Practice sheet 2026

Updated September 2026

Adrienne Cole

Trial and appellate counsel · Delaware corporate and fiduciary disputes

Admitted in Delaware and New York · Fourteen years · Wilmington

I try and argue corporate cases in Delaware. Most of the work now comes from firms conflicted out of a Chancery matter and needing someone to carry it, and from general counsel who want the appeal handled by whoever will stand up and argue it.

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Adrienne Cole, trial and appellate counsel, Wilmington
Adrienne Cole · Wilmington, 2026

01

Representative matters

26-0417 Books and records demand against a controlled board

$1.4B

Forum Chancery
Role Lead counsel
Outcome Inspection ordered

25-0912 Fiduciary duty claims from a take private merger

$610M

Forum Chancery
Role Co-counsel
Outcome Settled before trial

25-0338 Appraisal after a family holding company squeeze out

$88M

Forum Chancery
Role Trial counsel
Outcome Value raised 31 percent

24-1104 Advancement for a removed officer

$12M

Forum Superior Court
Role Lead counsel
Outcome Judgment for the officer

24-0621 Appeal of a dismissed derivative complaint

$240M

Forum Delaware Supreme Court
Role Argued
Outcome Reversed and remanded

23-0855 Section 225 contest over a disputed board seat

Forum Chancery
Role Trial counsel
Outcome Seat confirmed in five weeks

Amounts are the value at issue, never a fee. Nothing here goes beyond the public record.

02

Admissions and qualifications

  • Bar
    Delaware · New York
    2012 · 2013
  • Courts
    Chancery · Superior · Delaware Supreme Court
  • Federal
    District of Delaware · Third Circuit
  • Law
    JD, University of Pennsylvania
    2011, cum laude
  • Degree
    BA Economics, Howard University
    2008
  • Languages
    English · Spanish
    Working proficiency

03

Career

Appointments

2019 — Present

Principal

Cole Law

2016 — 2019

Partner

Merrick Tate LLP

2013 — 2016

Associate

Merrick Tate LLP

2012 — 2013

Law clerk to the Honorable Ruth Vandermeer

Delaware Court of Chancery

Education

2008 — 2011

JD

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

2004 — 2008

BA Economics

Howard University

Full resume Download PDF

04

Fee basis

Basis
Rate

  • Hourly

    Chancery and Superior Court work, billed in tenths.

    $695 per hour

  • Appellate brief

    Fixed from the record before I start.

    From $45,000 fixed

  • Oral argument

    The argument and the week behind it.

    $18,000 flat

  • Opinion letter

    Scoped from the question, usually three weeks.

    From $22,000 fixed

  • Co-counsel retainer

    First call on my calendar, drawn down hourly.

    $25,000 per quarter

Terms

Quoted in US dollars and exclusive of filing fees, transcripts, experts and travel, which are billed at cost. Nothing begins until the engagement letter is countersigned and the conflict check has cleared.

05

How to instruct me

Direct [email protected] New matters and referrals
By phone +1 302 555 0163 Weekdays, 9 to 6 Eastern
Scheduling [email protected] Hearings, depositions, argument dates

Before you write

Name the parties, the forum and any date already in the calendar, and put the dispute in a paragraph. I run the conflict check before I read anything substantive, so send nothing privileged until I confirm I am clear of it.

A conflict check takes a day. After that we can talk about the matter.

Write to me

Nothing on this page is legal advice, and no attorney client relationship is created by reading it or by writing to me.