Valerie Cochran, Esquire

After receiving her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law, Valerie went to work as an Assistant Public Defender. She has represented indigent clients in the Augusta, Pataula, Columbus, and Tifton Judicial Circuits over an 8-year span. After leaving the public defender’s office Valerie was the Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Paralegal Studies at Darton State College. During the summer of 2016 she supervised the 1L Trial Court Judicial Externship program at Florida State University College of Law. She has served as president of the Dougherty County Bar Association. Currently, Valerie serves on the State Bar’s Access to Justice committee, UNG’s Paralegal Advisory Board, and volunteers regularly with the Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism.

• J.D., Law, University of South Carolina, 2007
• M.S.E.L., Master’s of Studies in Environmental Law, Vermont Law School, 2007
• B.A., English, English Kalamazoo College, 2002

• Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Paralegal Studies, Darton State College, 2015-2017
• Assistant Public Defender, Georgia Public Defender Council, 2007-2009, 2010-2015