Cole Douglas - Tacoma, WA
Attorney at Cochran Douglas
Personal Injury Lawyers in Tacoma, WA
2501 Fawcett Ave Tacoma, WA 98402
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
-
11
Years
Experience
Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyer
Updated: 10/09/2026
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
- Sex Abuse Claims
Attorney Information
Overview
Nicholas "Cole" Douglas is an attorney well-known for his passion, energy, and commitment to protecting his clients’ best interests. Cole prides himself on direct, honest communication and his ability to truly understand his clients’ needs.
His practice focuses on the litigation and trial of complex personal injury cases involving wrongful death and sex abuse. These are high-stakes situations. People who come to him have an inspiring determination to achieve justice in their case. Cole strives at every step to match this desire with his trademark tenacity.
After graduating from law school with honors, Cole immediately began his legal career working for injured people here in Washington state. After years of honing his craft, he ultimately opened his own firm, Cochran Douglas. Taking the risk to co-found his own practice has been incredibly rewarding since it allows Cole to set high personal standards for every aspect of his representation.
Verdicts & Settlements
Cole and his team consistently maximize case value for their clients. He is a trial lawyer who is capable of getting results in court and through major settlements. Cole personally negotiated a $3.8 million settlement against the State of Washington for failure to investigate sexual abuse. He and his team recently obtained a $5.25 million wrongful death settlement for a nursing home fatality and many other six- and seven-figure verdicts and settlements.
Industry Honors
Cole is regularly recognized as one of the legal industry’s best and brightest, most recently evidenced through his selection to the 40 Under 40 List by the South Sound Business Journal, and the On the Rise List by the American Bar Association, recognizing the top 40 young lawyers in the nation. Cole has also consistently been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year since 2018. This distinction is given to a maximum of 2.5% of young lawyers in the state of Washington. He was also chosen among the Top 40 Under 40 list by the National Trial Lawyers. Cole has a perfect 10/10 AVVO rating. This rating is awarded by the attorney database AVVO based upon a lawyer’s experience, endorsements, legal thought leadership, and more.
Cole Is a Legal Leader
Throughout his legal career, Cole has focused not only on providing his clients with the best representation possible but also ensuring that Washington State continues to protect the rights of injured parties, regardless of their race, gender, or socio-economic status. Cole is an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice, serving on multiple committees and actively advocating down in Olympia for legislative reform. Cole also serves on the Washington State Bar Association’s Litigation Section Executive Committee and is the former President of the Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association's New and Young Lawyer Board.
Cole also prioritizes giving back to his local community. In addition to working on multiple pro bono cases each year, Cole has also volunteered his time and services at the Housing Justice Project, providing legal help for low-income tenants facing homelessness. Outside of the law, Cole volunteers his time and energy coaching his children's sports teams and serving as a den leader for his son’s Cub Scouts pack.
Academic Prestige
Cole earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. He was a three-sport varsity athlete in undergrad, playing football, basketball, and track. His busy athletic life did not deter him from pursuing an accelerated M.B.A. program at WU’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
After completing his M.B.A. studies, Cole returned to Washington to attend law school at Seattle University School of Law. While in law school, he remained active by competing in moot court and mock trial and by immersing himself in the local legal community. Cole was named to the academic Dean’s List and graduated cum laude. He also won a prestigious CALI Excellence for the Future Award by achieving the highest grade in his Client Counseling and Negotiation class.
Our Attorney is One of the Nation’s Best
Cole has been recognized by the American Bar Association as one of the Top 40 Young Lawyers “On the Rise.” The award program provides national recognition of ABA Young Lawyers Division members who exemplify a broad range of high achievement, innovation, vision, leadership, and service to the profession and their communities.
Outside the Office
While away from work, Cole enjoys spending time with his beloved family and friends. He is both an avid snowboarder and hoops fan who is often seen perfecting his jump hook on the local basketball courts. On Sundays, his favorite athletic activity is sitting on the couch and cheering on the Seahawks.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Selected to Washington Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2018 - Present
- Top 40 Under 40, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, 2020
- Top Attorney, Avvo Rating 10.0
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award – Client Counseling and Negotiation
- Top 40 Under 40, South Sound Business Journal, 2022
- On The Rise—Top 40 Young Lawyers Award, American Bar Association, 2024
Other Sources of Feedback About Cole Douglas
Included on the 2026 Washington Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Washington Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Washington Super Lawyers list
Education
Legal Education
-
Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, Washington, 2015
J.D.
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for achieving the highest grade in Client Counseling and Negotiation.
Honors: Participated in moot court and mock trial.
Honors: Dean's List
Non Legal Education
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Atkinson Graduate School of Management – Willamette University, 2012
M.B.A. -
Willamette University, 2011
B.A.
Major: Psychology
Current Employment Position(s)
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Partner
Past Positions
- Honorable Ronald B. Leighton, U.S. District Court for the Western District Court of Washington, Judicial Extern, 2015
- Office of the Chief Legal Officer, Intern, 2013
- Willamette MBA Angel Fund, Student Partner, 2011 - 2012
- Connelly Law Offices, Legal Intern, 2013 - 2014
- Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala, PLLC, Senior Associate Attorney, 2015 - 2020
Languages
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English
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Spanish
Classes and Seminars
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Solving Challenges in Your Law Practice – A New Type of Learning CLE: Issues with Client Intake, 2018
- Personal Injury A to Z: Fundamentals of Local Procedure and Legislative, Case Law and Regulatory Trends and Developments, 2017
Pro Bono Activities
- Tacoma Pierce County Housing Justice Project, Volunteer Attorney, 2015 - Present
Published Works
Articles
Bar Admissions
- Washington, 2015
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Washington
- U.S. District Court Western District of Washington
Other Affiliations
- Washington State Association for Justice (Eagle Member)
- Robert J. Bryan American Inns of Court (Member)
- American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division (Member)
- The American Association of Justice (Member)
- King County Bar Association (Member)
- Tacoma Pierce County Bar Association, New and Young Lawyer Board (Immediate Past President)
- Thurston County Bar Association (Member)
- Washington State Bar Association, Litigation Section Executive Committee
Photo
Contact
2501 Fawcett Ave
Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone Number: 253-352-2990
Email: Send a message
Hours: Open 24 Hours
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