Thierry P. Colaw '74

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Retired Orange County Superior Court Judge Thierry P. Colaw ‘74 (Life Member) was added to the roster of neutrals to one of California’s leading providers of private dispute resolution services, Judicate West. Founded in 1993, Judicate West prides itself on maintaining the utmost integrity in delivering innovative solutions to all types of civil cases and involves top-tier neutrals and an experienced staff who is dedicated to being the gold standard in alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

Colaw was appointed to the bench by Gov. Pete Wilson in 1997, following 20 years in private practice where he focused on civil litigation. He spent 21 years on the Superior Court bench, predominately hearing civil law matters. During his tenure, he served 11 years on the General Civil Panel, overseeing personal injury, medical malpractice and business contractual matters, and most recently, nine years on the Complex Civil Panel, presiding over complex multi-party matters, including toxic torts, product liability, construction defect, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) cases and all types of class actions. Colaw also served on the court’s executive committee for a decade.

Colaw is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and the Association of Business Trial Lawyers (ABTL). Among his many judicial honors, he was awarded the ABOTA “Judge of the Year” award in 2000 and served on the board for ABOTA’s Orange County Chapter for nearly a decade. Colaw is a United States Navy veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, received his J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from UCLA.