by New York State in 2019. This was due to a felony conviction for lying under oath to Congress. Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee and to campaign finance violations for his involvement in payments to a former Playboy model and porn actress who allege they had affairs with Trump.

In New York, a conviction of any felony results in automatic disbarment. However, it is possible to re-apply for admission after seven years. Cohen may therefore be able to practice law again in the future, but it is not a sure thing. Other high-profile attorneys ensnared in political scandals and convicted of crimes, such as Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Egil Krogh, were able to practice again. However, there are some aggravating factors that are likely to make it more difficult for Cohen to get his license back.

Cohen's felony conviction was for lying under oath to Congress

Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred by New York State in 2019. This was due to a felony conviction for lying under oath to Congress, as well as campaign finance violations. Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee about the timeline of Trump Organization efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. He was sentenced to three years in prison and served time from 2019 to 2020.

Lying under oath to Congress is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. Section 1001, which makes it illegal to "knowingly and willfully" conceal or make false statements to Congress. Cohen's conviction may signal a new precedent for prosecuting those who lie to Congress.

Despite his disbarment, Cohen may be able to practice law again in the future. While felony convictions in New York result in automatic disbarment, individuals can re-apply for admission after seven years. Other high-profile attorneys involved in political scandals, such as Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Egil Krogh, have been able to resume their legal practice after similar setbacks. However, legal ethics professor Kathleen Clark notes that there are aggravating factors in Cohen's case that may make it more challenging for him to regain his license.

Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations

Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred by New York State in 2019. He was convicted of lying under oath to Congress, which is a felony in New York, and automatically results in disbarment.

Cohen pleaded guilty to eight charges, including two counts of campaign finance violations, five counts of tax evasion, one count of making false statements to a bank, one count of causing an unlawful campaign contribution, and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution. Cohen's guilty plea was part of a double dose of bad news for Trump, as it came at the same time as his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was convicted of eight financial crimes.

Cohen's guilty plea related to secret payments he facilitated to two women during the 2016 presidential election campaign to keep them from disclosing their affairs with Trump. One of the women was the adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, who works under the name Stormy Daniels, and the other was the model Karen McDougal. Cohen said he worked "at the direction of the candidate" to make these payments, which were specifically designed to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison, which he was due to start serving in May 2019. It is possible that he could practice law again in the future, but it would be difficult. Other high-profile attorneys convicted of crimes, like Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Egil Krogh, were able to practice again. However, there are aggravating factors that are likely to make it more challenging for Cohen to get his license back.

Cohen could practice law again, but it won't be easy

Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Donald Trump, was disbarred by New York State in 2019. He was convicted of lying under oath to Congress, as well as campaign finance violations.

While Cohen may one day be able to practice law again, it will be far from a sure thing. Other high-profile attorneys who have been convicted of crimes, such as Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Egil Krogh, were able to practice again. However, there are aggravating factors in Cohen's case that are likely to make it more difficult for him to get his license back. For example, he was disbarred by the Appellate Division, and a conviction of any felony in New York results in automatic disbarment. While it is possible to re-apply for admission after seven years, Cohen's felony conviction and the nature of his crimes may make it challenging for him to regain his license to practice law.

Other high-profile attorneys convicted of crimes were able to practice again

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen was disbarred by New York State in 2019 after pleading guilty to lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee and to campaign finance violations. He was also convicted of lying under oath to Congress.

Cohen may one day be able to practice law again, but it won't be easy. Other high-profile attorneys convicted of crimes, such as Lewis "Scooter" Libby and Egil Krogh, were able to practice again after being ensnared in political scandals. However, there are aggravating factors that will make it more difficult for Cohen to get his license back. For example, in New York, a conviction of any felony results in automatic disbarment, and one must wait seven years before re-applying for admission.

Frequently asked questions