William J. Cook

Attorney Profile
Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in Tampa, FL
Tampa, FL 33602
- Business Litigation (50%),
- Employment & Labor: Employer (30%),
- General Litigation (20%)
William J. Cook, an attorney of the law firm Barker | Cook, represents clients throughout Florida, including Tampa and surrounding areas, in matters involving commercial and employment disputes, securities litigation, insurance, and personal injury. Mr. Cook's peers have awarded him with the highest possible rating of AV-Preeminent* by Martindale-Hubbell, which speaks to his stellar professional reputation and track record of high moral character.
Mr. Cook attended the Stetson University College of Law where he was actively involved as an editor with the Stetson Law Review. While in school, he also received the American Jurisprudence Book Award in Business Associations and was honored as a finalist in the Scribes National Note and Comment Competition. Serving his internship for U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich of the Middle District of Florida provided him with valuable experience in courtroom procedures.
After graduating cum laude, Mr. Cook became licensed to practice under the Florida Bar in 1993. He is also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and District of Columbia Circuit and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida.
Mr. Cook has written several published articles on legal topics such as unfair insider trading and appeals issues. He also co-wrote the Florida Practice Handbook, Damages in 1995 along with the Florida Practice Handbook, Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law in 1998. Topics of other legal articles include the basics of civil litigation, insurance coverage, federal court, Florida civil procedures and expert testimony. Mr. Cook has been asked to speak at a number of professional conferences on topics such as third-party insurance coverage, tort law, class action lawsuits, Federal and Florida civil procedure and Florida legal ethics.
*AV-Preeminent and BV-Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Business Litigation (50%)
Employment & Labor (30%)
General Litigation (20%)
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Additional Sources of Information About William J. Cook
About William Cook
Admitted: 1993, Florida
Professional Webpage: http://www.barkerrodemsandcook.com/Attorneys/William-J-Cook....
Honors/Awards:
- Finalist, Scribes National Note and Comment Competition, Stetson University College of Law, 1992 - 1993
- American Jurisprudence Book Award in Business Associations, Stetson University College of Law
- Rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell
Bar/Professional Activity:
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- Member, Hillsborough County Bar Association
- Member, Business Law Section, The Florida Bar
- Member, Appellate Practice and Advocacy Section, The Florida Bar
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- Florida, 1993
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Pro Bono Attorney Ad Litem, Crossroads for Florida Kids
- Past President, Rotary Club of Tampa Bay
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Speaker, Advanced Trial Tactics, National Business Institute, 2018
- Lectured, "Florida Legal Ethics," Lorman Business Services, Inc., January, 2001
- Lectured, "Rules and Procedures for Federal Court Success", National Business Institute, June 2008
- Lectured, "Protecting the Legal Rights of Florida Citizens in Consumer Transactions", National Business Institute, March, 2003
- Lectured, "Litigating the Class Action Lawsuit in Florida", National Business Institute, October, 1999
- Lectured, "Basic Tort Law for the Florida Paralegal", National Business Institute, June, 1999
- Lectured, "The Mechanics of Florida Civil Procedure", National Business Institute, October, 2011
- Lectured, "Insurance Law: Third Party Coverage in Florida", National Business Institute, November, 1998
- Editor, Stetson Law Review, Stetson University College of Law
- Florida Practice Handbook, Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law, 1998
- Co-Author of Florida Practice Handbook, Damages, 1995
- "Getting Slam-Dunked on Appeal," The Hillsborough County Bar Association Lawyer, April 1998
- "From Insider Trading to Unfair Trading: Chestman II and Rule 14e-3," 22 Stetson L. Rev. 171, 1992
Educational Background:
- Stetson University College of Law, J.D., Cum Laude, 1993
- Virginia Tech, B.A., 1990
William J. Cook:
Last Updated: 1/7/2019