CORAL GABLES (August 14, 2000) — One of South Florida’s oldest and most prestigious trial law firms, Colson Hicks Eidson, announced that after 35 years in downtown Miami, it has moved into its new Coral Gables office building located at 255 Aragon.

Instead of creating a high-rise office building, the partners at Colson Hicks Eidson opted to restore the 1927 clinic of Arthur Weiland, one of Coral Gables’ pioneer medical doctors, which will be occupied by Books & Books, and build a new three-story office building to stand along side the clinic. The firm’s new building was designed by Coral Gables architect Raul Rodriguez to complement the Mediterranean architectural style of the restored clinic, which is now listed in the Coral Gables Register of Historic Places.

“After years of enjoying practicing in Downtown Miami, we decided to move our practice to Coral Gables,” stated Dean Colson, partner at Colson Hicks Eidson. “After all the hard work and personal investment dedicated to the completion of this project over the past two years, I have a much greater respect for all my developer friends. Also, I can’t say enough about the wonderful cooperation we received from the city of Coral Gables to get this project completed.”

“We have always had Coral Gables close to our hearts,” added Mike Eidson, partner at Colson Hicks Eidson. “Many of the firm’s members live in the Gables and have enjoyed this wonderful community for many years. Firm members could not be more excited about the move.”

“Leaving Downtown was not an easy decision,” added Roberto Martínez, former U.S. Attorney and a partner at Colson Hicks Eidson since 1997, “but the office is now more accessible to our clients, and since the commute is shorter for most of us, we have the added bonus that we can be more productive at work and still get home at a reasonable hour.”

In addition to relocating to Coral Gables, Colson Hicks Eidson has also expanded to include the new appellate law section. Marc Cooper and Maureen E. Lefebvre, both formerly of the distinguished appellate law office of Cooper & Wolfe, P.A., will continue their appellate law work and litigation support practice at Colson Hicks Eidson.

Firm members have been extremely active in national and international societies to which trial lawyers are only admitted by invitation from their peers. These organizations are: The International Academy of Trial Lawyers (limited to 500 members), The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, The American College of Trial Lawyers, The International Society of Barristers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Attorneys at Colson Hicks Eidson have also held the following leadership positions: United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, President of the Dade County Bar Association, Chairman of the Aviation Section of ATLA, President of the Dade County Trial Lawyers Association, Chairman of the Institute for Injury Reduction and Chairman of Products Liability Section of ATLA.

The members of Colson Hicks Eidson also are community leaders, current positions of note include: Member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami (UM), Chairman of the university’s Executive Committee and member of UM’s President’s Search Committee, Chairman of Miami-Dade Community College, President of the Miami City Ballet, Vice-President of the Orange Bowl Committee, Member of the Board of Directors of the Kristi House, Member of the Board of Governors of the Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital, Member of the Board of Trustees of Ransom Everglades School, Chair-elect of the YMCA of Greater Miami and Member of the Board of Directors of the International Rescue Committee.

Aside from Colson Hicks Eidson, the new project will also be home to Cobb Partners, a real estate development firm, and MapleWood Partners LP, a private equity firm. The restored Wieland clinic will be the leased by Book & Books.

Attorneys at Colson Hicks Eidson practice litigation involving complex products liability, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, class action, aviation and appellate law, and domestic and international arbitration. During the past three decades, members of the firm, who are listed among the top trial lawyers in the United States, have won dozens of multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients.