Q&A With Chris Cole

[Background]

Before law school, your academic history shows a strong interest in science, with a bachelor's degree in biology from Yale University and a masters in marine biology from the University of Miami. Why did you decide to pursue the legal profession?

I grew up across from the marina and spent every free moment on the water or next to it. That's probably why I went to Miami to study marine biology. It was predestined.

However, I always had a strong interest in public policy. My interest in science – especially marine stuff – motivated me to find ways to protect what I was studying. While scientists are critical, so are lawyers and policymakers. I felt I'd be a better lawyer than scientist at the end of the day, and could probably have a bigger impact on what I cared about by becoming a lawyer. I think that has been true and, for someone like me who has pretty broad interests, it keeps me interested perpetually.