Biography

Morris L. Cohen has been Professor Emeritus of Law and Professorial Lecturer in Law at the Yale Law School since 1991. From 1981 to 1991, he served as Librarian of the Law School and Professor of Law. Before coming to Yale, he held the same positions at the Harvard Law School (1971 to 1981), the University of Pennsylvania Law School (1963 to 1971), and the University of Buffalo Law School (1961 to 1963). He was educated in the public schools of New York City; at the University of Chicago (B.A., 1947); Columbia Law School (J.D., 1951); Pratt Institute School of Library Service (M.L.S., 1959). Professor Cohen also received an honorary doctorate from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1989. From 1951 to 1958, he practiced law in New York City. Professor Cohen’s scholarly work has largely been in the field of  legal research and historical bibliography. In recent years, he has taught seminars on Research Methods in American Legal History and Literary Sources of American Legal Culture. He also teaches a summer course on rare law books and manuscripts at the University of Virginia’s Rare Book School. His published books include: Bibliography of Early American Law, 1998 (6 vols. & CD-ROM); Supplement to Bibliography of Early American Law, 2003; The Bench and Bar: Great Caricatures from Vanity Fair…, 1997; A Guide to the Early Reports of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1995; Law: the Art of Justice, 1992; co-author of Legal Research in a Nutshell, 8th ed., 2003; co-author of Finding the Law, 2nd ed., 1989; co-author of How to Find the Law, 9th ed., 1989. He has served as a consultant to the World Health Organization and to numerous law schools and legal organizations in the U.S. and abroad. His organizational activities have included: the American Association of Law Libraries (President, 1970-71), American Bar Association, International Association of Law Libraries, American Society for Legal History, Bibliographical Society of America, Grolier Club, and other professional groups. Other professional activities: Grantee, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1968-71, 1974-78, 1990-92; Chairman, Task Force on Automated Legal Research, A.B.A.-A.A.L.S.-A.A.L.L., 1971-75; Member, Law Advisory Group, Library of Congress, Task Force on Goals, Organization and Planning, 1976; Board of Visitors, Columbia Law School, 1977-95; Board of Advisors, Pratt Institute School of Information & Library Science; Honorary Fellow, American Society for Legal History; Exhibit curator & lecturer, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, 2003. Professor Cohen and his wife have been married for over fifty years and they have two children. The Cohens are frequent travelers, and lovers of the theater and cinema.