Ellen Epstein Cohen

Ellen has been a Fellow of the College since 2016, having served as the Massachusetts State Chair from 2021-2023, and becoming Regent for Region 12 in October 2025. She is a very experienced trial attorney, having successfully defended clients in an estimated 150 jury trials in both state and federal courts. Ellen also has a strong interest in alternative dispute resolution and has participated in innumerable mediations as well as arbitrations as alternatives to jury trials. Ellen focuses her practice primarily on the representation of physicians, nurses, oral surgeons, and the full spectrum of healthcare providers in the defense of medical malpractice claims, as well as handling licensing matters before the Boards of Registration which govern licensed healthcare professionals. The professional liability aspect of Ellen’s practice includes all areas of medical specialty, and covers from minor to catastrophic injuries and death. In addition, Ellen has been involved in cases involving medical devices and pharmaceutical products. In the past, Ellen has represented many product designers, manufacturers and distributors involving products of great diversity including medical devices, power equipment, construction materials and home appliances, among others.

Ellen is actively involved as an educator and speaker for the local bar associations, as well as for medical providers in various forums. She has been a Faculty Member for the MCLE and Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy courses over many years, and participated in innumerable educational programs aimed at helping healthcare providers improve the quality of care while minimizing risk. Ellen worked as a volunteer for the Children’s Hospital League, and is a lifetime Overseer at Newton Wellesley Hospital where she served as the Community Member on the Ethics Committee and in other roles starting in 2005.

In her free time Ellen enjoys spending time with her husband, four children and three grandchildren.

Associations & Memberships
Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (2016 – present)
Massachusetts Superior Court Task Force regarding Medical Malpractice Litigation (Revisions to Rule 73) (2016)
Massachusetts Medical Society Task Force on Breast Cancer (2000 – 2002)
Women’s Health Alliance Newton Wellesley Hospital (2005 – 2008)
Newton Wellesley Hospital, Overseer and Member, Hospital Ethics Committee (1997 – 2005)
Newton Wellesley Hospital, Lifetime Overseer
Children’s Hospital League, Board Member (1993 – 1998)
Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, Bench/Bar Committees (1998 – 2001)
Massachusetts Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section, Member (to present)
Trial Attorney of America, Member (1993 – 2020)
Awards & Recognition
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (2016 – Present), and Regent 10/2025 to present
Chair, Massachusetts State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers (2021 – 2023)
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Go-To Lawyer in medical malpractice, 2025
“Defense Lawyer of the Year” Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA) (2020)
“Industry Defender” – Recipient from Medical Professional Liability Association (MPLA) (2021)
Top 10 Lawyers, Super Lawyers/Boston Magazine (2023)
“Top 50 Female Super Lawyers”, Boston Magazine (multiple years)
“Top 100 Lawyers in MA” (2006 – 2025)
“Super Lawyer” (2004 – 2025)
“The Best Lawyers in America” (2004 – 2025)
Boston’s Best Lawyers (2008 – 2024)
Rx for Excellence Award, Massachusetts Medical Law Report
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating