Berlin, 7 June 2025. The law firm Redeker Sellner Dahs has awarded US attorney Rachel Cohen the Konrad Redeker Prize for Rule of Law, Courage, and Resilience.
Since the beginning of the year, the judiciary and the legal profession in the US have been subject to numerous attempts at intimidation and sanctions by the new administration. Instead of challenging these actions in court, several American law firms–some of which have offices in Europe–have concluded “deals” with the administration, agreeing, among other things, to provide pro bono legal services in support of the new administration’s interests. In response to these deals, Rachel Cohen, a US attorney, left her law firm and addressed the risks to the rule of law inherent in such agreements. “With her bravery, courage and commitment, Rachel Cohen has contributed to galvanizing broad and vocal resistance against the US administration's attacks on the legal profession,” explained Dr Roya Sangi, Máster en Filosofía Política, partner at Redeker Sellner Dahs, commenting on the selection of the award winner.
The increasing attacks worldwide on the independence of the judiciary and legal profession have prompted Redeker Sellner Dahs to award an annual prize for exceptional commitment to the rule of law. The prize is awarded to lawyers who show attitude, courage, and resilience against efforts to undermine the independence of the third estate, including the legal profession. “The prize and the award ceremony are also intended to draw attention to current threats and abuses to which the achievements of the rule of law are increasingly being exposed in Germany and the European Union,” adds Dr Ulrich Karpenstein, partner at the law firm and Vice President of the German Bar Association. Hans‑Peter Hoh, Chairman of the firm's Management Committee, sums up the aim of the award in these words: “Anyone who takes a stand needs support. The new award is designed to provide just that: to set a strong example that emboldens, protects, and inspires others.”
The award builds on the lifetime achievements of Prof. Dr. Konrad Redeker, who, more than almost any other lawyer in post‑war Germany, stood up for the internal and external independence of the legal profession from the state and other influences. Konrad Redeker courageously dedicated himself early on to the denazification of the legal profession and tirelessly opposed all attempts to intimidate members of the legal profession and the judiciary or efforts to instrumentalize them. Two historians examined and honored these achievements on the occasion of Konrad Redeker's 100th birthday (Konrad Redeker, Ein Leben für den Rechtsstaat, 2023).
