Fulbright Specialist appointed as State and Local Government Law Section inaugural Democracy Fellow

The American Bar Association Section of State and Local Government Law is pleased to announce that Stephen Cobb, a member at the law firm of Cozen O’Connor, has been appointed as the section’s inaugural Democracy Fellow to the Defending Democracy Initiative.

“We are very excited for the energy and drive that Stephen will bring to the ABA’s Defending Democracy Initiative,” said Jessica Bacher, chair of the section. “As part of this initiative, Stephen will create a series of seminars around the country to discuss the threats facing our democracy, the available solutions and the leadership role attorneys have in preserving and protecting our democracy.”

Cobb will also work with State and Local Government Law’s Election Law and Voting Rights Committee Chair Elizabeth Yang to enhance scholarship and discussion related to democracy, voting rights and politics.

Established in 2022, Defending Democracy is a bipartisan initiative committed to increasing transparency and education around the voting process. Cobb’s experience as former deputy attorney general of Virginia, his previous private sector representation of candidates, political parties and nonprofits dedicated to voting rights and service as an Obama administration appointee uniquely qualify him to take on the role of the ABA’s inaugural Democracy Fellow.

In addition to working on voting rights issues across the U.S., Cobb has also lectured at the National Judicial Institute in Abuja, Nigeria, and traveled as a Fulbright Specialist to share his knowledge of U.S. constitutional law and our judicial system with officials of the Constitutional Court in Chisinau, Moldova.

“The Defending Democracy Initiative is a vitally important project. Stephen has long been an advocate for the importance of democratic principles and as the ABA’s Democracy Fellow, he will provide a valuable voice and perspective on the challenges and solutions available to protect the democratic process and to ensure a successful and vibrant democracy,” said Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

To learn more about the ABA’S Defending Democracy Initiative and upcoming seminars, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/state_local_ government/resource/defending-democracy.