On October 26, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Relman Colfax partner Jia M. Cobb for a position on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
Ms. Cobb joined Relman Colfax in 2012 and became a Partner in 2019. Over the past decade, Ms. Cobb has been instrumental in expanding the Firm’s police accountability practice. She has represented clients in litigation against state and federal officers and agencies for unlawful detentions, against municipalities for actions taken against BLM protestors, and against private prison transport companies. Ms. Cobb has also represented female tenants who were sexually harassed by their landlord and families with children who were unlawfully denied housing because of their familial status. Her keen litigation instincts and courtroom skills helped her clients secure substantial verdicts in several trials, including, most recently, an award of $730,000 against two United States Park Police officers.
Prior to joining the Firm Ms. Cobb worked for six years at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, representing hundreds of indigent clients in a wide array of criminal matters. Ms. Cobb graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, then clerked for the Honorable Diane Wood of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Ms. Cobb will be sitting on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She will take the seat of Judge Emmet Sullivan, who is taking senior status. Ms. Cobb will be just the fourth African American woman to be appointed to this court.
Ms. Cobb joined Relman Colfax as a summer law clerk in 2004. Since then, she has made immeasurable contributions to our firm, to the civil rights community, and beyond. We are delighted to celebrate her momentous achievements and wish her well in her time on the federal bench.