Louise Wilhite-St. Laurent

Louise Wilhite-St. Laurent has over 10 years of experience litigating administrative, civil, and criminal cases in Florida.  Mrs. St. Laurent attended Florida State University for her undergraduate studies, receiving her degree, with honors, in Public Administration and Political Science. Mrs. St. Laurent also received her law degree, with honors, from Florida State University.  

Mrs. St. Laurent began her legal career at the Office of the State Attorney in Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit where she prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases between 2011 and 2013.  Mrs. St. Laurent transitioned in 2013 to full-time administrative practice with the Florida Department of Health, ultimately becoming General Counsel in 2018.  In her role as General Counsel, Mrs. St. Laurent oversaw more than 80 attorneys with the Department of Health as her office provided guidance, risk evaluations, and litigation support in civil and administrative cases before Florida’s circuit, district, and federal courts as well as the Division of Administrative Hearings.  Mrs. St. Laurent also provided litigation and rulemaking support for the Department’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use as the program became the third largest marijuana market in the country.

Mrs. St. Laurent has given many continuing legal education presentations in the area of administrative law including presentations on medical marijuana, administrative litigation, evidence, constitutional rulemaking, and the use of executive power during states of emergency.  She is on the Executive Council of the Administrative Law Section of the Florida Bar, and a member of the Health Law Section, Government Lawyer Section, Governmental and Public Policy Advocacy Committee, the Florida Government Bar Association, and the Tallahassee Bar Association. 

Mrs. St. Laurent is dedicated to supporting young lawyers and students pursuing a career in law, often serving as a mock trial judge for the Florida State University College of Law and American Mock Trial Association.  Mrs. St. Laurent lives in Wakulla County, Florida with her loving husband, Ed St. Laurent. In her spare time, Mrs. St. Laurent enjoys conducting group cycling classes at her local fitness center.