 He graduated from University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts in 1975 and received his Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School in 1979, where he was an editor of the "Cornell Law Review".Following graduation, Cogan clerked for Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, Cogan was a partner of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in New York City.