Skip Navigation LinksPeople > Find a Professional > Edward A. Cohen


Edward A. Cohen

Partner
Direct (314) 552-6019
Fax (314) 552-7019
Email Print preview V-card
  • Overview
  • Affiliations
  • Civic Involvement
  • Publications
  • Speeches


Ed has substantial experience in a wide range of complex lawsuits, most of which involve multi-party environmental litigation. His environmental work is national in scope and has primarily involved significant groundwater and air issues.  Ed practices out of the firm's Chicago and St. Louis offices and is listed in Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America® (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.), and Super Lawyers®.  

He has also handled a number of enforcement actions and substantial citizen suits. He has been involved in a number of insurance coverage disputes involving environmental claims. He has also handled a significant number of indoor air quality matters, most focusing on toxic mold issues. He has served as lead counsel on a number of Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, CERCLA, FIFRA and RCRA cases.

Ed has served as lead counsel on a number of lawsuits involving underground storage tanks. He has litigated matters involving the Missouri Air Conservation Commission, the Clean Water Commission, the Hazardous Waste Commission and the Illinois Pollution Control Board. His groundwater cases have run the gamut from chlorinated solvents to MTBE to nitrogen issues. He has also handled a number of toxic tort suits. Ed has also first and second chaired a wide range of cases involving contract disputes and ones with significant actual and punitive damages claims based on business and traditional tort allegations, in addition to a white collar criminal practice.

Chair, Missouri Bar Environmental and Energy Law Committee
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® (Copyright 2010 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.)
Listed in Chambers USA®
Listed in Super Lawyers® Business Edition
Listed in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers®
Top 50 Lawyers in St. Louis
Chemical Industry Council of Illinois
American Bar Association
Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources
Tort and Insurance Practice and Litigation Sections
Environmental Litigation Committee
The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Prior Chair and Co-chair, ARCH Committee (Alternative Resolutions to the Courthouse)
Former Chair, Young Lawyers’ Section
American Arbitration Association
Formerly on Panel of Neutrals
Pinnacle Arbitration & Mediation Services
Formerly on Panel of Neutrals
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 150 Bike Ride: "Lifetime" Rider/Fundraiser
Trailnet
Board of Directors
Washington University
Alumni Board of Governors
MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries
Past Member, Board of Directors
Leadership St. Louis
Class of 2005-06
Washington University School of Law Alumni Association
Past President
ABA High School Peer Mediation Project
Past Instructor
Author, "REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals: An Overview of the EU's New Directive" Thompson Coburn LLP (2007)
Co-Author, “New EU Regulations Cover Wide Range of Electrical Products” Midwest In-House (July 2006)
Co-Author, “The Supreme Court Severely Limits Cost Recovery Options for Environmental Cleanups” Midwest In-House (January 2005)
“Litigation Involving Mold Problems is on the Rise” Thompson Coburn LLP Envirobrief (2002)
“Mold: Common Questions and Answers” American Bar Association Section of Real Property Probate & Trust Law, “E Dirt” Electronic Newsletter (December 2002)
Co-Author, “Challenging Agency Enforcement Actions: New Developments and Some Not-So-Common Approaches” The St. Louis Bar Journal (Summer 1998)
"Nuisance Suits in the Environmental Context: Are They Just A "Nuisance" or Something More Substantial?" 2011 Missouri Environmental Conference at the Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce (July 28, 2011)
"Enforcement and Citizen Suits" for the Chemical Industry Counsel of Illinois (January 27, 2011)
"Managing Legal and Communications Issues in Environmental Emergencies" 2009 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 31, 2009)
"Expert Witness Admissibility" 2009 National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators Regional Seminar (April 14, 2009)
"Hot Legal Topics" 2008 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 31, 2008)
"'REACH' - Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals: An Overview of the EU's New Directive for The Chemical Industry Council of Illinois" Chicago, IL (April 9, 2008)
“Environmental Law Update” 2006 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 27, 2006)
“Environmental Caselaw Update” Missouri Bar Association, Jefferson City, MO (November 18, 2005)
“Mold Litigation: Who is being sued, Why and What can you do about it?” St. Louis, MO (January 9, 2004; March 19, 2004)
“Molds: Point – Counterpoint” 2003 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 31, 2003)
“Mold Litigation: Who Is Being Sued, Why Are They Being Sued, And What Can Be Done To Prevent Lawsuits” Lorman Education Services, St. Louis, MO (July 23, 2003)
“When Mold Takes Hold: Is Mold the Next Litigation Quagmire?” as part of the Missouri Bar Annual Real Estate Institute, St. Louis, MO (June 27, 2003)
“Discovery – Moving the Mountain” as part of Mealey’s Toxic Tort 101 Conference, Boston, MA (November 18-19, 2002)
“Mold, Personal Injury Claims and Adverse Media: Turning the Tide” as part of Cleaning The Air: Exposing & Managing the Real Risk of Toxic Mold, Active Communications International, Dallas, TX (November 5-7, 2002)
"Legal Answers for Residential Construction Issues" Home Builders Association, St. Louis, MO (September 11, 2002)
"Legal Issues Pertaining to Indoor Air Quality" Associated Roofing Contractors of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (August 13, 2002)
"Arbitration and Mediation" Thompson Coburn LLP, St. Louis, MO (May 2, 2002)
"Legal Issues Pertaining to Indoor Air Quality" Golder Associates Inc., St. Louis, MO (April 25, 2002)
“Legal Issues Pertaining To Indoor Air Quality” 2001 Missouri Environmental Conference at The Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 26 and 27, 2001)
“Indoor Air Legal Issues” Global Environmental Laboratories, Inc. Symposium, St. Louis, MO (March 16, 2001)
“Liability Issues: Sick Building Syndrome; Building-Related Illness” Indoor Air Quality Symposium, Environmental Training Center, St. Louis, MO. (September 16, 1998;October 28, 1998; January 26, 1999;April 23, 1999; July 23, 1999; July 23, 1999; (July 23, 1999; October 22, 1999; May 26, 2000)
“Environmental Criminal Liability” and “Water Quality Litigation” Law of the Mississippi River Conference, CLE International, New Orleans, LA (February 3 and 4, 2000)
“Hazardous Waste/Materials Legal Update” Annual Hazardous Waste Winter Institute, University of Missouri–Columbia College of Engineering, Columbia, MO (January 27, 1999; January 26, 2000)
“Current Issues in Missouri Environmental Law” National Business Institute, St. Louis, MO (April 20, 1999)
“ADR: Understanding the Intricacies” Second Annual Dispute Resolution Day Conference, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (May 27, 1999)
“Ethical Issues for Environmental Lawyers” 1999 Missouri Environmental Conference at the Lake, Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Osage Beach, MO (July 30, 1999)
“What Does This Mean To My Business?” Invalidation of Missouri Asbestos Regulation, Thompson Coburn, Magna Club, St. Louis, MO (March 2, 1998)
“Watercourses as Boundaries” Boundary Law in Missouri, National Business Institute, St. Louis, MO (February 12, 1998)
“Commercial Disputes: How a Business Can Use ADR to Resolve its Conflicts (and Maybe Prevent Some),” First Annual Dispute Resolution Day Conference Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (May 28, 1998)
“Environmental Risk Management – What It Is, How It Works, & How To Use It In Your Practice,” Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (August 21, 1997)
“Trends in the Legal Profession” Washington University, St. Louis, MO (April 22, 1997; April 14, 1998)
“Legal Update” Hazardous Waste Management Summer Institute, University of Missouri–Columbia College of Engineering, Columbia, MO (August 7, 1997; August 6, 1998; August 6, 1999)
“Pre-Litigation Preparation Seminar” (for Paralegals) Law Seminars, Inc., St. Louis, MO (November 2, 1996)
“The Benefits of ADR” Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, St. Louis, MO (November 3, 1995)
“Litigation Seminar” (for Paralegals) Law Seminars, Inc., St. Louis, MO (October 28, 1995)
Edward A. Cohen
Washington University in St. Louis School of Law
J.D. (1982)
Editorial Board, Washington University Law Quarterly
Tulane University
B.A., cum laude (1979)
University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Honors Program For Junior Year Abroad Program (1977-1978)
Thompson Coburn LLP
Partner (1992-Present)
Associate (1986-1991)
United States Army
Judge Advocate General’s Corps (1982-1986)
Chief Prosecutor, Fort Rucker, Alabama
(1984-1986)
Special Assistant United States Attorney, Middle District, Alabama
(1984-1986)
Missouri (1982)
Illinois (1986)
U.S. District Courts, Northern, Central, and Southern Illinois
U.S. District Court, Eastern Missouri
U.S. District Court, Northern Indiana
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
U.S. Court of Military Appeals