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Negeen Ben-Cohen, Esq.
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Phone: (310) 272-7600
Fax: (310) 272-7601
1901 Avenue of the Stars, 11th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90067
J.D., University of California, Berkeley – Boalt Hall School of Law, 2005
With Honors
American Jurisprudence Award: Land Use Planning and Control
B.A., Political Science and Economics, Columbia University, 2001
cum laude
Departmental Honors in Economics and Political Science
Negeen Ben-Cohen is an Attorney-at-Law who specializes in real estate transactional matters. She has a wealth of experience handling sophisticated, complex transactions across the globe. She represents both individual and corporate clients in all aspects of the acquisition, sale, development, leasing, management and financing of commercial, industrial and residential real estate and real estate based assets. Mrs. Ben-Cohen also represents investors in private placement and venture capital transactions, as well as working with clients in secured financing transactions. She skillfully guides clients through permitting and licensing processes including liquor licensing for food and beverage establishments. Mrs. Ben-Cohen provides tailored advice based on each client’s specific goals and needs.
Prior to joining the Ben-Cohen Law Firm, PLC, Mrs. Ben-Cohen was associated with the international law firm of Latham & Watkins, LLP where she negotiated and documented complex transactions pertaining to a variety of real estate assets, including hospitality and gaming assets, and represented lenders and borrowers in large scale secured financing transactions. She gained invaluable experience and knowledge during her five years at Latham & Watkins.
Since leaving Latham & Watkins, Mrs. Ben-Cohen has also built a practice in civil and criminal tax controversy. Mrs. Ben-Cohen represents clients in civil and criminal tax matters at both the federal and state levels. She handles sensitive tax-related investigations and examinations, as well as disclosures of previously undeclared interests in foreign assets and accounts. Her practice includes offshore matters, voluntary disclosures, audits, appeals, litigation, and collection defense, among other substantive tax issues.
Mrs. Ben-Cohen was admitted to the California Bar in 2005.
- Represented Miramax film studio in negotiating headquarters lease and construction contracts, as well as several other leases and location agreements;
- Negotiated transaction documents and completed due diligence process on behalf of sellers and purchasers of office buildings, multifamily developments, retail centers and industrial assets;
- Negotiated lease documents on behalf of commercial landlords;
- Represented restaurant and club businesses in lease negotiations, liquor license and other permit processes;
- Represented investors in private placement transactions for hospitality ventures;
- Joint venture, acquisition and financing of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on behalf of DLJ Merchant Banking;
- Financing of the $3.8 billion management led acquisition of multinational hotel and resort company Kerzner International Ltd. on behalf of Credit Suisse;
- Represented Credit Suisse in various land development financings including Lake Las Vegas;
- Redevelopment and financing of the Silverton Casino in Las Vegas on behalf of Majestic Realty Co.;
- Handled corporate matters for Kilroy Realty Corporation;
- Represented Deutsche Bank in various transactions with real estate companies including Tishman Speyer and Macerich;
- Represented investors in sale and financing of Dakota Mountain Lodge in Park City;
- Handled development and financing matters for REIT clients including HCP, Inc. and AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
Mrs. Ben-Cohen earned her law degree with honors in 2005 from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. While at Boalt Hall, Mrs. Ben-Cohen was a member of the editorial board of the Berkeley Business Law Journal. She completed a joint degree in political science and economics at Columbia University, earning her B.A. cum laude in 2001.
- OVDPs: The IRS Should Put Its Money Where Its Mouth Is
Tax Notes International, August 11, 2014 - IRS’s Offshore Bait and Switch: The Case for FAQ 35
Daily Tax Report, March 9, 2011 - Panelist, “A Different View on Credit Agreements: Representing the Borrower”, ABA Section of Business Law, Institute for Young Lawyers, April 10, 2008.
- “Commercial Loan Workouts,” chapter co-author in the Business Workouts Manual (2 ed.).
Mrs. Ben-Cohen has taken an active role in her community and local organizations since returning to the Los Angeles area. She was a board member on the Los Angeles Real Estate Council of City of Hope from 2006-2013. She was also invited to be a member of the Recruiting Committee of Latham & Watkins during her time at the firm, and served in that capacity for two years. She served on the board of the Early Childhood Center of Sinai Temple from 2014-2019, as well as serving as the Chairwoman of Sinai Temple’s Dor Chadash group from 2016-18. Mrs. Ben-Cohen is presently a member of the board of the Warner Avenue Foundation, the parent teacher organization of Warner Avenue Elementary School, and serves as the Director of the Annual Fund, a position in which she helped raise over $800,000 in 2019-2020 to provide much needed resources for the public school.