Marla Cohen is a partner in Chapman's Asset Securitization Department. She focuses her practice in the areas of banking, bank regulation, corporate trust, corporate custody and agency, finance/securitization, and asset management and has significant experience counseling and representing major commercial banks and trust companies. She negotiates and documents their role as indenture trustee, master servicer, back-up servicer, collateral agent and escrow agent in corporate debt transactions, and asset-backed and other structured finance transactions including commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities transactions, 144A and Reg S offerings, private placements, derivative transactions, leveraged lease, project finance transactions, and collateralized loan obligation (CLO) transactions.

Additionally, Marla advises banks acting as trustee, escrow agent, paying agent, custodian, and similar fiduciary capacities as well as investment advisors and other financial services clients on regulatory issues. She also represents banks and investment advisors in the negotiation and documentation of securities lending and collateralized loan obligation (CLO) transactions. Marla widely speaks on structured finance topics.

Prior to joining Chapman and Cutler, Marla was counsel in the Chicago office of Mayer Brown, and from 1980-1991, she served in-house as Senior Counsel at Continental Bank, N.A., Chicago.

Publications

  • Contributor: Chapman and Cutler LLP, "Defaulted Securities: The Guide for Trustees and Bondholders," 2018
  • Co-Author: American Bar Association - Committee on Trust Indentures and Indenture Trustees, “The Role of Indenture Trustees in Modern Finance,” August 3, 1996
  • Co-Author: “The Role of the Trustee in Securitization Transactions,” Securitization of Financial Assets, Chapter 9, 1996

Presentations

  • American Securitization Forum
    January 22-January 25, 2012
  • Client Presentation: Overview of Federal Securities Laws and Legal Document Review Training, 2012
  • Various Clients: Training Sessions regarding Trustee Documentation and Liability Issues
  • Various Clients: Training Sessions regarding Regulation AB
  • “Roles and Functions of CDO Trustees,” Opal Financial Group, CDO Summit, 2007
  • “CDO’s - What Does the Trustee Do Beyond Providing the Trustee Service?,” Opal Financial Group, CDO Summit, 2005
  • “Contemporary Financing Vehicles—Structured Finance,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professionals, 2004
  • “Contemporary Financing Vehicles,” American Bankers
  • Association, Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professionals, 2003
  • “Exotic Asset Classes and New Financing Types—Collateralized Debt Obligations,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professionals, 2001
  • “CLO’s/CBO’s - Transaction Overview,” First Union National Bank Corporate Trust Strategy Planning Meeting, 1999
  • “Global Markets—Project Finance,” American Bankers Association, National Corporate Trust Workshop, 1999
  • “New Trends in Asset Backed Securities,” American Bankers Association, National Corporate Trust Workshop, 1998
  • “Corporate Trust Industry Update,” The Bond Buyer First Annual New York Corporate Trust Training Workshop, 1997
  • “Current Developments Affecting Trustees-Legislative, Regulatory and Case-Law,” The Bond Buyer First Annual Midwest Corporate Trust Training Workshop, 1997
  • “Role of the Trustee in Securitization Default—Documentation and Enforcement Considerations,” American Bankers Association, National Corporate Trust Workshop, 1995 
  • “Role of the Trustee—Legal Perspective,” Bank One Asset Backed Servicing Conference, 1993 
  • “Order in the Court—Recent Case Developments,” American Bankers Association, National Corporate Trust Workshop, 1993

Education

Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1977

Northwestern University, B.A., 1974

Admitted

Illinois, 1977

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1977

Memberships

Chicago Bar Association

American Bar Association

Anti-Defamation League

  • Regional Board of Directors, Chicago
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