Position:
Location:
Email:
ralph@hwnn.comPhone:
800.568.5330Fax:
Personal Experience
Ralph Cook has been a trial lawyer for nearly 50 years. Throughout 24 years of his career, he served as a trial judge, district court judge, circuit court judge, and as a family court judge. He has extensive experience in just about all areas of the law. Judge Cook was later appointed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court for the State of Alabama in 1993, and became an elected justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 1994, serving until January of 2001. His role as a Supreme Court Justice was to review all areas of the law. Needless to say, Justice Cook brings a wealth of great knowledge and experience to Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton. Justice Cook has been Of Counsel for the firm from 2001 to 2013, and after a short stint as the city attorney for Birmingham, he has rejoined the team at Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton once again.
He recalls the early years of “old Alabama” when times in the state were much different. His vision to affect change in Alabama was the catalyst for attending law school. Ralph and his wife, Charlsie, have raised three children together, and when he’s not in the office he enjoys fishing, golfing and traveling with his wife.
Education
Justice Cook, the second of three children of Joe and Nannie Cook, was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Justice Cook was educated in the public schools of Jefferson County, Alabama. After receiving a bachelor of science degree at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee, Justice Cook received his juris doctor degree from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C.
- Tennessee State University (1964)
- Howard University School of Law (1967)
Notable Work
As a charter member of the West Jefferson Kiwanis Club in Bessemer, he served as its charter president and as a member of the board of directors. He also served as lieutenant governor, Alabama District of Kiwanis International, from 1991 to 1992. He served as president of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham for 2014-2015. He serves or has served on the board of directors of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Salvation Army, Alabama Civil Justice Foundation, Bessemer Chamber of Commerce, Bessemer YMCA, Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, St. Vincent’s Foundation, Alabama Power Company, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and the Birmingham Business Alliance. He is a member of the Quarterback Club and has served as chairman of the board of trustees, Birmingham Art Museum. He has also served as president of the Magic City Bar Association and The Civic Club Foundation, the organization which owns and provides management for the Harbert Center in downtown Birmingham.
Admitted
- Alabama (1968)
- California (1973)
Awards
- B-Metro Top Flight Attorney (2019)
- The 2020 Best Lawyers in America “Best Lawyers”
- “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” by Lawdragon (2019-2020)