Jane Cohen

Professional Experience:

General Business:
Significant experience in most aspects of business representing owners and entities (i.e., drafting, negotiation and litigation of owner agreements and disagreements, purchase/sale/transfer of business interests, liquidation/dissolution. Contract interpretation/enforcement, breach of fiduciary duty/duty of good faith/duty of loyalty, breach of warranty, employment, equitable claims, financing, fraud, guaranties, licensing, MMPA, noncompetition/nonsolicitation, negligence, sales commissions, service agreements, tortious interference, TROs/injunctions, UCC, work for hire).

Franchise and Dealership:
Has successfully represented all sides of the franchise and dealer relationship since 1985 in a wide range of industries. 

Real Estate and Construction:
Extensive experience representing retail developers and other commercial and residential property owners in drafting, negotiation and litigation of purchase, sale, lease and other real estate interests (i.e., boundaries, environmental. REAs, HOAs, easements, use, waste). Has negotiated/drafted commercial/residential construction contracts and subcontracts on behalf of owners and contractors for new construction as well as remodels. (First construction arbitration as an advocate was before the AAA in 1986 successfully representing a contractor seeking to enforce back charges against a subcontractor on two government jobs).

 

ADR Experience:

• Completed arbitration and mediation training in 2007; app. 15 ADR CLE hours annually
• Has served as a panel chair, panel member and sole arbitrator in arbitration cases across the country
• Well versed in phone and video hearings (i.e., zoom)
• Sample issues addressed: arbitrability, business deadlock, business dissolution, business valuation, fiduciary duty/duty of loyalty, choice of law/forum, construction, contract, equity, financing, franchise/dealer, fraud, defamation, duty of good faith and fair dealing, employment, IP, MMPA, restrictive covenants, real estate, tortious interference, securities, TCPA, UCC, unfair competition and warranty.

Professional Affiliations:

• ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, member; Women in Dispute Resolution (WIDR) Committee (Missouri Regional Chair, 2017- present); Arbitration and Mediation Committees
• ABA Forum on Franchising (member since 1985); Nominating Committee (2013); Diversity Caucus Steering Committee (2012-2015); Women’s Caucus Steering Committee (2007-2010); Solo and Small Firm Task Force (2004-2007)
• Association of Attorney Mediators (AAM), affiliate member St. Louis Chapter (St. Louis Chapter Secretary, January 2013- present)
• Association of Missouri Mediators (AMM), member
• BAMSL; Franchise Law Committee (Past Chair); Small Business Committee (Past Chair); Past member of the Commercial and Residential Real Estate Contract Forms and Fee Dispute Committees
• The Missouri Bar (MOBAR)
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
  • Diversity Committee
  • Real Estate Practice and Procedure Committee Vice Chair (2014-2018)

Panel Affiliations:

• AAA, Commercial, Construction, Consumer, Employment and Large Complex Case Panels.     
• Alaris Alternative Dispute Resolution, arbitrator, and mediator
• DeMars Associates, Ltd., arbitrator
• FINRA, arbitrator
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, neutral
• 11th Judicial Circuit (St. Charles County, MO), mediator
• 21st Judicial Circuit Court (St. Louis County, MO), mediator
• 22nd Judicial Circuit Court (City of St. Louis, MO), mediator
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), mediator
• Third Judicial Circuit in Madison County, Illinois, civil mediator

Education:

• St. Louis University School of Law, J.D. (1985)
• The University of Iowa, B.B.A., Finance (1982)

Licensure:

• Missouri (1985)
• Illinois (1986)

Honors:

• Inducted into the National Association of Distinguished Neutrals for 2023
• AV Preeminent peer review rating in Martindale Hubbell
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1995
• Named Franchise Lawyer of the Year in St. Louis in 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America
• Recognized in Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Magazine for ten years (included in its lists of the top 50 Women lawyers in Missouri in 2010)
• Recognized in the St. Louis Business Journal 40 under 40 list in 1998

Online Appointment Request