Edward T. Kole is a shareholder at the firm of Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer P.A. and chair of the Business Litigation Department. He is engaged in the practice of complex corporate and commercial litigation. In addition to other areas of corporate and commercial law, Mr. Kole is experienced in 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 litigation practice in the federal and state courts also extends to cases handled outside of New Jersey, in various courts around the country, including matters venued in Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York and Texas.
Mr. Kole is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of the Federal Bar of the State of New Jersey and is a past chair of the Federal Practice and Procedure Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA). He is also the current chairman of the Business and Commercial Litigation Committee of the NJSBA and a member of the Appellate Practice Committee. Mr. Kole is a frequent lecturer on federal and appellate practice, restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, as well as on shareholder disputes and has conducted and moderated a number of seminars for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Mr. Kole is also a member of the Business Torts Litigation, Class Action and Derivative Suits, and Litigation Appellate Practice committees of the American Bar Association.
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.
Mr. Kole has been selected for inclusion in the New Jersey Best Lawyers in America list since 2006 and New Jersey Super Lawyers list since its inception in 2005.
Speaking Engagements:
“Third Circuit Practice: A Practitioner’s Guide” Seminar given at 38th Annual United States District Court Judicial Conference Presented by The Association for the Federal Bar of New Jersey (Moderator and Participant) (March 20, 2014)
"Representing Your Client in Federal Court” Seminar Presented by NBI, Inc. (December 12, 2013)
“Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice” Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (Moderator and Participant) (October 22, 2013)
"Effective Techniques in Mediation Advocacy" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (June 24, 2013)
"Restrictive Covenant and Trade Secret Litigation in NJ" at the symposium entitled "Handling Commercial/Business Litigation Issues" Presented by the NJSBA Business & Commercial Litigation Committee (Speaker and Participant) (June 5, 2013)
"Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section and the NJSBA Business & Commercial Litigation Committee (Moderator and Participant) (April 22, 2013)
"Removal to Federal Court" Webinar through NJICLE (March 13, 2013)
"Federal Pro Bono CLE Program" Seminar Presented by The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and The Association of the Federal Bar (Moderator) (Trenton) (February 27, 2013)
"Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (Moderator and Participant) (September 13, 2012)
"Restrictive Covenant Litigation in NJ" at the symposium entitled "Handling Contract/Commercial Litigation Issues" Presented by the NJSBA Business & Commercial Litigation Committee (Speaker and Participant) (December 6, 2011)
"Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (Moderator and Participant) (October 12, 2011)
"Basics of Pro Bono Representation in the District of New Jersey" Seminar Presented by The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and The Association of the Federal Bar (Moderator) (September 26, 2011)
"Mediation & Settlement Techniques of a Business Dispute" Webinar through NJICLE (March 8, 2011)
"Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (Moderator and Participant) (February 17, 2011)
"Nuts & Bolts of Federal Court Practice" Seminar Presented by the NJSBA Federal Practice & Procedure Section (Moderator and Participant) (October 27, 2010)
"Removal to Federal Court" Webinar through NJICLE (February 25, 2010)
"Navigating Your Way Through Multi-Party Litigation" Seminar at NJSBA Annual Convention (Moderator and Participant) (May 14, 2009)
"Federal Practice for New Jersey State Court Practitioners" Seminar Presented by The Association for the Federal Bar (Moderator and Participant) (November 20, 2008)
"Nuts & Bolts of Practice Before the Third Circuit" Seminar at NJSBA Annual Convention (Moderator and Participant) (May 22, 2008)
"Beyond the Employment Agreement: The Life-Cycle of a Medical Practice from Buy-In to Buy-Out and the Consequences of Restrictive Covenants" Presentation before American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (April 18, 2008)
"Navigating the Federal Courts in the Age of Technology: From E-Discovery to E-Trials" Seminar Presented by The Association for the Federal Bar (Moderator and Participant) (November 19, 2007)
"Appellate Practice Seminar" Presented to the Middlesex County Bar Association (May 8, 2007)
"Recent Developments in NJ Trusts & Estates Law" at the Mercer County Bar Association (February 2, 2005)
"Probate Litigation Update" at the Middlesex County Bar Association (January 12, 2005)
"How to Present an Appeal" Presented to the Mercer County Bar Association (October 27, 2004)
"Do’s & Don’ts of Federal Practice for Experienced Practitioners" ICLE Seminar (Moderator and Participant) (May 10, 2003)
"Explore the Issues and Challenges Facing Businesses in the Electronic World, Including…" Presentation at E-Commerce & Internet Law Symposium (March 7, 2002)
"The Accounting Expert" Presentation at the NJCPA Mega Conference (October 29, 1999)
Publications:
“Updated Corporate Statutes Make New Jersey More Attractive to Businesses; An Analysis of the Recently Enacted Derivative Action Statute” (New Jersey Lawyer, April 2014)
New Jersey Federal Civil Procedure, Chapter 14, Final Pretrial Orders (New Jersey Law Journal Books) (2008-2013 Editions)
"The Threat or Prospect of Franchise Termination - Knowing Your Rights In New Jersey" (Newsletter Disseminated at Tradeshow, January 2010)
"Franchise Attorneys Speak Out About AAHOA's 12 Points" (AAHOA Magazine, December 2008)
"The More and Pierson Decisions: Restrictive Covenants Between Physicians are Enforceable, and May Restrict Physicians from Practicing in Local Hospitals" (Biz India, January/February 2005)
"Enforcing Restrictive Covenants in Commercial Leases" (Biz India, September-October 2004)
"Basics of Injunctive Relief in Federal Court" (New Jersey Lawyer, February 2004)
"Minimize Undue Influence Claims Through Proper Drafting and Execution of the Will" (New Jersey Law Journal, May 26, 2003)
"Fighting Claims of Corporate Wrongdoing" (New Jersey Law Journal - Complex Litigation, April 28, 2003)
"When Your Client's Neighbor Becomes a Competitor" (New Jersey Law Journal, March 17, 2003)
Area of Emphasis:
Corporate Commercial Litigation, Federal Court Practice, Chancery Practice, Appellate Practice, Class Actions, Franchise Litigation, Partnership/Shareholder Disputes, Business Disputes, Security Litigation, Derivative Actions, Estate Litigation
