Lionel Leonard Cohen, Baron Cohen, PC (1 March 1888 – 9 May 1973), was a British barrister and judge.

Early life and career

Cohen was born in London, the only child of Sir Leonard Lionel Cohen, KCVO, a banker, and of Eliza Henrietta Cohen, ''née'' Schloss. His paternal grandfather was the financier and MP Lionel Louis Cohen. He was educated at

Eton Eton most commonly refers to Eton College, a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. Eton may also refer to: Places *Eton, Berkshire, a town in Berkshire, England * Eton, Georgia, a town in the United States * Éton, a commune in the Meuse dep ...

and New College, Oxford, where he took Firsts in History and Law. He was called to the bar in 1913 by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...

, but later joined Lincoln's Inn. During World War I, he served with the 1/13th London Regiment (1st Kensingtons Battalion), London Regiment, and was wounded in France. After the war, Cohen returned to the bar, mainly practicing company law. He was made a King's Counsel in 1929. During World War II, Cohen served with the

Ministry of Economic Warfare The Minister of Economic Warfare was a British government position which existed during the Second World War. The minister was in charge of the Special Operations Executive and the Ministry of Economic Warfare. See also * Blockade of Germany (193 ...

from 1939 to 1943.

Judicial career

Cohen was appointed to the High Court in 1943 and assigned to the

Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

, receiving the customary

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the ...

. In 1946, he was made a Lord Justice of Appeal and invested to the Privy Council. On 12 November 1951, he was appointed Lord of Appeal in Ordinary and made additionally a life peer with the title Baron Cohen, ''of

Walmer Walmer is a town in the district of Dover, Kent, in England. Located on the coast, the parish of Walmer is south-east of Sandwich, Kent. Largely residential, its coastline and castle attract many visitors. It has a population of 6,693 (2001), i ...

in the

County of Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces the ...

''. In 1960, he retired as Lord of Appeal. Cohen chaired many Royal Commissions in the years following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, particularly the ''

Report of the Committee on Company Law Amendment The ''Report of the Committee on Company Law Amendment'' (1945Cm 6659 known best as the "Cohen Report" for short, was a company law reform committee appointed by the United Kingdom Coalition Government, during the Second World War. It was chaired b ...

'' in 1945 and on compensation. From 1946 to 1956 he chaired the

Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors A Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors is a periodic Royal Commission of the United Kingdom used to hear patent disputes. On 6 October 1919 a Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors was convened to hear 11 claims for the invention of the tank; ...

, which acknowledged scientists who had made technological advances such as

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

and the jet engine during the war. He also headed the Cohen Inquiry into the loss of

de Havilland Comet The de Havilland DH.106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland in the United Kingdom, the Comet 1 prototype first flew in 1949. It featured an aerodynamically clean design with four ...

airliners ''Yoke Peter'' and ''Yoke Yoke'' in 1954.

Personal life

In 1918 Cohen married Adelaide Spielmann (1895-1961), daughter of Sir Isidore Spielmann; they had two sons and one daughter. His son, Leonard Harold Lionel Cohen OBE practiced as a High Court judge. Leonard's son, Sir Jonathan Cohen, was also a High Court judge.

Cases

*'' Canada (Attorney General) v Hallet & Carey Ltd''

952 Year 952 ( CMLII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – At the Reichstag in Augsburg (assembled by King Otto I), joined by German nob ...

AC 427 (JCPC) *''

Candler v Crane, Christmas & Co ''Candler v Crane, Christmas & Co'' 9512 KB 164 is an English tort law case on negligent misstatement. In the case, Denning LJ delivered a dissenting judgment, arguing that a duty of care arose when making negligent statements. His dissenting j ...

951 Year 951 ( CMLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Berengar II of Italy seizes Liguria, with help from the feudal lord Oberto I. He re ...

2 KB 164 *''

Boardman v Phipps ''Boardman v Phipps'' 966UKHL 2is a landmark English trusts law case concerning the duty of loyalty and the duty to avoid conflicts of interest. Facts Tom Boardman, Baron Boardman, Mr Tom Boardman was the solicitor of a family trust.See the cas ...

'' 966UKHL 2

Arms

References

* *

External links

* 1888 births 1973 deaths Military personnel from London British Army personnel of World War I British Jews People educated at Eton College Alumni of New College, Oxford Law lords Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Chancery Division judges Knights Bachelor Lords Justices of Appeal English King's Counsel 20th-century King's Counsel London Regiment officers Members of the Inner Temple Members of Lincoln's Inn Jewish British politicians 20th-century English lawyers Life peers created by George VI {{Life-peer-stub