Phillip A. Cole / Retired
Former Areas of Practice: Legal Malpractice, Professional Liability, Medical Malpractice, Commercial Litigation, Business Litigation, Intellectual Property Litigation, Shareholder/Owner Disputes, Wrongful Death
Phillip A. Cole / Biography
Before his retirement, Phil Cole used his extensive litigation experience in handling personal injury cases, commercial disputes, business torts, class actions, medical malpractice claims, and the defense of all types of claims brought against lawyers. Mr. Cole has been a frequent lecturer and a published author in the areas of trial strategies and professional liability subjects. Mr. Cole was a board certified civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy before retiring.
He has been a qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice and included on the civil neutrals rosters for both facilitative/hybrid and adjudicative/evaluative panels. Mr. Cole was selected as the Minneapolis Best Lawyers Legal Malpractice Lawyer of the Year for 2011 and as the Minneapolis Best Lawyers Legal Malpractice Lawyer-Defendants of the Year for 2014 and again in 2019. Cole, a member of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys until his retirement, was certified as a specialist in the litigation of both legal and medical professional liability claims (this national organization is not accredited by the Minnesota Board of Legal Certification).
Mr. Cole has also been recognized in the International Who’s Who, Who’s Who in American Law, the National Registry of Who’s Who, and as one of The Best Lawyers in America© by U.S. World & News Report. He has been repeatedly listed as a Minnesota Super Lawyer and has been listed as a Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyer for over a dozen years. Before his retirement he was rated AV Preeminent® for the highest level of professional excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.
Education
- University of Maryland, B.A., 1961
- Georgetown University, J.D., 1964
News + Articles
Estate Planning for Business Owners – Buy-Sell Agreement Importance
If you’re a business owner, there’s a good chance your company isn’t just something you own. It’s your source of income. Your retirement plan. Your legacy. In many cases, it’s up to 90% of a family’s net worth tied up in one illiquid asset . Which is exactly why...
Why Do I Pay Child Support With 50/50 Parenting Time in Minnesota?
Parents are often surprised to learn that child support can still be ordered even when parenting time is split evenly. A common reaction is frustration: If we each have the kids half the time, why is anyone paying support at all? In Minnesota, the answer lies in how...
What Happens When a Parent Denies Parenting Time in Minnesota?
Few issues escalate family law disputes faster than one parent denying the other court-ordered parenting time. Whether it’s missed weekends, cancelled holidays, or extended periods of no contact, denied parenting time is not just a co-parenting problem, it is a legal...
Estate Planning for Business Owners: What Can Go Wrong Without a Plan
Recently, I was honored to give a presentation to the Financial Planners of America about a topic that brings together two areas of professional passion: estate planning and business law. I spend a lot of time talking with business owners who know they should deal...
Lommen Abdo News – January 2026
In this edition of the Lommen Abdo newsletter, you’ll find: Family law insights from Andrew Hunstad on custody, divorce, and parenting time. Michelle Kuhl’s 2025 Appellate Year in Review blog. Cannabis law developments and our new Cannabis Law practice page. Vaccine...
How Minnesota Courts Set Parenting Time for Infants and Young Children
When parents separate or divorce, few issues feel more personal, or more emotionally charged, than parenting time. That concern is amplified when the child is an infant or very young. Minnesota courts recognize that babies and toddlers have unique developmental needs,...