Gunster, one of Florida’s oldest and largest business law firms, today announced Terry Cole will join the firm as a shareholder and environmental and land use practice attorney. He will be based in the firm’s Tallahassee office.
Before joining Gunster, Cole was an attorney with the law firm Oertel, Fernandez, Cole & Bryant, P.A. in Tallahassee for 25 years. While at the firm, he focused his practice on environmental law, governmental administrative law and litigation.
“Terry Cole is one of the most widely recognized and highly regarded attorneys in environmental and administrative law, and his experience will help guide our clients through Florida’s challenging environmental regulatory climate,” said Brian Seymour, shareholder and leader of Gunster’s environmental and land use practice. “We are extremely pleased he has decided to join our firm and we welcome his knowledge on critical issues facing Florida land owners and businesses.”
Before joining the firm in 1985, Cole was the assistant secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, as well as the general counsel. In this role, he was involved with all department programs and directed the development of many of its rules. Cole played a key role in defining legislation that arose during his more than 12-year tenure, including the Water Quality Assurance Act, which established groundwater programs, and the Wetlands Protection Act.
Cole is a contributing author to a number of books and papers, including the new Florida Bar Environmental Law Treatise chapter on water quality and the former Treatise chapter on wetlands. He is a frequent speaker on air and water quality issues, and he closely follows rule development issues in the water, solid waste and air programs.
He is listed as one of the top attorneys in the country and Florida in environmental law, including: Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers; Best Lawyers in America; Florida Super Lawyers and is AV Rated with Martindale-Hubble.
