Anthony Cochran
Adjunct Professor
acochran@johnmarshall.eduEducation
B.A., Western Kentucky University, summa cum laude
J.D., Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, magna cum laude
Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers
Courses Taught
GA Practice & Procedure
Career Highlights
During the 50 years Anthony (Tony) L. Cochran has been practicing law in Atlanta, Tony has represented many individuals and businesses on a wide variety of complex matters. He has tried dozens of jury trials in many areas of the law (both civil and criminal, federal and state), bench trials (in federal and state courts), administrative and regulatory hearings (before both federal and state agencies and boards), and medical peer review hearings at hospitals. His unique experience allows him to handle parallel civil, administrative and criminal proceedings, which are common in today’s legal environment. Being able to competently handle civil, administrative and potentially criminal matters for a client simultaneously can be an enormous savings to a client by preventing duplication of effort.
Tony is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. In addition to his law practice, he served as former Chair and Director for the Zaban Paradies Center which assists homeless couples obtain housing and employment.
Tony regularly appears on continuing education panels, speaking at a large number of seminars on a variety of topics, including summary evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 1006, the application of Daubert to expert testimony, representing individual physicians, white-collar criminal defense, and internal investigations.
Tony graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University Law School in 1976, beginning his legal career in Atlanta with the firm Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy. From 1982 to 1985, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, prosecuting a variety of criminal cases. While an Assistant United States Attorney, Tony received commendations from the U.S. Attorney General in a Department of Defense procurement fraud prosecution, and from the Director of the F.B.I. in a vote fraud prosecution.
He has also served as an Adjunct Faculty Member of the Emory University School of Law from 1986-2000.
Publications
Tony’s research has focused on (a) the application of the Civil Practice Act to contract cases, i.e., “Effective Motion Practice In Georgia” (1992), and “Summary Judgment In Contract Cases: Strategy and Tactics” (2022), (b) civil discovery techniques and ethics, i.e., on ABA Formal Opinion 508, “The Ethics of Witness Preparation” (2024), “The Duty To Supplement Discovery – Avoid Sandbagging,” Georgia Bar Journal (January – April 2023) No. 28-5, “Advanced Deposition Techniques In Commercial Litigation” (2022), and “How To Prepare To Take A Deposition: Guidance For New Attorneys” (2025), and (c) on Daubert and Rules 702 and 1006 of the Federal Rules of Evidence.
“They Don’t Call Us “Counselor” For Nothing: Part Three,” The Atlanta Lawyer, January/ February; Vol. 9; No. 1, 2011
“They Don’t Call Us “Counselor” For Nothing,” The Atlanta Lawyer, September/August; Vol. 8; No. 2, 2010
“They Don’t Call Us “Counselor” For Nothing: Part Two,” The Atlanta Lawyer, November; Vol. 8; No. 4, 2010
“The Fifth Amendment In Civil Litigation,” Calendar Call, Vol. 9; No. 4, November 1991
Media, Public & Professional Appearances
National Webinar Panelist, “Witness preparation to avoid problems in depositions ABA Formal Opinion 508,” 2025
National Webinar Panelist, “A Deposition Primer: Guidance for New Attorneys,” 2025
National Webinar Panelist, “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Depositions But Were Too Inexperienced To Ask,” March 27, 2025
National Webinar Panelist, “How to Prepare to Take a Deposition: Guidance for New Attorneys,” 2024
National Webinar Panelist, “Adverse Witness Depositions Advanced Techniques in Exhaustion, Boxing-In, and Summarizing,” 2024
National Webinar Panelist, “Working Your Way Through the Maze of Witness Preparation,” 2024
State Bar of Georgia, “Dealing with Experts and Difficult Witnesses,” 2024
National Webinar Panelist, “Cracking Down on Deposition Misconduct: Sanctions for Attorney and Witness Improprieties,” 2024
Prepared Written Materials for Atlanta Bar Seminar, Ethical And Professionalism Issues Of Investigating And Trying A Criminal Case To Avoid Or Prevent A Rigged Trial, 2024
National Webinar Panelist, “Proving Contract Damages: Litigation Strategies for Analyzing, Measuring, and Establishing Compensable Losses,” November 14, 2023
National Webinar Panelist, “Designating Corporate Representatives at Trial,” 2023
National Webinar Panelist, “Summary Judgment in Contract Cases: Strategy and Tactics,” 2023
Interviewee, “Going 20 For 20,” Super Lawyers Magazine, February 2023
National Webinar Panelist, “Advanced Deposition Techniques In Commercial Litigation,” 2022
National Webinar Panelist, “An alternative approach for taking depositions,” 2022
Panelist for Atlanta Bar Seminar, “When Time Is of The Essence – Only A TRO Will Do,” 2022
Presenter, “When the Truth Matters Most: Best Practices for Conducting an Internal Investigation,” Celesq® Attorneys Ed Center, April 27, 2021
Presenter, “The Storming of the Capitol,” Celesq® Attorneys Ed Center, January 29, 2021
Numerous seminars and webinars on (1) Daubert and Federal Rule of Evidence 702, (2) representing physicians in peer review proceedings and before the Composite Medical Board, and (3) cautions and risks in parallel proceedings
Conducting Internal Investigations in the Shadow of “Active” Law Enforcement, with William W. Fagan, III, Georgia ICLE, January 28, 2011
Any Port in a Storm: Strategies for Defending Environmental Criminal Enforcement Actions, among other authors, III, Georgia ICLE, January 28, 2011
Defending an Employee During an Internal or External Investigation, Georgia ICLE, January 28, 2011