About

Steven J. Cologne

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619-236-1551

Experience

Steven Cologne has been the managing partner of Higgs Fletcher & Mack since 2017. He devotes his law practice to complex Tort and Commercial litigation in State and Federal Courts.

After 30 years as a successful litigator and trial lawyer, Steven became a trained arbitrator in 2020. The arbitration of businesses in complex litigation at the state and federal level is growing and expected to continue to grow and Steven is pleased to be able to use his trial expertise and years of experience as a lawyer to help resolve disputes through arbitration.

In addition to his law practice, Steven achieved the distinction of being certified as a Fellow in The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), effective May 2020. He was admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia in 2020 and was appointed a Panelist with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) that same year.

He has received the highest rating (AV) available from Martindale-Hubbell for his ethics and legal ability and has been selected by his peers and recognized by Best Lawyers in America® each year from 2008-2023. He has been selected for inclusion in San Diego Super Lawyers® since 2007, and has earned the rank of Advocate with the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), the premier association of trial attorneys, having taken nearly 65 jury trials to verdict. He was named one of the “50 Influential Leaders” in San Diego by the San Diego Daily Transcript in 2017. In 2020, Steven was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of San Diego School of Law.

Active in both the legal community and the greater San Diego community, Steven is a member of a number of professional organizations, including Board membership in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, North America Branch.

He is a past Executive Editor of San Diego Lawyer, the journal of the San Diego County Bar Association, and served as a Board Member for the San Diego County Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Bar. He serves as counsel for The Old Globe in San Diego, the top regional theatre in the country. In addition, he serves on the Steering Committee of the University of San Diego School of Law Board of Visitors, his law school alma mater.

In his free time, Steven enjoys wilderness backpacking, horseback riding, outdoor photography, and foreign travel.


Admitted to Practice

  • California State Courts
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Central Districts of California
  • 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court
  • District of Columbia Bar

Affiliation

  • State Bar of California
  • San Diego County Bar Association
  • Supreme Court Historical Society
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Fellow, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
  • Panelist, AAA

Awards & Honors

  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2008-2023)
  • San Diego Super Lawyers® (2007-2023)
  • Daily Transcript, 50 Influential Leaders in San Diego (2017)
  • San Diego Business Journal’s San Diego 500 List of Influential Business Leaders (2017-2020)

Education

  • J.D. University of San Diego, School of Law (1984)
  • B.A. University of Southern California (1981)