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
Minnesota Bad Faith Decision Highlights Importance of Designating Decision-Maker
As we know, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Peterson vs. Western National Mutual Insurance Company on January 6, 2020. That Minnesota Supreme Court decision concerned Minnesota's new bad faith statute: Minn. Stat. § 604.18. In essence, in that...
New $10,000 Minnesota Grant Now Accepting Applications
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) began accepting applications on Tuesday, June 23 for a new grant program from the State of Minnesota. To be eligible, businesses must be in good standing as of March 1, 2020, be able to demonstrate...
Biological father recognized as a legal parent of child placed for adoption without his consent
After two and a half years of litigation, a biological father has been recognized as a legal parent of his child who was placed for adoption without his consent, according to the Minnesota Supreme Court’s recent decision in T.G.G. v. H.E.S. Although the father did not...
Adjunct Professor at University of St. Thomas School of Law
Michelle Kuhl is an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2020 teaching Lawyering Skills III.
When CAN You Speak to a Represented Party?
Barry O'Neil and Michelle Kuhl presented a webinar on June 12, 2020 through the Hennepin County Bar Association's Professionalism and Ethics Section on "When CAN You Speak to a Represented Party?" Overview: Rule 4.2 of the Minnesota Professional Rules of...
COVID-19 Countermeasures Receive Broad Immunity
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) passed a Declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act effective as of February 4, 2020 through October 1, 2024. Manufacturers are protected from legal liability for additional 12 months...