Philip Cook founded Cook Mediation in 2015, devoting an increasing portion of his time as a trial lawyer to mediating litigated disputes. With experience spanning two decades, Phil has been a court-appointed mediator for the California Court of Appeal, the Los Angeles County Superior Court and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

In 2025, Phil became a full-time neutral with JAMS—who Chambers & Partners has calls “the premier player" in mediation.

Legal Employment & Education

After graduating from the UCLA School of Law, Phil began his legal career in 1990 with the Los Angeles office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Following a clerkship with the Honorable Consuelo B. Marshall in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and stints as a litigator with two Los Angeles firms, Phil joined Jones Day, where he practiced for almost 20 years. Phil started The Cook Law Firm in 2015, representing plaintiffs and defendants in all types of business litigation.

Recognition & Professional Affiliations

Phil has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Securities; Chambers & Partners’ Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers; as a Southern California “Super Lawyer”; ALM Media as a Top-Rated Litigator; and is AV Peer Rated by Martindale Hubbell.

Phil is a member of the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, co-chairing its Complex Court Symposium in 2014 and 2016. Phil is a Past President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (2012-2013), having served on its Board of Governors for nine years and chaired its Annual Seminar in 2008.

Pro Bono Work

Phil is committed to pro bono work, directed Jones Day’s Los Angeles office pro bono activities for over a decade, and has represented dozens of clients pro bono over the years. He is a Past Chair of the Board of Directors of Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm, and a member of the Board’s Executive Committee. He received Public Counsel’s inaugural President’s Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service in 2024, and its Volunteer of the Year award in 2012 (for work representing applicants for child care centers and homes), in 2013 (for work representing victims of mortgage and other consumer fraud), in 2017 (for work representing operators of family child care homes), and in 2021 (for litigation representing a Ph.D. candidate with claims against the university).

Teaching

As an adjunct law professor, Phil has taught law school courses in trial practice. He has participated in seminars and workshops teaching mediation advocacy, legal research skills, privilege and work product, civil procedure before trial, deposition, oral advocacy and trial techniques, and has appeared on the faculty at local, state and national continuing legal education programs. Most recently, Phil has planned, organized and participated as a moderator and panelist in multiple continuing legal education programs presented by The Rutter Group, including a periodic presentation of Civil Procedure Before Trial.