Cohen and Wolf Mourns the Passing of Co-Founder and Principal Austin K. Wolf

It is with great sadness that Cohen and Wolf, P.C. shares the news of Austin K. Wolf’s passing on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Bridgeport at the age of 101. Co-Founder and Principal of Cohen and Wolf, Austin’s contributions to the firm and to the practice of law in Connecticut were immense.

Austin founded the firm with Herbert Cohen in 1951, working from a single office in Bridgeport. Since then, the firm has expanded to over 50 attorneys with offices in Bridgeport, Danbury and Westport. For years, Austin maintained an extremely active practice in the areas of land use planning, zoning, wetlands, real estate development, and industrial and commercial leasing. Austin continued to regularly go into his office in Bridgeport until he was in his late 90’s. In February of 2023, Austin celebrated his 100^th birthday with Cohen and Wolf employees at a birthday party held at the firm.

From 1986 to 2021, Austin was recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for his outstanding professional excellence in private practice. Austin was honored in 2007 with the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award by the Connecticut Bar Association's Planning & Zoning Section. The award was given "in recognition of longstanding distinguished service as a planning and zoning lawyer, to clients, to the profession, to the community, to strong ethical practices and to the advancement of knowledge, to writing, lecturing and similar pursuits". In 2008, he received the Career Service Award from the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association.

Austin was an attorney trial referee of the Connecticut Superior Court and received two commendations for service in that capacity. He was a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and a Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Association (“CBA”), a member of the house of Delegates of the CBA and past chairman of the Executive Committee of the Planning and Zoning section of the CBA. He was a frequent speaker at seminars on land use topics presented by the CBA.

A U.S. Marine veteran, Austin was presented with the Stephen Koteles Memorial Award by the Mayor of Bridgeport in 2014, honoring Austin’s wartime and ongoing civic service. Austin graduated from Yale University (Branford College) in 1948, attending for three years under the post-war, V-12 program for veterans. In 1951, he graduated from Harvard Law School, cum laude, and was admitted to the bar in the same year.

Austin’s life was shaped by his devotion to his family, his love of the law, his dedication to serving his community, his fidelity to the US Marines and his profound love of Israel, Yale University football and the New York Yankees.

Click here for Austin's obituary.

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