Dean C. Colson

Dean Colson was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Peter T. Fay, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. In 1980, Mr. Colson was a law clerk for then Justice William H. Rehnquist, Supreme Court of the United States. Mr. Colson is a partner with the law firm of Colson Hicks Eidson. He has specialized in product liability, aviation and complex commercial litigation.

Mr. Colson is a past President of the Dade County Bar Association, and a past member of The Florida Bar. Mr. Colson is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, and listed in The Best Lawyers in America. In 2009, Mr. Colson was appointed to the Federal Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure by the Chief Justice of the United States and served through the completion of his term in 2015.

Mr. Colson has served on the Board of Directors of numerous charitable organizations in South Florida.  He currently serves on the Board of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami.  Mr. Colson served on the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida, and served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board from (2010-2014).  In 2017, the Board of Governors appointed Mr. Colson to serve on Florida International University’s Board of Trustees, and he became Chair of the Board in 2020.

Prior to his service in the public university system, Mr. Colson served as Chair of the Board of Trustees (2004-2007), and Chair of the Executive Committee of the University of Miami (1999-2004). He also served as Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, and as Chair of the Law School’s Visiting Committee. Mr. Colson chaired the University’s billion-dollar capital campaign which raised $1.4 billion dollars.

In 2000, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Mr. Colson to the State of Florida Commission on Ethics. In 2002, Governor Bush appointed him to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. Mr. Colson chaired the Commission from 2004 to 2008. Mr. Colson was Chair of Appointments for Governor Elect Charlie Crist’s Transition Committee. In 2009, Governor Crist named Mr. Colson his Special Advisor on Higher Education.

Mr. Colson is a past president of the Orange Bowl Committee and served as Chair of the South Florida Super Bowl XXIX Host Committee. Mr. Colson also chaired the committee that successfully bid on the 1999 and 2007 South Florida Super Bowls. Mr. Colson has received the Mayor of Miami’s “Citizen of the Year” award for his commitment to the betterment of his community, and in 1996 was named Sportsman of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Miami. In 2008, Mr. Colson received the James W. McLamore Outstanding Volunteer Award given by the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2009, Mr. Colson was honored with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws from Florida International University. In 2010, Mr. Colson received the Jurisprudence award from the Anti-Defamation League.