COLE J. RETCHLESS
Associate Attorney with Grit and Integrity
In this line of work, we’re always looking for people who not only understand the law but live by the values that make this work matter: hard work, integrity, and a heart for justice. Cole J. Retchless embodies all three.
Born and raised right here in Scottsbluff, Cole is a true son of the Nebraska Panhandle, and you can see that in how he approaches his clients, his cases, and his role at our firm. As an associate attorney at the Robert Pahlke Law Group, Cole focuses on negligence, personal injury, and wrongful death litigation, representing individuals and families whose lives have been altered by fires, wildfires, farm and oilfield accidents, medical negligence, and even financial misconduct. He is admitted to practice in all Nebraska state courts, the U.S. Federal District Court of Nebraska, and as of 2024, in the State of Wyoming.

Cole’s educational background reflects the same drive we value in the courtroom. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies from Chadron State College, graduating Cum Laude. While at Chadron State, he was part of the Rural Law Opportunities Program and competed on the CSC Eagles Rodeo Team in both steer wrestling and team roping. That mix of academic focus and tenacity in the arena says a lot about the kind of lawyer Cole is becoming competitive, composed, and all-in.
Cole earned his J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2023. Before and during law school, he gained real-world legal experience with the Morrill County Attorney’s Office and later clerked for the Honorable Travis O’Gorman of Nebraska’s Twelfth Judicial District. During his final year of law school, Cole interned with us, and it was clear from the start that he was cut from the right cloth. We were proud to welcome him officially to the firm in 2023.
He’s not just building a legal career; he’s investing in the community he calls home. Cole currently serves as Vice President of NEXT Young Professionals and is an active member of the Nebraska Association of Trial Attorneys, the Nebraska State Bar Association, and the Scotts Bluff County Bar Association.
Cole brings a rare combination of humility, heart, and horsepower. When someone like that walks into the room, you pay attention, and when he walks into the courtroom, so does the opposition.
— Robert Pahlke
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