He was previously the councilmember for the 11th district of the New York City Council, resigning in 2020, with Eric Dinowitz winning the special election to succeed him.

[1][2] The district includes Bedford Park, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Riverdale, Van Cortlandt Village, Wakefield, and Woodlawn Heights in The Bronx.

[3] Prior to joining the New York City Council, Cohen served as a member of Bronx Community Board 8 and legal advisor to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

[5] Councilman G. Oliver Koppell was term-limited in 2013 and unable to run for another term, and as a result, Cohen entered the race to succeed him.

Cohen ran for Supreme Court Justice in the Bronx in November 2020, and resigned from the New York City Council, ending his term on December 31, 2020.