Michael Cooper was a litigation partner from 1968 through 2003 and is now Of Counsel to the Firm. He has extensive experience in business-related litigation, including shareholder derivative suits, antitrust and securities actions, and investigations by antitrust, securities and banking regulators. He has represented three prominent law firms, as well as special committees of two corporate boards. He has extensive experience as a commercial arbitrator in both domestic and international disputes. He has served as a court appointed and private mediator and as a referee in state disciplinary proceedings. He was managing partner of the Firm?s Litigation Group from 1978 to 1985. His responsibilities within the Firm have included advising on ethical issues and coordinating the Firm?s extensive pro bono activities. Mr. Cooper served as president of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York from 1998 to 2000, having previously chaired the Association?s Executive Committee. He is past president and a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Trial Lawyers and president of its Foundation. He has chaired the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section and Civil Rights Committee of the New York State Bar Association , served on the ABA Task Force on Civil Trial Practice Standards, and been a trustee of the Federal Bar Council. Mr. Cooper has long been active in public interest organizations. He was co-chair of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law from 1993 to 1995. From 1981 to 1983 he was president of the Legal Aid Society. He chaired the board of Pro Bono Net from 2000 to 2010. He also chaired a task force of the New York City Bar Association studying employment opportunities for the previously incarcerated. At the request of New York's Chief Judge, he chaired the Legal Services Project, which sought permanent funding of civil legal services to the poor. He chaired the board of the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust, is a director of Volunteers of Legal Service, Inc. and an emeritus member of the Vance Center Advisory Board. Mr. Cooper is also active in Harvard Law School alumni affairs, serving on the Board of Overseers Committee to Visit the Law School and having been president of the Harvard Law School Association of New York City and chaired the Harvard Law School Fund. He is currently Co-Chair of the Harvard Law School Senior Advisory Network.
