James H. Cole

Open for Business

Shareholder; Assistant Director, Professional Liability Department; Co-Chair, Insurance Services Practice Group; Co-Chair, Property Litigation Practice Group; Co-Chair, Fraud/Special Investigation Practice Group at Marshall Dennehey
2000 Market Street, Suite 2300, Philadelphia, PA 19103
View James H. Cole's office location
Overall Rating

4.8
.

43 Reviews
Overall Rating

4.8
.

43 Reviews

Peer Reviews

4.8
.

43

Peer Reviews

4.8
.

43
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Attorney Awards

About Attorney Awards

James is the Director of the firm’s Professional Liability Department and serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. In his role as Director of the Professional Liability Department, James manages key administrative processes and leads strategic department initiatives for over 140 lawyers among 19 offices. As a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, James oversees the firm’s daily operations spanning four departments and 50 practice areas.

James, in addition to serving as Director, continues to focus his practice on representing insurance companies, whether in pre-litigation consultation or the defense of first-party or bad faith lawsuits. He has had a particular interest in Special Investigative Unit and Property Damage claims, including arson, burglaries, public adjuster represented claims, mold/ pollution and automobile thefts. Within his areas of practice, he is experienced in the bad faith and coverage issues inherent in first party/SIU investigations and litigation. Throughout his career, James has assisted with hundreds of SIU investigations, coverage consultations and litigated hundreds of first party lawsuits; and consulted on hundreds of property coverage issues.

James is frequently asked by clients and industry organizations to lecture on a variety of topics concerning property damage, insurance fraud and bad faith. For the past five years, he has been a featured speaker at the annual Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud conferences, and he has spoken several times at PLRB conferences, among others. James is an active member of the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM). He formerly served on the Executive Council for the CLM's Claims College, School of Property, where he helped to develop curriculum surrounding good faith claims handling and insurance coverage topics.

James is a 1990 graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Immediately following graduation, he worked as a claims representative with a large insurance carrier, where for eight years he was involved in the investigation and resolution of property and casualty claims. In 1995, he entered Temple University School of Law while continuing to work full time. James graduated from Temple University in 1999 with a degree of juris doctor. Thereafter, he joined Marshall Dennehey and is currently chair of the firm's SIU Litigation and Property Litigation Practice Groups. His firsthand property background, insurance industry knowledge and familiarity with property policies allows him to effectively, efficiently and practically counsel clients on Property and SIU issues, and when necessary, provide a vigorous and common-sense defense tailored to the needs of a particular carrier.

Honors & awards

AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell

The Best Lawyers in America, Insurance Law
2024-2026

National Insurance Crime Bureau, Certificate of Appreciation, 2010

Year joined

1999

Certifications

Certified Claims Professional in Property Claims, CLM

Associate in Claims (AIC), The Insurance Institute of America

Litigation Management Institute, Graduate 2014 (CLMP)

Thought Leadership

Marshall Dennehey Promotes James Cole and Sunny Sparano to Lead The Firm’s Professional Liability Department and Announces New Board of Directors Appointments

January 5, 2026
Marshall Dennehey announced today that James H.

Liberty Mutual Insurance Names Marshall Dennehey External Law Firm Partner of the Year

October 24, 2025
Marshall Dennehey is honored to accept the External Law Firm Partner of the Year Award from Liberty Mutual Insurance.

98 Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America

August 20, 2025
Marshall Dennehey is proud to highlight the firm’s 98 attorneys who have been recognized in the 2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Less than 6% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S.

Marshall Dennehey Awarded Prestigious Litigation Department of the Year Honors for Professional Liability and Appellate Law at the 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards

Appellate Advocacy & Post-Trial Practice
Accountants’ Professional Liability
Lawyers' Professional Liability
Miscellaneous Professional Liability
Securities & Investments Professional Liability
Health Care Liability
Behavioral Health Risk & Liability
Birth & Catastrophic Injury Litigation
Electronic Medical Record & Audit Trail Litigation
Emergency Medical Services
Long-Term Care Liability
Telehealth & Telemedicine
June 13, 2025
Marshall Dennehey was awarded the prestigious Litigation Department of the Year awards for Professional Liability and Appellate Law at The Legal Intelligencer’s 2025 Pennsylvania Legal Awards, held June 12 in Philadelphia.

On the Pulse...Insurance Fraud & Special Investigations Practice Group

Mount Laurel
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Fraud/Special Investigation
March 1, 2025
Insurance fraud is, understandably, intolerable, and its impact on insurers and insureds alike can be devastating. Defense Digest, Vol. 31, No.

Classes/Seminars Taught

Untying Tangled Titles - How Property Deed Fraud Drives Costs and Indemnity, International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) 2025 Fraud Conference, Denver, CO, August 27, 2025

Unfair Claims Practices: This is Jeopardy!, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Indianapolis, IN, April 1-2, 2025

Untying Tangled Titles - How Property Insurance Drives Fraud, 2024 Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) Conference, Hershey, PA, April 12, 2024

Unfair Claims Practices: This is Jeopardy!, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Boston, MA, March 18-19, 2024

Untying Tangled Titles - How Property Insurance Drives Fraud, Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA) Conference, Pocono Manor, PA, April 27, 2023

Unfair Claims Practices: This is Jeopardy!, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Orlando, FL, March 21-22, 2023

Managing the Fire Claim from Notice of Loss to the Courtroom - Are you Prepared for Trial?, International Association of Arson Investigators, Virtual, March 9,2023

Untying Tangled Titles - How To Recognize How Property Title Issues Drive Fraud, Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud 360 Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA, June, 2022

What You Need to Know After you Go - Parts 1 and 2, CLM Claims College School of Property - Level 2 - Coverage, Virtual, 2021

Claims/SIU/Legal - COVID & Post-COVID Impact, 2021 Insurance Fraud Management Conference, July 8, 2021

Civil Litigation Updates in COVID-19 Litigation - Where Do We Stand One Year Later? Marshall Dennehey Webinar, May, 2021

COVID-19 Business Interruption Claims: Where Are We Now?, ILG Virtual Conference, March 23, 2021

New Techniques - Old Fraud - Staying One Step Ahead of Fraudulent Contractors, Speaker, New Jersey Special Investigators Association (NJSIA) Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, October 2019

This is Jeopardy! The Pennsylvania Unfair Claims Practices Act, Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (PAMIC) Annual Claims Summit, Gettysburg, PA, April 10, 2019

Mock Examination Under Oath: Theft Loss, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Indianapolis, IN March 2019

Good Faith Claims Handling, CLM Claims College School of Property - Coverage Level 2, Baltimore, MD, 2018

Property Insurance Fraud Update: Real Housewives Edition, Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud 360 Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA, June, 2018

Unfair Insurance Practices Act and Strategies for Claims Handling, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Orlando, FL, April, 2018, Co-presenter

Cooperative Investigations: The Necessities and Pitfalls of Information Sharing, Pennsylvania's 2018 Insurance Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA, April, 2018

Bad Faith in Property Litigation: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, 2017 NAIIA National Conference, St. Thomas, June 2017

Cooperative Investigations: The Necessities and Pitfalls of Information Sharing, Pennsylvania's 2017 Insurance Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA, April, 2017

Dealing with Jokers? How and When to Play the Rescission Card, Pennsylvania's 2017 Insurance Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA, April, 2017

It's Jeopardy! An In-depth Look At The Unfair Claims Act, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, Boston, MA, March 2017, Co-presenter

'#Water Is The New Arson', Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud 360 Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA, June, 2016

Mock Examination Under Oath: Theft Loss, PLRB Claims Conference & Insurance Services Expo, San Antonio, TX, April 2016

Managing the Irrational Claimant - a Psychological & Legal Perspective, Pennsylvania's 2016 Insurance Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA, April, 2016

It's Jeopardy! An In-depth Look At The Unfair Claims Act, Client Presentation, Omaha, NE, March, 2016

Cooperation with Law Enforcement, ICAC Webinar, November 2015

Appraisal and Recent Trends in Bad Faith Law, Marshall Dennehey Client Seminar, April, 2015

Property Overview: 3Ms - Marring, Matching, Misrepresentation,New Jersey Special Investigators Association (NJSIA) Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, October 2014

Property Overview: 3Ms - Marring, Matching, Misrepresentation,Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud 360 Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA, June, 2014

Coverage 'C': Tools to Ensure Payment of Legitimate Content Claims, Marshall Dennehey Client Seminar, May, 2014

Cooperative Investigations-The Necessity and Pitfalls of Information Sharing, 2014 Pennsylvania Fraud Insurance Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA, April, 2014

Streamlining the Process and Controlling the Cost of Large-Scale Ring Cases, IFM - 2014 Insurance Fraud Management Conference, Amelia Island, FL, March 2014

Auto Repair Fraud, Moderator, New Jersey Special Investigators Association (NJSIA) Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, October 2013

Towing and Auto Body Fraud, IASIU's 28th Annual Seminar and Expo on Insurance Fraud, Atlanta, GA, September 2013

Investigating Suspicious Wind and Hail Claims, Pennsylvania Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (PAMIC) Annual Claims Summit, Gettysburg, PA, April 3, 2013

Body Shop and Towing Fraud, Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority Annual Conference, Hershey, PA, April 1-2, 2013

Effectively Managing Complex and Emerging Issues, 2012 NJSIA 22nd Annual Fraud Seminar, Atlantic City, NJ

The Importance of a Complete and Thorough Investigation, 2012Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud Perspectives Seminar, Cleveland, OH

Recent Trends in Auto Body & Towing Fraud - Enhanced Damage and Reconstructed Titles, 2012Marshall Dennehey Insurance Fraud Perspectives Seminar, Lafayette Hill, PA

Managing Public Adjuster Issues, 2012 IFMC - Insurance Fraud Management Conference, Phoenix, AZ

Proper Interaction and the Role of the Public Adjuster During an Arson Investigation, 2012 ICAC - National Arson Training Seminar, Las Vegas, NV

Insurance Fraud, 2011 ACFE Conference, San Diego, CA

Litigation Strategies for Combating Fraudulent Hail Claims, 2011 Pennsylvania Fraud Conference, Hershey, PA

Managing the Public Adjuster Process, 2011 IFM Conference, Amelia Island, FL

Homeowner Fraud, 2010 NJSIA Conference, Atlantic City, NJ

Civil Litigation Strategies for Combating Fraudulent Hail Claims, 2010 NICB Hail Fraud Awareness Conference, West Deptford, NJ

The Importance of a Complete Investigation, 2010 Combating Insurance Fraud Conference, Conshohocken, PA

Public Adjusters an SIU Perspective, 2010 IASIU Conference, Orlando, FL

Public Adjusters An SIU Perspective, 2010 Pennsylvania Fraud Conference, Gettysburg, PA

SIU and the Public Adjuster Represented, 2009 IASIU Conference, Palm Desert, CA

Cooperative Arson Investigations, 2009 PLRB Conference, Seattle, WA

Property Claims Overview, 2008 PAMIC Conference, Harrisburg, PA

Investigating Fraudulent Claims and Reporting Requirements, 2006 IASIU Conference, La Quinta, CA

Application Fraud; PIP Fraud; Automobile Theft Fraud; Medical Fraud; Special Disaster Fraud; Arson Investigations and Bad Faith, local and national presentations to clients

Media Commentary

'Total U.S. Reconstruction Costs Up 5.2% Over Past Year: Report,' CLM Magazine, August 28, 2024

COVID-19 Task Force 2020
Insurance Services - Coverage and Bad Faith Litigation
Property Litigation
Fraud/Special Investigation
Premises and Retail Liability
Environmental & Toxic Tort Litigation

University Attended:

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.S., cum laude, 1990

Law School Attended:

Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1999

Year of First Admission:

1999

Admission:

1999, Pennsylvania; 1999, New Jersey

Memberships:

Associations & memberships

Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
CLM Claims College, School of Property, Instructor
International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU)
Philadelphia Bar Association

Reported Cases:

Significant Representative Matters: Obtained a Breach of Contract/Bad Faith/ Unfair Trade Practices defense verdict after a four week jury trial. The Plaintiffs refused to move off of a $9 million demand prior to and during trial. The plaintiff family claimed that their house was contaminated by a common disinfectant solution that was applied during a water mitigation by a contractor referred by their homeowners' insurance company. The family not only claimed the house had to be razed and all the personal property disposed of; they also claimed a myriad of personal injuries. Ultimately, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict on the breach of contract claim and the judge entered a verdict in favor of the defense on the bad faith and UTPCPL claims.; Obtained a Defense jury verdict in a Breach of Contract claim involving matching continuous tile and paint.; Obtained a $4.1 million judgment against a contractor who was suspected and later proven to be fraudulently fabricating hail damage to thousands of area homes and convincing the unwitting homeowner to file claims with their insurance carrier.;; Published Works: 'A Royal Assignment [of Benefits]: Ramifications for Insurers in the First Party Property Context,' Defense Digest, Vol. 28, No. 12, December 2022; 'Much Ado About Marring,' co-written with Hillary Dean, Litigation Management, Winter 2014; 'Game, Set, Match: the Pennsylvania Superior Court Clarifies Whether an Insurance Company Owes to Match,' Defense Digest, Vol. 14, No. 1, March 2008; 'When an Insured Fires a Public Adjuster: The Sequel,' Defense Digest, Vol. 12, No. 4, December 2006; 'Direct Physical Loss Does Not Equal Direct Physical Damage: The Third Circuit Expands the Scope of Property Insurance Coverage,' Defense Digest, Vol. 11, No. 4, December 2005; 'When The Insured Fires A Public Adjuster,' Defense Digest, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 2005; 'Pennsylvania Superior Court Clarifies Application of Depreciation in Homeowners Policies,' Defense Digest, Vol. 10, No. 1, June 2004

ISLN:

914385750

4.8/5.0 (43 reviews)

Legal Knowledge
4.8/5.0
Analytical Capability
4.7/5.0
Judgment
4.8/5.0
Communication
4.8/5.0
Legal Experience
4.8/5.0

5.0/5.0 Rated by a Attorney on 01/18/21 in Torts

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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Managing Partner on 11/17/20 in Litigation

One of the best trial attorneys I know!

One of the best trial attorneys I know! Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Senior Partner on 11/10/20 in Litigation

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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Senior Partner on 11/10/20 in Property Law

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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Principal on 10/29/20 in Litigation

Having litigated a very complex insurance bad faith matter against Jim, I can say that he was not only a very smart good and capable lawyer, but also that we were able to mediate the case amongst ourselves without a mediator. To be clear, what I mea... Read more
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Having litigated a very complex insurance bad faith matter against Jim, I can say that he was not only a very smart good and capable lawyer, but also that we were able to mediate the case amongst ourselves without a mediator. To be clear, what I mean is that he and I and the other lawyers went to Jim's office and we were able to resolve the case amongst ourselves without the need for an outside referee. Jim is a lawyer's lawyer and true gentleman. Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Attorney on 10/27/20 in Torts

I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry tra... Read more
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I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry trade groups.. He is national counsel for global insurers who retain him to litigate their most severe litigation exposures throughout the country. His character and judgment are impeccable. He is a preeminent attorney and a good friend. Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Attorney on 10/27/20 in Property Law

I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry tra... Read more
Read more

I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry trade groups.. He is national counsel for global insurers who retain him to litigate their most severe litigation exposures throughout the country. His character and judgment are impeccable. He is a preeminent attorney and a good friend. Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Attorney on 10/27/20 in Litigation

I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry tra... Read more
Read more

I have known Jim for over 15 years. He is a nationally recognized practitioner in the areas of Insurance Coverage and Fraud. He is the Chair of his firm's Insurance Coverage Group. He is a frequent lecturer and trainer for clients and industry trade groups.. He is national counsel for global insurers who retain him to litigate their most severe litigation exposures throughout the country. His character and judgment are impeccable. He is a preeminent attorney and a good friend. Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Managing Partner on 10/27/20 in Litigation

I have worked with and handled matters with Jim for over twenty years. He is thorough, effusive, always prepared, and a creative problem solver. His eloquence is only rivaled by his intelligence. One of the best in the business.

I have worked with and handled matters with Jim for over twenty years. He is thorough, effusive, always prepared, and a creative problem solver. His eloquence is only rivaled by his intelligence. One of the best in the business. Read less
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5.0/5.0 Rated by a Other on 10/26/20 in Litigation

Mr. Cole is an excellent litigator for my company. I hold him in the highest regard.

Mr. Cole is an excellent litigator for my company. I hold him in the highest regard. Read less
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Philadelphia, PA
2000 Market Street, Suite 2300
Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-575-2635 Phone
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