Terry P. Cole, a 1970 graduate of Florida State University's College of Law, was recently profiled in the university's alumni magazine for his personal philanthropic gifts to help future generations of environmental lawyers.
Cole and his wife have pledged $200,000 to the law school to create the Terry and Linda Cole Environmental Law Scholarship to benefit students in FSU's environmental law programs.
Receiving his law degree from FSU was a game changer, Cole tells FSU alumni magazine, noting that he was the first in his family to earn a college degree.
Another Cole-backed endowment, the Gunster Environmental Law Scholarship, is awarded each year to a promising FSU environmental law student. Lauren Reynolds was the scholarship recipient last year, which included a paid 10-week clerkship at Gunster's Tallahassee office.
Cole is a shareholder at Gunster in its Tallahassee office, where he focuses his practice on environmental law, governmental administrative law and litigation.
He's been described as a stalwart of the environmental law industry and “the dean of environment law with respect to permitting" (Chambers USA "Leaders in their Field awards).
Prior to joining Gunster, Cole was assistant secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, as well as general counsel, where he was involved with all department programs and directed development of many of the rules. During his more than 12-year tenure, Cole played a key role in defining legislation including the Water Quality Assurance Act and the Wetlands Protection Act.
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