Bankruptcy and Business Attorneys Serving Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida for Almost 50 Years
Meet our team
R. John Cole, II & Associates, P.A. is a knowledgeable and dedicated consumer and business bankruptcy, business law and estate planning law firm serving clients in Sarasota, Bradenton and Charlotte County. The firm is AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, and Attorney R. John Cole, II is Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification. If you would like more information on our attorneys, you may click on the links below to view their professional legal profiles:
Committed to serving your legal needs
At R. John Cole, II & Associates, P.A., we have the skills combined with almost 50 years of practice necessary to take you through the bankruptcy process, stop a foreclosure and help you resolve your problems with creditors. In addition, we have a full-service business practice as well as an estate planning and probate department to fill your needs. If you need an attorney in Sarasota, Bradenton, Charlotte and throughout the west coast of Florida, call our offices today at 941-315-6153 or contact us online to speak with a qualified bankruptcy or business lawyer. An online inquiry does not create an attorney-client relationship, but we try to respond to such inquiries quickly to offer a free initial consultation. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
R. John Cole, II
Practice areas
- Bankruptcy
- Family law
- Divorce
Admitted
- 1975, Florida and U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- 1978, U.S. Tax Court
- 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- 1989, U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- J.D., University of Florida, 1974
- B.A., Auburn University, 1968
Professional associations
- Sarasota County Bar Association
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- The Florida Bar
Biography
John has been in the private practice of law since 1979. Before opening his office, he was an Assistant Public Defender for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida from 1975 through 1977 and First Assistant State Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida from 1977 through 1979. While a prosecutor, he was primarily responsible for homicide prosecutions and the handling of official corruption cases involving law enforcement.
Since entering private practice in 1979, his practice has focused on litigation and bankruptcy. He has handled numerous civil litigation matters and thousands of bankruptcies. His practice has involved representing individuals and corporations in litigation and bankruptcy issues, and he has also handled numerous family law matters representing both husbands and wives as they sort through the problems inherent in the divorce process.
He was an undergraduate major in speech, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree from Auburn University and receiving his J.D. degree with honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1974. While in law school, John was a member of the Florida Law Review and was awarded the American Jurisprudence Book Award in Creditors’ Rights.
John has been admitted to the Florida Bar and bars of the U.S. Supreme Court, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He was a member of the Federal Court Practice Committee of the Florida Bar from his appointment to the committee in 2005 until 2011. He is also AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, the top rating given by Martindale-Hubbell®. John frequently lectures in the areas of bankruptcy, collections, advanced debtor-creditor laws, short sale issues and related topics.
While in law school, John was a member of the University of Florida Law Review and was selected for membership in the Order of the Coif at graduation. The Order of the Coif is a national honorary society for the top 10 percent of law school graduates nationally in law classes in the United States in the year of a member’s graduation. He was also a member of the Fletcher Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa legal fraternity, serving as its president. Additionally, he was selected for membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the national legal honorary society. He received the American Jurisprudence 2nd Book Award in Creditors’ Rights and Estate Taxation while in law school and was an honors graduate from the University of Florida law school in 1974.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, John served in the U.S. Navy for four years, achieving the rank of lieutenant. Those tours of duty saw him at sea in various forms on naval combatant ships, including aircraft carriers, destroyers and a cruiser.
John is presently a member of the Tampa Bay Bar Association, the Sarasota County Bar Association, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and the American Bankruptcy Institute, participating in numerous activities with those groups.
As an AV®-rated lawyer, John attempts to provide the highest quality services for his clients. He became Board Certified in the area of Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification in 2004. John is a third-generation Floridian whose relatives reside throughout the State of Florida.
Peter M. Knize
Practice areas
- Estate planning
- Bankruptcy
- Family law
- Civil and commercial litigation
- Divorce
- Trusts and estates
- Child support
- Child custody
- Wills
- Probate/estate administration
- Tax planning
Admitted
- Florida, 2005
- North Carolina, 2006
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
Education
- J.D., Nova Southeastern University, 2005
- L.L.M., Estate Planning, University of Miami, 2006
- M.A., University of South Florida, 2000
- B.A., University of South Florida, 1996
- B.S., University of Central Florida, 1993
Professional associations
- The Florida Bar
- North Carolina State Bar
- Federal Bar Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
- American Bar Association
- Real property, trusts & estates
- Business law
- Litigation
- Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Sarasota County Bar Association
Biography
Peter was born in Ohio but was raised in Sarasota County, Fla., graduating from St. Stephen’s Episcopal High School. He attended the University of Central Florida, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Cardiopulmonary Sciences in 1993. Upon graduation, Peter worked as a licensed registered respiratory therapist in neonatal intensive care units throughout Florida. Peter attended the University of South Florida where he received both a Bachelor of Arts in 1996 and a Master of Arts degree in History, with honors, in 2000. He attended Nova Southeastern University, receiving his Juris Doctorate in 2005. He continued his study of law at the University of Miami where he received his Master of Law degree in Estate Planning in 2006.
Prior to joining the firm of R. John Cole, II & Associates, P.A., Peter was a senior associate in the corporate and estate planning division of the Raleigh, N.C. law firm of Warren, Perry, Narron, Shackleford & Mackay, P.L.L.C., where he focused on corporate law, elder law, advance estate planning, guardianship, civil litigation, real property and estate administration.
Peter has extensive experience in corporate law, from business entity formations and operations to corporate dissolutions, as well as estate planning for clients with closely held business entities. He currently practices corporate law, bankruptcy, estate planning, probate administration, guardianship, family law, foreclosure defense and civil and commercial litigation.
Peter is a member of both the Florida Bar and the North Carolina State Bar. He is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He is also a member of the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law sections of the Florida and North Carolina Bar and the Sarasota County Bar Association.
Richard J. Cole, III
Practice areas
- International law
- Corporate law
- Business law
- Bankruptcy
Admitted
- 2008, Florida
- 2009, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida
- 2010, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
- 2010, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
- 2010, U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
- 2010, U.S. Tax Court
Education
- J.D., cum laude, University of Florida, 2008
- L.L.M., with merit, University College London, 2009
- B.A., summa cum laude, University of Florida, 2005
Professional associations
- Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association
- American Bankruptcy Association
- INSOL International (International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals)
- Sarasota County Bar Association
Biography
Richard has been in the private practice of law since 2009 with R. John Cole, II & Associates, P.A. as an associate. He has been admitted to practice with the Florida Bar and is a fourth-generation Floridian, born and raised in Sarasota.
Richard began law school at the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, in 2005 following his Bachelor of Arts program at the University of Florida, where he majored in English and minored in Sociology with highest honors. At Levin, Richard was a member of the Florida Law Review and served as a research editor. In 2006, he was awarded the Book Award for Corporations. He received honors in his Legal Research and Writing and Appellate Advocacy courses. Richard also served as a board member on the Law College Council, a student government body. Richard studied European law at the Universiteit Leiden, Netherlands, during his J.D. program. He graduated in the top third of his class with cum laude distinction.
After completing his J.D., Richard went to London to further study international and European laws. Richard focused on international finance, investment and insolvency (bankruptcy) law. He received his Master of Laws in 2009, with merit. His dissertation, obtained with distinction, focused on the special issues confronted by multinational corporate groups and securitized asserts during bankruptcy.
