Overview

Harold Cohen is an active banking/business litigator in state, federal and bankruptcy courts while also advising banks and businesses in the formation and structure of transactions, loans and new ventures, business break-ups, and operations issues along with the special challenges involved with financially distressed businesses. A significant component of his current practice involves all aspects of troubled loan negotiations and resolution, including preliminary business and legal evaluations, strategy formulation and implementation, forbearance negotiations, collection litigation tactics as well as representation of secured and unsecured lenders in all courts. He routinely works with receivers in all aspects of distressed real estate, including hotels, motels, shopping centers, office buildings, factories, warehouses, retail sites, automobile dealerships, development projects, etc.

Representative Experience

  • Ongoing representation of regional commercial real estate brokerage firm, including guidance with agreements, collections of commissions and defending claims.
  • Represented large regional commercial bank as secured lender/mortgagee in hotel Chapter 11 case concluding with sale of hotel pursuant to confirmed Chapter 11 plan filed on behalf of the lender.
  • Represented community bank as secured lender/mortgagee – golf course Chapter 11 in which bank’s position was sold to a golf course operator and developer.
  • Represented large regional bank as secured lender/mortgagee in Chapter 11 hotel in which we obtained appointment of Chapter 11 trustee and orchestrated accelerated sale of the hotel.
  • Spearheading team of attorneys representing corporate owner of fast growth self-renewing low carbon tree with respect to power plant projects and creation of charitable foundation.
  • Corporate counsel to international manufacturer and distributor of architectural fabric track systems with distributorships throughout the world.
  • Represented gentlemen’s club in successful recovery of embezzled funds from former general manager.
  • Representation of regional general insurance agency including writing and enforcement of restrictive covenants and general business issues.
  • Represented 50% owner of flavorings manufacturer in sale of his interest in the business, including real estate partnership.
  • Represented corporate supplier of first responder products in the sale and re-purchase of the business and successful disposition of ensuing litigation with the purchaser/seller regarding breaches of representations and warranties, etc.
  • Representation of international telecommunications company with respect to negotiation of leases for offices throughout the United States.

Professional & Community Activities

  • South Jersey Bankers Association–Board member, 2016–present
  • South Jersey Bankers Association–Past Member Advisory Committee of Affiliate Members
  • Jewish Community Relations Council of Southern New Jersey–Member (and past Executive Committee)
  • Waste Free Oceans Americas– Director and Secretary
  • New Jersey State Bar Association– Past Delegate to General Council
  • NJ State Bar Association–Equity Jurisprudence Committee Bankruptcy Section (Vice Chair and Chair); Corporate and Business Law Section; Banking Law Section, Federal Practice and Procedural Committee; Business and Commercial Litigation Committee; Bankruptcy Section
  • Burlington County Bar Association: Member; Past Member of Board of Trustees; Commercial Creditor & Debtor Relations Committee, General Equity Committee (Vice Chair & Chair); Continuing Legal Education Committee (Chair), Commercial Law Sub-Committee of Civil Bench Bar Committee and Professionalism Committee.
  • Camden County Bar Association–Commercial Creditor & Debtor Relations Committee
  • Commercial Law League of America–Past Member
  • American Bar Association–Corporate, Business & Banking Section and Litigation Section
  • Panel of Bankruptcy Trustees for District of New Jersey, 1972–1985
  • Certified Mediator appointed by US Bankruptcy Court–District of New Jersey,1966–present
  • Safe America Foundation– Past member of Board of Trustees, past Secretary & past Chair Philadelphia Task Force
  • Woodcrest Country Club–Past Member of Board of Trustees, past Club Solicitor, and past Vice-Chair & Chair of Annual Invitational Pro-Am Golf Tournament
  • Chabad Lubavitch of Camden & Burlington Counties– Past President and Board of Trustees
  • Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey–Member Needs Assessment Task Force

Speeches & Presentations

  • Moderator & Panelist, Burlington County Bar Association for the General Equity Committee presentation “Demystifying Chancery Practice”,  January 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015; February 2016 & 2017.
  • Moderator, Burlington County Bar Association CLE program titled “Fraudulent Transfers: The Intersection of Property Rights & Creditors’ Rights”, November 2017.
  • Panelist & Moderator for Burlington County Bar Association for the General Equity Committee Annual Program “Being A Better Chancery Lawyer”, 2008, 2009, & 2010.
  • Presented a Safe America Webinar, “Employer Responsibilities to Plan for Avian Flu & H1N1 Pandemic”.

Professional Recognition

  • Named to South Jersey Biz “Leading Business Attorneys,” 2022
  • Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, 2016–Present
  • Listed in Awesome Attorneys by South Jersey Magazine, 2015

No aspect of these rankings has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Representative Experience

  • Ongoing representation of regional commercial real estate brokerage firm, including guidance with agreements, collections of commissions and defending claims.
  • Represented large regional commercial bank as secured lender/mortgagee in hotel Chapter 11 case concluding with sale of hotel pursuant to confirmed Chapter 11 plan filed on behalf of the lender.
  • Represented community bank as secured lender/mortgagee – golf course Chapter 11 in which bank’s position was sold to a golf course operator and developer.
  • Represented large regional bank as secured lender/mortgagee in Chapter 11 hotel in which we obtained appointment of Chapter 11 trustee and orchestrated accelerated sale of the hotel.
  • Spearheading team of attorneys representing corporate owner of fast growth self-renewing low carbon tree with respect to power plant projects and creation of charitable foundation.
  • Corporate counsel to international manufacturer and distributor of architectural fabric track systems with distributorships throughout the world.
  • Represented gentlemen’s club in successful recovery of embezzled funds from former general manager.
  • Representation of regional general insurance agency including writing and enforcement of restrictive covenants and general business issues.
  • Represented 50% owner of flavorings manufacturer in sale of his interest in the business, including real estate partnership.
  • Represented corporate supplier of first responder products in the sale and re-purchase of the business and successful disposition of ensuing litigation with the purchaser/seller regarding breaches of representations and warranties, etc.
  • Representation of international telecommunications company with respect to negotiation of leases for offices throughout the United States.

Insights