Edward T. Kole chairs the Commercial Litigation department at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. and has nearly 30 years of experience in the practice of complex corporate and commercial litigation. Mr. Kole is an accomplished business litigator and trial lawyer, having handled commercial disputes on behalf of public and private companies in New Jersey and across the nation, including matters venued in California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York and Texas. In addition to the relationships he forges and maintains with each of his individual business clients, he is well known and regarded among the New Jersey state and federal judiciary as a result of his experience in the courtroom and his leadership positions within the Federal and New Jersey Bar Associations.

Mr. Kole is the first Vice President of the Association of the Federal Bar of the State of New Jersey. He is the immediate past chair of the Business and Commercial Litigation Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and previously served as a member of the Appellate Practice Committee and past chair of the Federal Practice and Procedure Committee. Mr. Kole is also a member of the Lawyers Advisory Committee, and co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee, for the United States District Court of New Jersey. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers as well as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Mr. Kole firmly believes that it is not enough to be a good lawyer, but that a commitment to elevating the practice of law and dedication to legal community is his responsibility. That sense of obligation to his profession, his colleagues and the firm directly translates to level of service each of his clients receive.

Mr. Koles practice includes the representation of large and medium sized businesses and corporations at every level of state and federal courts, involving a myriad of legal issues including: complex contract disputes; restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation; securities and derivative actions; as well as litigation concerning business, shareholder/partnership and franchise disputes.

His experience as a litigator and his commitment the New Jersey legal community has made Mr. Kole a sought after lecturer on federal and appellate practice, restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, as well as on shareholder disputes and has conducted and moderated numerous seminars for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

Before joining the firm, Mr. Kole was a judicial intern to the Honorable Leonard I. Garth, U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, and to the Honorable Robert E. Cowen, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He was also a judicial clerk for the Honorable Eugene D. Serpentelli, Assignment Judge, County of Ocean, Superior Court of New Jersey.

In 2018, Mr. Kole became a Fellow a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. He has been named a leading lawyer in his field by Chambers USA and has been included in New Jersey Best Lawyers in America list since 2006 and New Jersey Super Lawyers list since its inception in 2005. Chambers USA (http://www.chambersandpartners.com/methodology) is published by Chambers and Partners. Best Lawyers (https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology) is published by Best Lawyers in partnership with US News and World Report. Super Lawyers (http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selectionprocessdetail.html) is published by Thomson Reuters. A description of their selection process can be found in the respective links above. The aforementioned organizations are private peer review organizations, not court specific public certification vehicles. No aspect of this advertisement has been submitted to or approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Mr. Kole received his J.D. from from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1987 and his B.A. from Rutgers College in 1984. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey.

Company Firm

Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A.

Firm Mailing

PO Box 10 90 Woodbridge Ctr Dr Ste 900
Woodbridge
New Jersey
07095-0958
United States of America

Fellow Since

March 3, 2018

Practice Areas

  • Commercial Litigation

Chapter

  • New Jersey

Committee(s)