A Connecticut attorney from Cheshire, Ellen Cosgrove began her career in financial services in 1984 with Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, which later JP Morgan Chase & Co., and then moved to the National Bank of Canada in 1988. After graduating from the University of Chicago Law School in 1991, Ellen Cosgrove was a litigation associate for LeBeouf, Lamb, Greene, & MacRae LLP.

Over the next 30 years, Ms. Cosgrove practiced and primarily taught in the legal field. In 1995, the University of Chicago Law School hired her as an associate dean and dean of students. Subsequently, she worked in the same capacity for Harvard University beginning in 2004.

By 2015, Yale Law School hired Ms. Cosgrove as the associate dean for student affairs and career development. In this role, she oversaw a staff of over 14 people and managed a budget of nearly $3 million. As associate dean, she coordinated activities to engage the students and community that entertained, educated, and cultivated inclusiveness. She also oversaw the publication of the school’s law journal.

Ms. Cosgrove not only co-developed academic, social, and administrative policies, but she also acted as an advocate for students. Additionally, she actively addressed equity, discrimination, and inclusion issues, among other activities.

While serving in this role until 2022, she is active in the Practising Law Institute, the American Bar Association, and the Connecticut Bar Lawyer Well-Being Committee Taskforce. Past affiliations include Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Mount Holyoke College, and the American Association of Law Schools.