Lionel Cohen, Baron Cohen
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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 and
New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...
, where he took Firsts in History and Law. He was
called to the bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...
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 association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...
, but later joined
Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...
. 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 practising company law. He was made a
King's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...
in 1929. During World War II, Cohen served with the Ministry of Economic Warfare 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 a 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. The concept of a knighthood ...
. In 1946, he was made a
Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal or Lady Justice of Appeal is a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, the Crown Court and other courts and tribunals. A Lord (or Lady) Just ...
and invested to the Privy Council. On 12 November 1951, he was appointed
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were judges appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the British House of Lords, as a committee of the House, effectively to exercise the judicial functions of the House of ...
and made additionally a
life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...
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. The town's coastline and castle are popular amongst tourists. It has a population of 6,693 (2001), incre ...
in the County of Kent''. In 1960, he retired as Lord of Appeal. Cohen chaired many
Royal Commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equi ...
s in the years following
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, 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, which acknowledged scientists who had made technological advances such as
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
and the
jet engine A jet engine is a type of reaction engine, discharging a fast-moving jet (fluid), jet of heated gas (usually air) that generates thrust by jet propulsion. While this broad definition may include Rocket engine, rocket, Pump-jet, water jet, and ...
during the war. He also headed the Cohen Inquiry into the loss of
de Havilland Comet The de Havilland DH.106 Comet is 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 features 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 (known to all as Tim) Cohen OBE practised as a chancery barrister before joining his brother-in-law's merchant bank, M Samuel (later Hill Samuel), where he was a director. Tim's son, Sir Jonathan Cohen, was a High Court judge.


Cases

*'' Canada (Attorney General) v Hallet & Carey Ltd''
952 Year 952 (Roman numerals, CMLII) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – At the Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire), Reichstag in Augsburg (assembled by King Otto I (Holy Roman ...
AC 427 (JCPC) *'' Candler v Crane, Christmas & Co''
951 Year 951 (Roman numerals, CMLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Berengar II of Italy seizes Liguria, with help from the feudal lord Oberto I. He reorganizes the territorie ...
2 KB 164 *''
Boardman v Phipps ''Boardman v Phipps'' [1966UKHL 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 c ...
'' [1966] UKHL 2


Arms


See also

*UK company law *''
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 ...
'' (1945)


References

* *


External links

* 1888 births 1973 deaths Military personnel from London British Army personnel of World War I Jewish military personnel Cohen family British Ashkenazi Jews British soldiers 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 Lord 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