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 Administration Procedures: Why Each Step is Important
Keith Broady spoke on June 25, 2007 at Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step is Important, presented by the National Business Institute. Keith's topics were "Being Thorough to Close the Estate Without a Hitch" and "Common Issues to be Prepared for in...
Legal Malpractice Actions and Ethics Issues Related to Bankruptcy Matters
Kay Hunt spoke at the 2007 Minnesota State Bar Association Bankruptcy Institute "Legal Malpractice Actions and Ethics Issues Related to Bankruptcy Matters."
Punitive Damages in Commercial Transportation: State by State Summary (Minnesota)
John Crawford authored an article in 2007 for the ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section titled “Punitive Damages in Commercial Transportation: State by State Summary (Minnesota). Read the full article.
Engagement and Withdrawal: The Rules, the Practice and Common Sense
Phil Cole spoke on February 5, 2007 at Minnesota CLE's Ethics in Everyday Practice. Phil's topic was "Engagement and Withdrawal: The Rules, the Practice and Common Sense." Program description: What particular perils should a lawyer avoid when starting and...
Appeals of Family Law Matters
Kay Hunt spoke on January 26, 2007 at the Minnesota State Bar Association's Appellate Practice Institute on "Appeals of Family Law Matters."
Topics for the Experienced Appellate Practitioner: Collateral Order Doctrine
Kay Hunt spoke at the Minnesota State Bar Association in 2006 on "Topics for the Experienced Appellate Practitioner: Collateral Order Doctrine."