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
Tales From the Trenches From the Defense Perspective
The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly presented challenges to the way we operate in both our personal and professional lives. In the legal setting, perhaps the most challenging is how we conduct jury trials during this time. With that in mind, what issues should...
Be open to opportunities you never imagined – even in retirement
At the end of 2020, and after 32 years at Lommen Abdo, I retired from the practice of law! I will remain as “of counsel” to help where needed, primarily in bankruptcy litigation. My life has been an amazing journey from the grade school girl who dreamed of being a...
The Federal Estate Tax – What to Expect With a Biden Presidency
A frequent concern for estate planning clients is how to avoid owing estate taxes at their death. Because the estate tax has become a political issue, some of these clients are also concerned about how the election results might impact the estate tax. The following is...
Lommen Abdo Announces Passing of One of Our Own
With great sadness, we announce the unexpected passing of one of our own, Larry Rocheford. Please keep Larry's family in your thoughts and prayers. View his obituary and comments shared by his colleagues, friends and family: StarTribune LinkedIn As a...
Appellate Arguments by Zoom
Nearly every attorney has now been affected in some way by the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Appellate attorneys have largely been lucky compared to their trial-level colleagues because most appellate work is uniquely well-suited for a remote environment. After...
Beware the Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Legislation
Recently I represented a client seeking to uphold a default divorce judgment she obtained after her ex-husband failed to respond to the summons and petition in Minnesota. Both parties completed extensive briefing on the ex-husband’s motion to vacate the judgment, but...