The City of Weston congratulates City Attorney Jamie Alan Cole on receiving the 2026 Paul S. Buchman Attorney of the Year Award from the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA). The award was presented during the association's 44th Annual Seminar in Bonita Springs and honors attorneys who have made significant contributions to municipal law and local government throughout Florida.

The Attorney Behind the Honor

Attorney Jamie Cole has served as Weston's City Attorney for more than 26 years, providing legal counsel since the City's early years following incorporation. In addition to representing Weston, he serves as general counsel to the Broward Solid Waste Authority and has represented numerous municipalities, counties and special districts throughout Florida.

A graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his degree summa cum laude, Cole began his legal career as a commercial litigator at an international law firm before choosing a career in public service. In 1993, he was selected from approximately 70 applicants to become the City Attorney for Hollywood, despite having no prior government law experience at the time.

Throughout his career, Cole has become one of Florida's leading municipal attorneys, successfully representing local governments in landmark cases defending home rule and municipal authority. His work has helped shape Florida municipal law, protecting the ability of cities to govern their own communities.

A Career Dedicated to Public Service

Presenting the award, WSHC+B partner Susan Trevarthen praised Cole's decades of advocacy and leadership.

"Throughout his advocacy, his leadership, and his unwavering commitment to home rule, he has strengthened local government throughout Florida,"  Trevarthen said.

In addition to his work on behalf of municipalities, Jamie Cole has been recognized for advancing professionalism within Florida's legal community. In 2019, he was named Attorney of the Year by the Daily Business Review for his role in establishing Broward County's professionalism and civility magistrate pilot program.

Accepting the award, Cole reflected on what makes municipal law especially meaningful.

"Being a city attorney is great because we have such a positive impact on our community," Cole said. "When I drive around the communities I've represented, I can see that impact everywhere... a park, a police station, a library, a train station, a performing arts center. These are the projects we work on. We handle the procurement, negotiate the contracts, and resolve the disputes. We'll always be there to help, because we're proud—and fortunate—to be city attorneys."

The City of Weston congratulates Jamie Alan Cole on this well-deserved recognition and thanks him for his decades of dedicated service to the City and its residents.