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Jamie A.ColePartner, Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Director
Jamie A.
Cole

Partner

Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Director

Ft. Lauderdale
(954) 763-4242
jcole@wsh-law.com

Jamie Cole opened the firm’s Fort Lauderdale office in 1999 and served as the firm’s managing director for 10 years, from 2008 to 2017. Under his leadership, the firm built a culture of collaboration and solidified its reputation as a leading Florida law firm for government and business clients. Jamie has served as the Fort Lauderdale Office Managing Director since January 2018.

Jamie represents local officials and governments in matters that help to improve their communities and preserve home rule power. His work includes actions  to remove a misleading question from the statewide ballot regarding property taxes; to invalidate penalties that could be imposed against local officials for violation of the firearms preemption; to protect communities from blighting influences (including billboards, excessively intense development and a large gaming vessel); and to prevent overreaching actions by higher levels of government.

Jamie has served as the City Attorney for the City of Weston since 1999, previously served as City Attorney for Hollywood and Miramar, and serves as special counsel for numerous municipalities across Palm Beach and Broward Counties. He has presided over more than 1,500 city commission meetings and has spoken at seminars on subjects addressing ethics, open government, professionalism and civility, property taxes, government finance and charter review.

Jamie is committed to improving standards in the legal profession and in 2019 was named “Lawyer of the Year” by the Daily Business Review for his work in helping create a professionalism and civility magistrate pilot program in Broward County Circuit Court.

Jamie also represents private and public clients in complex litigation and is an accomplished appellate attorney. He has appeared before the Florida Supreme Court, as well as the Second, Third and Fourth District Courts of Appeal, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Jamie has served as lead litigation counsel for several coalitions of local governments challenging State and county laws and actions. He spearheaded lawsuits against the State of Florida invalidating Senate Bill 360 relating to growth management (because it violated the Florida constitution), and removing a proposed constitutional amendment from the 2007 statewide ballot that would have eliminated the Save Our Homes tax exemption. He also represented a coalition of 18 municipalities in a lawsuit against Broward County regarding the distribution of assets of the Resource Recovery Board upon its termination, resulting in a settlement worth approximately $38 million for the municipalities, and represented a county administrator in a dispute over governmental powers, resulting in a declaratory judgment in favor of his client.

Jamie is a native South Floridian and a proud graduate of Broward’s public school system, and was the valedictorian of his Ivy League law school class. He began his career as a commercial litigation attorney at one of the largest global firms before being appointed as in-house City Attorney for the City of Hollywood in 1994.

Professional & Community Involvement

  • President, Florida Association of Managing Partners, 2012-2014
  • LifeNet4Families (Formerly Known as Cooperative Feeding Program), Chairman of the Board, 2007; Director, 2002-2010; Advisory Board Member, 2018-present
  • Broward Business Council on Homelessness, 2019
  • Broward Workshop, 2017-present
  • The Broward County Bar Association, Board of Directors, Chair of the Large Law Firm Committee, 2018-present
  • City Attorney, City of Hollywood, 1994-1998
  • General Counsel, City of Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency, 1994-1999
  • Commissioner, Hollywood Housing Authority, 1992-1994
  • The Florida Bar, Evidence Rules Committee, 1990-1994
  • Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Director, 1999-2002

Awards & Recognitions

  • Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, “Top Lawyer,” 2020-present
  • Florida 500, Florida Trend, 2019, 2020-present
  • Daily Business Review, Attorney of the Year, 2019
  • Broward County Bar Association, Executive Director’s Award, 2018
  • South Florida Business Journal, Power Leaders in Law & Accounting, 2016-2017
  • Florida Super Lawyers, 2007-present
  • Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation, 2015-present
  • South Florida Legal Guide, Top Lawyer, 2005-present
  • Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, 2004-present
  • Daily Business Review, Finalist – Most Effective Lawyers, 2014
  • Lifestyle Media Group, Finalist – Leaders in Law, 2014
  • South Florida Top Rated Lawyers, Top Rated Lawyer, Commercial Litigation, 2012
  • Daily Business Review, Most Effective Lawyers: Public Interest, Finalist, 2010
  • Daily Business Review, Top Deal Makers of the Year – Real Estate – Mixed Use, Finalist, 2010
  • South Florida Business Leader, Legal Impact Leader, 2008
  • South Florida Business Journal, Key Partners Award: Litigation, 2008
  • Daily Business Review, Most Effective Lawyer: Public Interest, 2007
  • South Florida Business Journal, Best of the Bar, 2004
  • South Florida Legal Guide, Up and Comer, 2004

Practice Areas

Admissions

Florida, 1988


U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, 1989


U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, 1992

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D., summa cum laude, 1988


Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, BSE, Economics, summa cum laude, 1985

Press Mentions
Presentations
  • Coalitions and class actions, Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA), July 30, 2022
  • Sunshine Law, Broward League of Cities, July 7, 2022
  • Attorney Professionalism in a Telecommuting Culture, City, County, and Local Government Section of the Florida Bar, March 2022
  • Vaccine and Mask Mandates, Palm Beach County Bar Association Local Government & Land Use Committee, December 8, 2021
  • Mask Mandates for COVID, Florida School Board Attorney Association, November 5, 2021
  • Broward League of Cities Ethics Training, Broward League of Cities, November 2020
  • The War on Home Rule, Dade County Bar Association Environmental and Land Use Committee, November 2020
  • Gun Regulations and Preemption, League of Women Voters of Broward County, April 2018
  • Got Civility? Broward County Bar Association, April 2018
  • Will our Cities lose Power to the State? Fort Lauderdale Forum, March 2018
  • West Side Story: What’s Happening in Western Broward County, Broward Workshop Board of Directors Meeting, January 2018
  • Weston University, City of Weston, October 2017
  • Medical Marijuana Track: Land Use & Zoning, 2017 Broward County Bar Association’s Bench & Bar Convention, October 2017
  • Sunshine Law: Shade Sessions, BCBA Local Government Committee, May 2017
  • Sunshine Law, BLOC Elected Officials Boot Camp, February 2017
  • Professionalism and Civility, BCBA Managing Partners Bench and Bar Meeting,  September 2016
  • Infrastructure/Transportation Surtax Kick Off Event Panel Presentation, Broward County League Of Cities, September 2016
  • Sunshine Law training for Elected Officials, Palm Beach County League of Cities, September 2016
  • Sunshine Law, BLOC Ethics Training for Elected Officials, June 2016
  • Sunshine Law, BLOC Elected Officials Boot Camp, May 2016
  • Town Hall Meeting to Oppose Oil Drilling in Broward County, City of Miramar Panel Presentation, August 2015
  • Responding to Bid Protests and Public Procurement Irregularities, 34th Annual Florida Municipal Attorney Association Seminar, July 2015
  • Ethical Standards, Broward City County Management Association; International City County Management Association (ICMA) and Florida City and County Management Association (FCCMA), Margate, FL, March 2015
  • Ethics Presentation, Florida League of Cities, Hollywood, FL, August 2014
  • Ethics, Voting Conflicts and Gift Law for Elected Officials, BLOC Training, June 2015
  • BLOC Annual Ethics Seminar, Coconut Creek, FL, June 2014
  • BLOC Training for New Officials, Coconut Creek, FL, April 2014
  • Sunshine Law Presentation, OIG Public Service Ethics for New Elected Officials, Plantation, FL, May 2013
  • BLOC Training for New Elected Officials, Fort Lauderdale, FL, April 2013
  • Ethics Presentation, Florida League of Cities, Hollywood, FL, August 2012
  • BLOC Ethics Training, Sunrise, FL, April 2012
Publications
Reported Cases
  • Florida Carry, Inc. v. City of Tallahassee, 212 So. 3d 452 (Fla. 1st DCA 2017)
  • Gagliardi v. City of Boca Raton, 197 F.Supp.3d 1359 (S.D. Fla. 2016)
  • Brock v. Ochs, 2016 WL 661203 (Fla. 20th Jud. Cir. 2016).
  • Taxi USA of Palm Beach, LLC v. City of Boca Raton, Florida, 162 So. 3d 119 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014)
  • Archstone Palmetto Park, LLC v. Kennedy, 132 So. 3d 347 (Fla. 4th DCA 2014)
  • Florida Dep’t of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Bogorff, 132 So. 3d 249 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013)
  • Florida Dep’t of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Mendez, 126 So. 3d 367 (Fla. 4th DCA 2013)
  • City of Palm Bay v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 114 So. 3d 924 (Fla. 2013)
  • Florida Dep’t of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Mendez, 126 So. 3d 1192 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012)
  • City of Boca Raton v. Siml, 96 So. 3d 1140 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012)
  • Florida Dept. of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Mendez, 98 So. 3d 604 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012)
  • Caron Foundation of Florida, Inc. v. City of Delray Beach, 879 F.Supp.2d 1353 (S.D. Fla. 2012)
  • Milanese v. City of Boca Raton, 84 So.3d 339 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012)
  • Butler v. City of Hallandale Beach, 68 So. 3d 278 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)
  • Atwater v. City of Weston, 64 So. 3d 701 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011)
  • Florida Dept. of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Cox, 54 So. 3d 1026 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011)
  • Dep’t of Agric. & Cons. Servs. v. Bogorff, 35 So. 3d 84(Fla. 4th DCA 2010)
  • Florida Dept. of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Citrus Canker Litigation, 20 So. 3d 864 (Fla. 3d DCA 2009)
  • Palm Beach County v. City of Boca Raton, 995 So.2d 1017 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008)
  • City of Lake Worth v. Save Our Neighborhood, Inc., 995 So. 2d 1002 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008)
  • Milanese v. City of Boca Raton, Fla., 2008 WL 3889580 (S.D. Fla. 2008) Alford v. City of Hallandale Beach, 983 So. 2d 1159 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008)
  • Miami-Dade County v. U.S. E.P.A., 529 F.3d 1049 (11th Cir. 2008)
  • Jeffrey O. v. City of Boca Raton, 511 F.Supp.2d 1339 (S.D. Fla. 2007)
  • City of Hollywood v. Diamond Parking, Inc., 950 So. 2d 472 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007)
  • Jeffrey O. v. City of Boca Raton, 511 F.Supp.2d 1328 (S.D. Fla. 2007)
  • Fernander v. Bonis, 947 So. 2d 584 (Fla. 4th DCA 2007)
  • Florida Dept. of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. Cox, 947 So. 2d 561 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)
  • Pharmcore, Inc. v. City of Hallandale Beach, 946 So. 2d 550 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006)
  • Florida Dept. of Agric. v. Citrus Canker Litigation, 941 So. 2d 461 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006)
  • Medianet of South Fla., Inc. v. City of Miramar, 144 Fed.Appx. 856(11th Cir. 2005)
  • Guess v. City of Miramar, 889 So. 2d 840 (Fla. 4th DCA 2004)
  • GLA and Assocs., Inc. v. City of Boca Raton, 855 So. 2d 278 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
  • Sun Cruz Casinos, L.L.C. v. City of Hollywood, Fla., 844 So. 2d 681 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003)
  • Florida Outdoor Advertising, LLC. v. City of Boca Raton, 266 F.Supp.2d 1376 (S.D. Fla. 2003)
  • Florida Dep’t of Agric. and Cons. Servs. v. City of Pompano Beach, 829 So. 2d 928 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002)
  • City of North Lauderdale v. SMM Properties, Inc., 825 So. 2d 343 (Fla. 2002)
  • City of Boca Raton v. Boca Raton Airport Auth., 768 So. 2d 1191 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000)
  • Coastal Carting Ltd., Inc. v. Broward County, Fla., 75 F.Supp.2d 1350 (S.D. Fla. 1999)
  • Leonardi v. City of Hollywood, 715 So. 2d 1007 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998)
  • Mikes v. City of Hollywood, 687 So. 2d 1381 (Fla. 4th DCA 1997)
  • PDA Realty, Inc. v. City of Hollywood, 663 So. 2d 11 (Fla. 4th DCA 1995)
  • Citicorp Real Estate, Inc. v. Ameripalms 6B GP, Inc., 633 So. 2d 47 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994)
  • Lewis v. S & T Anchorage, Inc., 616 So. 2d 478 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993)
  • Budget Rent A Car Systems, Inc. v. Hirsh, 810 F.Supp. 1253 (S.D. Fla. 1992)
  • S & T Anchorage, Inc. v. Lewis, 575 So. 2d 696 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991)
  • U.S.P. Products, Inc. v. Brown, 557 So. 2d 111 (Fla. 3d DCA 1990)
  • Air Conditioning Equipment, Inc. v. Rogers, 551 So. 2d 554 (Fla. 4th DCA 1989)
  • The Florida Bar Re Amendment to Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 1.442 I (Offer of Judgment), 550 So. 2d 442 (Fla. 1989)

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