Bob Cole brings depth and innovation to his local government clients. Bob has served on boards, provided general legal counsel to local governments and continually worked with local government staff on day-to-day legal issues for 40 years. He has also worked in the fire service for 50 years. Bob focuses his law practice on collaborating with his clients’ Boards of Directors and executive teams to achieve their desired outcomes through solid legal advice, real-world practical experience and informed choices.

Bob directed the legal process culminating in 2019, when numerous special district and municipal fire departments in the south Denver metropolitan area were consolidated into the South Metro Fire Rescue Fire Protection District, which encompasses ten municipalities, portions of three counties, and approximately 540,000 residents. Bob also led the successful legal effort to incorporate Colorado’s 10th-largest city, Centennial, in 2001, and helped build the city’s initial government as its first City Attorney. Bob values his long-term relationships with many of his local government clients.

Before becoming a lawyer, Bob worked for nine years for the U.S. Forest Service in California, primarily in fire management and timber management. He has maintained his involvement in natural resource conservation throughout his legal career, including serving on the Board of Directors of the National Forest Foundation from 2005 through 2021, chairing its Conservation and Grants Committee for much of that time, and serving on the Executive Committee.

Bob holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management and a law degree from the University of Colorado.

  • Special District Orientation (2022 Pueblo West Metropolitan District)
  • Governing Body Orientation (2022 South Metro Fire Rescue Fire Protection District)
  • How To Prepare For & Run Effective Board Meetings (2022 SDA Annual Conference)
  • Creating a Collaborative Forest Health-Fire Mitigation Program: Avoiding Catastrophic Effects of Wildfire on District Facilities, Services, Tax Base, and Communities (2021 SDA Annual Conference)
  • All Hazards Emergency Management (2020 SDA Annual Conference)
  • Healthy Forests And Districts (2019 SDA Annual Conference)
  • The Basics and Beyond (2018 SDA Workshops)
  • Healthy Forests (2017 SDA Annual Conference)
  • Soup to Nuts: Building a Sturdy House – Beyond the Basics of Special District Law (2017 SDA Workshops)
  • Attention All Units: Standby for a Social Media Emergency (2016 Emergency Services Public Information Officers of Colorado Conference)
  • SDA Regional Spring Workshops for Board Members (2012 – 2018)

Bob and his wife Patty have four wonderful children, all of whom are passionate about the great outdoors. He enjoys hunting, fishing, cycling, backpacking and anything outside. Bob has collaborated with several community organizations, including a high school mountain team and a youth ski club.