Derek P. Cole
Firmwide Managing Partner, Roseville
Practice Summary
Derek is a founding partner of Cole Huber LLP. His practice is statewide and focuses on local government law. He has served as city attorney for four cities, as general counsel for a number of special districts, and as a contract county counsel.
Derek also handles a wide and diverse caseload of litigation matters for municipal clients. He practices in state and federal courts and has handled bench and jury trials and a broad range of writ of mandate and related proceedings.
Although Derek has experience across all areas of local government, he has particular expertise in land use, CEQA, municipal finance, and emergency medical services.
Derek has been recognized in several editions of Super Lawyers Magazine in the area of “State, Local, and Municipal.” He has also been recognized as a “Best of the Bar” honoree in the Sacramento Business Journal and as a “Top Lawyer” in Sacramento Magazine.
Education & Admissions
Derek graduated with distinction from McGeorge School of Law in 1999. At McGeorge, He was admitted to the Order of the Coif, Order of Barristers, and Traynor Honor Society. He was a member of the Editorial Board of the McGeorge Law Review and published a student comment in that journal. Derek also served on the school’s moot court competition team.
Prior to attending law school, Derek graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and Society.
Derek is admitted to practice in California, all federal district courts in California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Professional Activities
Derek is a frequent writer on a wide range of legal subjects. He has authored several opinion articles in the Daily Journal and has written articles for municipal organization publications. He is also the author of California Surface Mining Law (Solano Press Books 2009).
Derek regularly authors “friend of the court,” or “amicus,” briefs for organizations including the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties, California Special Districts Association, and International Municipal Lawyers Association.
Derek has been active in League of California Cities departments. He has chaired and served on the City Attorneys Department’s Municipal Law Handbook Committee. He has also served on the Department’s Attorney Succession and Development Committee, Nominating Committee, and Legal Advocacy Committee.
Derek previously served as a legal writing and research instructor at his alma mater, McGeorge School of Law.
Up Close
Derek is the proud father of two amazing children. He is a history buff and enjoys outdoor photography and backpacking. He has travelled throughout all of California’s 58 counties and is proud to call the Sacramento region his home. Derek is a loyal (and long-suffering) Sacramento Kings fan and has stuck by his team through thick and (a lot of) thin.