Sandy, son of Sophie Cohen, is married to Kirsten Cohen. Their eldest child, Seth, is something of a social misfit. Sandy's father left his mother when he was young and he has an unnamed brother and sister. Sandy's parents and siblings are not characters on The O.C. Sandy was originally a public defender, which brought him into contact with troubled teen, Ryan Atwood, whom he eventually adopted and took on as his own after Ryan's mother abandoned him. He has since gone into private practice in a law firm, before going to start his own law firm, taking over his late father-in-law's company, the Newport Group, returning to being a defense lawyer after Seth accidentally burned down the Newport Group headquarters, and finally becoming a Law professor. Sandy and Kirsten have three children. Sandy supports more liberal politics when compared to his wife Kirsten Cohen. He campaigned for the Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984, while his wife Kirsten Cohen supported the Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan.