Biography:
As Managing Partner, Richard P. Cole is responsible for the overall management and supervision of the firm. He is recognized as a Florida Leading Attorney in the areas of personal injury defense law, medical, legal and professional malpractice. Mr. Cole has experience handling Errors and Omissions claims, including those brought against insurance brokers and agents. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law where he was ranked sixth in his graduating class. While attending law school, Mr. Cole was Student Body President, Chief Justice of Traffic Court and was named to "Who's Who Among American College and University Students." He was also a member of Florida Blue Key. In 2020, Mr. Cole was appointed, by the Governor, to the University of Florida Board of Trustees.
In addition to litigating cases, Mr. Cole has experience defending professionals in administrative investigations related to their professional licenses. In this capacity, Mr. Cole has represented professionals in front of administrative boards and panels, including the representation of accountants in front of the Probable Cause Panel of the Board of Accountancy.
Mr. Cole is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court; the United States Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals; the United States District Court for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida; the Supreme Court of Florida; and all local courts within the State of Florida.
Mr. Cole is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated Preeminent attorney. He is Vice-Chair on the Grievance Committee for The Florida Bar. He is a member of the American Bar Association, AIDA Reinsurance & Insurance Arbitration Society and The Florida Bar. He is a past Director, Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Dade County Bar Association and a past Delegate to the United States Eleventh Circuit Conference.
He is a past Director of the Dade County Defense Bar Association. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (President, Miami-Dade Chapter 2004) and Senior Life Fellow of ABOTA, American Inns Of Court, the American Arbitration Association, the Legal Malpractice and Medical Malpractice Committees of the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Association of Past Bar Association Presidents of Florida and the Defense Research Institute. He was an Advisory Committee member of the Volunteer Lawyers' Project for the Southern District of Florida. He was Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Grievance Committee, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida and a Member of the Eleventh Circuit Historical Society, Florida Bar Grievance Committee; and currently a member of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. Selected as one of the Top 1.7% of Civil Trial Lawyers in the State of Florida by Florida Trend Magazine (2005-2021); The Best Lawyers in America (2006-2022) and Lawyer of the Year (2017, 2022); Florida Super Lawyers (2006-2022); Lifetime Achievement Selection to America's Top 100 Attorneys®; Marquis Who'sWho® Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient (2019-2022); Power Leaders 250 (Executives Selected from the Region's Top Public and Private Companies) by South Florida Business Journal (2022); South Florida Business Journal 2023 Power Leader and The South Florida 2023 Power 100; member of Florida Council of 100 and Sustaining Patron Fellow of the American Bar Association Foundation.
Mr. Cole's civic activities include: President, Kiwanis Breakfast Club of Miami; President, 200 Club of Miami; Vice Chairman, Easter Seal Society of Dade County; Chairman, Interim Boundaries Committee for the City of Miami; Pillar, United Way of Dade County; Director and Secretary, Miami Club; Director, Miami City Club; Executive Committee of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; and Dean's Circle/Dean's Council for University of Miami (2015-2020).
PRACTICE AREAS
Accountant’s Malpractice
Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability
Commercial Litigation
Hospitality Industry Defense
Insurance Defense Litigation
Legal Malpractice
Medical Malpractice
Nursing Malpractice
Physician’s Malpractice
Premises Liability Product Liability
Professional Malpractice
Trucking Accident Defense
EDUCATION
● University of Florida, J.D
● University of Florida, B.S., Business Administration
ADMISSIONS
Florida
U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th District
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
