The daughter of Louis Kay and Bertha Cornsweet Kay, Lynn Harriette Kay was born in Kansas City, Missouri to a Jewish family. She studied for a year each at the University of Wisconsin and Northwestern University, after which she moved to St. Louis, where she began acting in regional theater.
Cohen began her career in the 1970s appearing in Off-Broadway productions, receiving Drama League Award and Lucille Lortel Awards nominations. Notable credits include Hamlet starring Kevin Kline and Macbeth starring Liev Schreiber. On Broadway, Cohen appeared in Orpheus Descending starring Vanessa Redgrave (1989) and Ivanov, reuniting her with Kevin Kline (1994).
Cohen consistently played powerful, impressive women. Her first notable film role was in the 1993 comedy Manhattan Murder Mystery. From 1993 to 2006, she played Judge Elizabeth Mizener in the NBC drama series Law & Order, appearing in a total of 12 episodes. She also guest-starred on NYPD Blue, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Blue Bloods, and had a recurring role on Damages.

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