Johnnie L. Cochran was one of the most sought-after criminal defense attorneys in the nation after he represented former football great O.J. Simpson in an explosive murder trial. After the October 1995 verdict, the native of Shreveport, La. went on to represent other celebrates and entertainers in a variety of high profile cases.
Cochran was born October 2, 1937. The L in his name is his actual full middle name. His father was an insurance salesman and his mother sold Avon beauty products. When Cochran was 12, the family uprooted and resettled in Los Angeles, Calif.
Cochran earned his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his law degree from the Loyola Law School. Cochran named Thurgood Marshall as an influence on his career, and was most impressed with the happenings of the Brown v. Board Of Education decision.
