The Hon Brian John Keith Cohen QC (Fr 1945)
1928–2021

The Principal, Council and St Andrew’s College community honour the life of the Honourable Brian John Keith Cohen QC who passed away on 15 December 2021, aged 93. 

Brian came to St Andrew’s College as a fresher in 1945, upon matriculation to the University to read Arts. His College application gives the important detail that he played 2nd XV for The Armidale School, and that he also swam and played tennis. 

Brian was a third generation Androvian – his grandfather, John Jacob Cohen, was one of only six students in the original intake in 1876, and his father Cedric came to St Andrew’s as part of the fresher intake in 1909.

Brian’s first year experience was, as for so many, overshadowed by the war. Many senior men continued to depart University and College to contribute to the war effort, and the lower numbers in College presented their own different challenges to the concept of community. Despite this, Brian passed all of his subjects and played football in the College’s fresher team as well as in the University’s fourth grade team. He also jumped at the chance to edit the Students’ Club magazine – no mean feat for a fresher – and discovered a talent for debating, sharing the Bowman Prize and going on to represent the College in Inter-College competition.

Brian remained a key member of the debating and editorial teams during his second and third years in St Andrew’s, as he progressed towards graduation in English, history, psychology and economics in his Arts degree. These immediate post-war years in College presented many challenges, most notably because of a significant increase in numbers, swelled by ex-servicemen commencing or re-starting their university degrees, and the attendant tensions generated by those who, as newly-returned “men of the world” were less interested in observing the disciplinary expectations of staff or student leadership. Brian’s editorial contributions provided honest and straight-forward commentary into these and other aspects of College life.

Having departed College at the end of 1947, Brian pursued his Law degree, then returned to College for a fourth year in residence in 1950. He immediately re-joined the debating society, helping St Andrew’s to great success in the Inter-College competition. His valedictory pen-portrait paints a picture of the collegiality which became a defining feature of his career:

“A keen College man through and through, this third generation of Cohen stock at Andrew’s has contributed a lot with his organising abilities, and with his cheery smile and good companionship has won many friends. A stalwart in College Debating, a good starter in football, a keen skier and squash player, has always passed his exams with a lot of worry and few mishaps. ‘Co’ will be greatly missed as a College man and a really good friend; we wish him well in his temporary occupation next year as a cabin boy and in his future professional career.”

These connections of friendship were obviously important to him, and even more so as he began his professional career. Brian joined the College’s Alumni Society upon graduation, was first elected to its committee in 1953, and was a leading light in ensuring that membership of St Andrew’s meant membership of an enduring community for life. In over twenty years on the committee, Brian served as Vice President and editor of the Society’s magazine, and as its President from 1964-1967.

Upon his retirement from the bench in 1999, the University acknowledged Brian’s life-long contribution to the law by conferring upon him an Honorary Fellowship of the University in October 2000. The Fellowship citation records the University’s gratitude for his leadership of the Legal Practitioners Admission Board, and particularly his committee work with its legal qualifications and law extension committees. In this work, and in his teaching of legal ethics, he was a constant and inspiring supporter of law students, often attending universities to share his experience and insights. A common thread of appreciation among his peers is the recognition of his attentive and respectful manner in all circumstances. At the heart of this was a desire to promote an understanding of law and access to legal education, and the University has been a grateful beneficiary of his expert and generous commitment.

In recent years, Brian continued to keep right across all aspects of the latest developments in St Andrew’s College. He enjoyed reading all our publications, and was a regular and generous supporter of the College's fund-raising campaigns for various projects, including the construction of a new Wing in 2006, bursaries for country students, and our annual respite care camp for intellectually disabled kids.

Collegiality was the hallmark of his engagement with the College and the University, and was indeed a defining feature at the core of Brian’s life of significant contribution and meaning.

The Cohen family are held strongly in our thoughts and our dearest sympathy is extended to all who knew him.

This notice has been adapted from the eulogy written and delivered by the Principal, Wayne Erickson, at Brian Cohen's memorial at The Great Hall, University of Sydney on 23rd December 2021. 

The Hon BK Cohen pictured in 1950, second row, third from the left.