- Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Expires: February 28, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Ellis James T

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 12/7/2010

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

COUSINS PROPERTIES INC [CUZ]

(Last) (First) (Middle)

191 PEACHTREE STREET NE, SUITE 3600

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
___ X ___ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP /

(Street)

ATLANTA, GA 30303

(City) (State) (Zip)

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	6789 ⁽¹⁾	D
Common Stock	6061 ⁽²⁾	I	By Profit Sharing Plan

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Phantom Stock	12/11/2007	12/11/2010	Common Stock	165	$0 ⁽³⁾	D
Phantom Stock	12/11/2008	12/11/2011	Common Stock	558	$0 ⁽³⁾	D
Phantom Stock	2/16/2010	2/16/2013	Common Stock	2502	$0 ⁽³⁾	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy) ⁽⁴⁾	12/11/2007	12/11/2016	Common Stock	2900	$36.00	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy) ⁽⁴⁾	12/6/2008	12/6/2017	Common Stock	9728	$24.27	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy) ⁽⁴⁾	2/16/2010	2/16/2019	Common Stock	11207	$8.35	D
Stock Options (Right to Buy) ⁽⁵⁾	2/15/2011	2/15/2020	Common Stock	11577	$7.02	D

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)	Includes 6,695 shares of restricted stock awarded under the CPI 2009 Incentive Stock Plan. These shares will cliff vest based on continued service on 2/15/2013. CPI will hold these shares until such shares become vested. While the shares are being held prior to vesting, the reporting person will have the right to receive all cash dividends and to vote the restricted shares. All unvested shares will forfeit upon termination of employment.
( 2)	Shares held by the reporting person as beneficiary in the Company's Profit Sharing Plan.
( 3)	Award of restricted stock units under Cousins Properties Incorporated (CPI) 2005 Restricted Stock Unit Plan. Each unit represents a right to receive a payment in cash equal to the average of the closing price of CPI's common stock on each trading day during the 30 day period ending on the date payment is due under the plan. These units will vest 25% per year on each anniversary date of the grant, with units being 100% vested in year 4 of the grant term. Unforfeited shares held prior to vesting will earn dividends paid annually but will not have shareholder rights. All unvested shares will forfeit upon termination of employment.
( 4)	These options were granted under the 1999 Incentive Stock Plan. These options will vest 25% per year on each anniversary date of the grant, with shares being 100% vested in year 4 of the grant term. The reporting person may, as an alternative to exercising the stock option right to purchase CPI stock, elect to exercise the related Stock Appreciation Right (SAR). The exercise of the SAR allows the reporting person to receive the number of whole shares of CPI stock equal to the difference between the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise and the option price.
( 5)	These options were granted under the 2009 Incentive Stock Plan. These options will vest 25% per year on each anniversary of the grant date, with shares being 100% vested in year 4 of the grant term. The reporting person may, as an alternative to exercising the stock option right to purchase the full allotment of CPI stock, elect a cashless exercise. The cashless exercise allows the reporting person to receive the number of whole shares of CPI stock equal to the difference between the fair market value of the stock on the date of exercise and the option price.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Ellis James T 191 PEACHTREE STREET NE SUITE 3600 ATLANTA, GA 30303			EVP

Signatures
/s/ Kristin R. Myers, by Power of Attorney		12/14/2010
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.