Professional Background
As a real estate attorney and advocate for conservation, I am driven to find the best land preservation solutions for my clients. I have dedicated much of my life to conservation initiatives in Florida and worked extensively in all aspects of conservation strategies and conservation real estate for over 30 years. I’ve directly closed or managed the purchase or donation of land or conservation easements in more than 4,300 real estate transactions with a value exceeding $1 billion. I have collaborated with most government agencies at the federal, state, and local level and many conservation nonprofits throughout Florida. In addition to providing legal support to clients in these areas, I also provide consulting services for land conservation through my consulting business, Conservation Advisors.
I have extensive knowledge in all conservation transactions and am particularly skilled with conservation easement transactions. I have a reputation for understanding the requirements for a conservation easement to qualify for a charitable contribution under the Internal Revenue Code and can provide needed guidance. In addition to thousands of transactions with Florida Forever and its precursor program, Preservation 2000, I have extensive experience with the state’s popular Rural and Family Lands Protection Program and exposure to most water management districts, federal programs, and many local government programs.
As a leader in the legal and conservation communities, I continue to share knowledge with diverse audiences and media. Throughout my career, I have been a frequent speaker on conservation strategies and conservation easements and have presented at conservation, legal, and real estate conferences, including most recently at the 2024 Land Trust Alliance Rally in Providence, Rhode Island, and the 2025 Central Florida Real Estate Forum in Lake Mary.
Initially working in the nonprofit sector, I led conservation initiatives ranging from the county to multi-state ecosystem scale. Since 2012, I have worked as a consultant or attorney to bring my experience and breadth of contacts to ranchers, farmers, timberland owners, investors, nonprofits and government agencies requiring expertise and vision to complete conservation transactions for preserving family lands, sustaining agricultural businesses and preserving Florida’s natural resources.
I earned my J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and B.S. in Geology from the University of Florida. I have been admitted to the Florida Bar since 1987. After graduating from law school, I was in a general practice law firm for over three years, specializing primarily in real estate and land use law, and then spent four months as an Alaska backcountry volunteer before embarking on a career with The Nature Conservancy that spanned 19 years. Keith Fountain Law, PLLC was founded in 2016.