He was admitted to the bar in 1881 and commenced practice in Hudson, New York.

He was not a candidate for renomination in 1900, but was elected associate justice of the Supreme Court of New York in 1901.

Nathan L. Miller as Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division in 1922.

Cochrane resigned from the bench in January 1928, but served as official referee until 1941.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress