THR Next Gen 2008: Legal

Yes, Cohen played Chunk in 1985's "The Goonies." But no, he will not do the Truffle Shuffle for you. The Berkeley and UCLA Law grad is too busy building his entertainment law practice from scratch, having bypassed the risk-averse career trajectory of most attorneys by starting his own law firm at age 27. Now, while other showbiz lawyers his age are slaving for a senior partner, Cohen is growing a book of business with clients like director Wong Kar Wai, actors Esai Morales and Tony Leung, production outfits Once Upon a Time Films (2006's "Broken Trail") and Triage Entertainment/Levity Entertainment (Food Network's "Iron Chef America"), and corporate clients Netflix and Digital Domain. He credits "Goonies" director Richard Donner for serving as a key mentor in the business, even calling buddy Ron Meyer to help get Cohen a law school internship at NBC Universal. "I've actually been on the other side of these deals as a client," Cohen says of his strength in developing his practice. "So I have a lot of empathy for talent in this business."