Cole Finegan

Finegan was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and attended Cascia Hall Preparatory School. He attended the University of Notre Dame from 1974 to 1978, earning a degree in English. After graduating, Finegan worked full-time as Chief Legislative Assistant and then Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative James R. Jones of Oklahoma, chair of the House Budget Committee. Finegan attended Georgetown University Law Center and graduated in 1986. He served as a member of The Tax Lawyer law review.Doyle, Patrick. [http://www.5280.com/magazine/2011/04/life-according-to%E2%80%A6-cole-finegan "Life According to … Cole Finegan."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130801114132/http://www.5280.com/magazine/2011/04/life-according-to%E2%80%A6-cole-finegan |date=2013-08-01 }} 5280 magazine. April 2011.

Tom Strickland and Andy Loewi recruited Finegan in early 1987 to join Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (then Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Madden), a national law firm based in Denver. From 1993 to 2003, Finegan was a partner in the Denver office and advised on land use, regulatory, municipal, legislative, and election law.

While working for Congressman Jones,{{who|date=December 2021}} Finegan managed his 1984 re-election and his bid for the U.S. Senate in 1986. Finegan was campaign manager for mayoral candidate Norm Early, who lost the 1991 election to Wellington Webb. From 1991 to 1993, Finegan served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado Governor Roy Romer.

Finegan acted as an adviser to Governor Hickenlooper and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, and served as finance chair for Bennet's 2016 re-election campaign and was a co-chair of Hickenlooper's re-election campaign.Gardner, Natasha; Hatlestad, Luc, and Potter, Maximillian. [http://www.5280.com/magazine/2011/12/5280-fifty "The 5280 50."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819073633/http://www.5280.com/magazine/2011/12/5280-fifty |date=2013-08-19 }} 5280 magazine. December 2011. He was one of four Colorado finance co-chairs for President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election campaign.

Finegan joined Hogan Lovells (then Hogan & Hartson) in 2007 as a partner. He became managing partner of Hogan Lovells' Denver office in May 2007, and focused his practice on public-private partnerships, regulatory issues, land use and development, and legislative and public policy law. In May 2013, Finegan was elected to the Hogan Lovells board as the representative for the Americas (excluding Washington, D.C.).[http://www.thelawyer.com/firms-and-the-bar/hogan-lovells-elects-cole-finegan-and-dan-gonzlez-to-its-board/3004553.article "Hogan Lovells Elects Cole Finegan and Dan González to Its Board."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029215644/http://www.thelawyer.com/firms-and-the-bar/hogan-lovells-elects-cole-finegan-and-dan-gonzlez-to-its-board/3004553.article |date=2013-10-29 }} The Lawyer. May 8, 2013.

Finegan was selected as a "Lawyer of the Decade" by Law Week Colorado;Masich, Matt. “Lawyers of the Decade.” Law Week Colorado. March 14, 2011, volume 9, number 11. as Lawyer of the Year 2013; and was also named one of the most influential people in Denver by 5280 magazine.[http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/993081-kelly-brough-meets-her-match-i-have-dream-roast "Kelly Brough Meets Her Match at 'I Have a Dream’ Roast.'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193445/http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/993081-kelly-brough-meets-her-match-i-have-dream-roast |date=2013-10-29 }} The Colorado Statesman. October 11, 2011.

On September 28, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Finegan to be the United States attorney for the District of Colorado.{{Cite press release |title=President Biden Announces Nine New Nominees to Serve as U.S. Attorneys |date=September 28, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/28/president-biden-announces-nine-new-nominees-to-serve-as-u-s-attorneys/ |access-date=September 28, 2021}} {{PD-notice}}{{Cite press release |title=Nominations Sent to the Senate |date=September 28, 2021 |publisher=The White House |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/09/28/nominations-sent-to-the-senate-36/}} {{PD-notice}} On November 4, 2021, his nomination was reported out of committee by voice vote.{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Results%20of%20Executive%20Business%20Meeting%20-%20November%204,%202021.pdf|title=Results of Executive Business Meeting – November 4, 2021|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|accessdate=December 5, 2021}} On November 19, 2021, his nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate via voice vote. He was sworn into office on December 1, 2021, by Judge Christine Arguello.{{Cite press release |title=Cole Finegan Sworn in as United States Attorney |date=December 1, 2021 |publisher=U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado |location=Denver, Colorado |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/cole-finegan-sworn-united-states-attorney |access-date=December 1, 2021}} He resigned on May 31, 2024, to return to the private sector.{{Cite web|date=May 15, 2024|title=United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Cole Finegan to Step Down|url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/united-states-attorney-district-colorado-cole-finegan-step-down|website=United States District Court for the District of Colorado|access-date=July 17, 2024}}

Finegan served on the board of directors of the Downtown Denver Partnership,[http://www.denverpost.com/ci_21097760/downtown-denver-partnership-outlines-six-priorities-coming-year "Downtown Denver Partnership Outlines Six Priorities for Coming Year."]. The Denver Post. July 18, 2012. Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce,[http://www.denverchamber.org/About_Us/Board_of_Directors.aspx "2012-2013 Board of Directors"]. Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved July 22, 2013. The Children's Hospital,[http://2012annualreport.childrenscolorado.org/board.html "Children’s Hospital Colorado Board of Directors."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191643/http://2012annualreport.childrenscolorado.org/board.html |date=2013-10-29 }} Children’s Hospital Colorado. Retrieved July 22, 2013. The Denver Foundation,[http://csbj.com/2012/02/10/people-on-the-move-february-10-2012/ "People on the Move."] The Colorado Springs Business Journal. February 10, 2012. Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce,[http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/potm/2010-09-13/ "People on the Move."] Denver Business Journal. September 13, 2010. and Teach for America.[http://www.teachforamerica.org/m/where-we-work/colorado/supporters "Advisory Board."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191900/http://www.teachforamerica.org/m/where-we-work/colorado/supporters |date=2013-10-29 }} Teach for America. Retrieved July 22, 2013. He also served as a member of the Colorado Forum, Quarterly Forum, and Economic Club of Denver.[http://www.economicclubcolorado.com/MemberListCompany.pdf "Members."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192442/http://www.economicclubcolorado.com/MemberListCompany.pdf |date=2013-10-29 }} The Economic Club of Colorado. Retrieved July 22, 2013.

Finegan served on the Denver Public Schools Foundation board of directors[http://www.lawweekonline.com/2010/07/hogan-lovells-chief-cole-finegan-is-a-guest-bartender-tonight/ "Hogan Lovells’ Chief Cole Finegan Is a Guest Bartender Tonight."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029184154/http://www.lawweekonline.com/2010/07/hogan-lovells-chief-cole-finegan-is-a-guest-bartender-tonight/ |date=2013-10-29 }} Law Week Colorado. Retrieved July 7, 2010. and is also a past member of the Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation board of directors,[http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2003/09/08/daily26.html "Finegan Named City Attorney"] The Denver Post. September 10, 2003. the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado board of directors,[http://www.legalaidfoundation.org/about-us/campaign-volunteers/ "Campaign Volunteers."] Legal Aid Foundation. Retrieved July 22, 2013. the State Board of Agriculture, the State Board of Colleges, the Auraria Higher Education Center board, the Rocky Mountain Mutual Housing Association board, and the Greater Denver Corporation board.[http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?tabid=442244&mid=504977&newsid504977=5513&Mayor-Hickenlooper-Announces-Executive-Staff-Changes&SkinSrc=%5BG%5DSkins%2F_default%2FNo+Skin&ContainerSrc=%5BG%5DContainers%2F_default%2FNo+Container&dnnprintmode=true "Mayor Hickenlooper Announces Executive Staff Changes."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192053/http://www.denvergov.org/Default.aspx?tabid=442244&mid=504977&newsid504977=5513&Mayor-Hickenlooper-Announces-Executive-Staff-Changes&SkinSrc=%5BG%5DSkins%2F_default%2FNo+Skin&ContainerSrc=%5BG%5DContainers%2F_default%2FNo+Container&dnnprintmode=true |date=2013-10-29 }} Office of Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. September 26, 2006.

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Category:1956 births

Category:Living people

Category:20th-century American lawyers

Category:21st-century American lawyers

Category:Georgetown University Law Center alumni

Category:Lawyers from Tulsa, Oklahoma

Category:People associated with Hogan Lovells

Category:United States attorneys for the District of Colorado

Category:Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters alumni

Category:Cascia Hall Preparatory School alumni