Merkel & Cocke, P.A. Attorneys Named to 2024 List of Best Lawyers in America®
Merkel & Cocke, P.A. is proud to announce that our attorneys have been recognized in the 30th edition of Best Lawyers in America®!
Since 1983, Best Lawyers® has recognized attorneys whose work is heralded by their peers. For the last 30 years, they’ve compiled a list of honorees spanning more than 150 practice areas and 76 countries. Attorneys must be nominated by other attorneys, and inclusion on the list one year does not guarantee inclusion the next. Attorneys cannot purchase a spot on the annual list, either.
About our award-winning attorneys
This year, four attorneys from Merkel & Cocke, P.A. were selected for inclusion in the annual list.
Charles M. Merkel, Jr. – Two Time “Lawyer of the Year” Honoree. Charles “Charlie” Merkel has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 1989 for his work in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs. He was named a “Lawyer of the Years” in 2012 and 2010. Mr. Merkel has been recognized by Super Lawyers (2006-present) and is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®
John Hartwell Cocke – Five Time “Lawyer of the Year” Honoree. John Cocke has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2007 for his work in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs. In 2024, he was named a “Lawyer of the Year” for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in the Memphis region. He has also been named Lawyer of the Year in 2021, 2019, 2016, and 2013. He has also been recognized by Super Lawyers (2006-present) and is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell®
Charles M. Merkel, III – “Lawyer of the Year” Honoree. Charles M. Merkel, III has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2012 for his work in Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs in the Memphis region. In 2020, he was named a “Lawyer of the Year” for this work. Mr. Merkel has also been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Trail Lawyers (2014-present; Top 40 Under 40, 2012), Super Lawyers (2016-present; Rising Stars, 2008-2013), Lawyers of Distinction (2017), and the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys: top 10 Attorneys (2018).
Edward P. Connell, Jr. Edward “Ted” Connell has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2022 for his work in Workers’ Compensation Law – Claimants. He has also been named to Super Lawyers (2011-2013 and 2015-present; Rising Stars, 2008-2010) as well as the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys: 10 Best Personal Injury Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction (2020). Mr. Connell is also a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 25 Workers’ Compensation Trial Lawyers Association, an invitation-only organization.
All of us at Merkel & Cocke, P.A. are very proud of our attorneys, and we hope you will join us in saying “Congratulations!” on their latest achievement.
After graduating from the University of Virginia Law School in 1975, Mr. Cocke and Mr. Merkel established Merkel & Cocke, P.A. in 1982. Since that time the emphasis of Mr. Cocke’s practice has progressed toward medical malpractice. At the present time his practice is exclusively devoted to handling medical negligence cases for the plaintiff, either as a result of direct contact by the client or on referral from other attorneys who are not familiar with the handling of medical negligence cases. Mr. Cocke was selected Best Lawyer of the year for 2012 and 2014 in The Memphis area in the field of Medical Malpractice and has been selected a Best Lawyer and Super Lawyer every year since 2006. Learn more about John Hartwell Cocke here.