Steven Hicks-Safra

Steven R. Hicks-Safra is Partner and General Counsel for Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A. in the firm’s Miami office.  He has been practicing law for more than 15 years, with over 10 years of experience as an attorney practicing in all phases of civil litigation, focusing on: commercial litigation; professional malpractice defense; bodily injury; marine/admiralty, banking and financial; sex trafficking/human trafficking defense; products liability defense litigation, with emphasis in motor vehicles and automotive products, including product defect and asbestos litigation defense; and other insurance defense related litigation. 

Mr. Hicks-Safra has also previously served for many years as outside general litigation counsel for a multi-billion dollar company, responsible for: (i) assisting and managing day-to-day defense of litigation in the State of Florida, (ii) assisting with retention and oversight of local counsel across the United States for purposes of defense in actions filed in jurisdictions outside the State of Florida, and (iii) advising the company regarding risk prevention and general matters.

As General Counsel for the firm, Mr. Hicks-Safra administratively advises the firm regarding litigation handling and risk management, including on issues of conflicts, legal ethics, and general firm policies.  He serves on the firm’s Executive Committee and Conflicts Committee, and he co-chair’s the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

Mr. Hicks-Safra has represented, among others, Sandals and Beaches resorts, Unique Vacations travel, Swissport USA, Inc., American Honda Finance Corp., American Honda Motor Co., Celebrity Cruises, Inc., Ford Motor Company, General Motors Corporation, Pneumo Abex, LLC, as successor in interest to Pneumo Abex Corporation, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., various law firms, and numerous insurance companies.

Mr. Hicks-Safra attended the University of Florida where he received a Bachelor of Science Finance degree in Business Administration in 2005. He then received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law with honors in 2008. Honors and distinctions he received while in law school include: Dean’s List; Criminal Procedure Dean’s Fellow; and member of University of Miami Center for Ethics and Public Service. While in law school, Mr. Safra was also awarded honors in the University of Miami Litigation Skills Program.

He is a member of the Florida Bar, Texas Bar, and, American Bar Association, and is licensed to practice law before all county and circuit courts in Florida and Texas, the Southern District of Florida, and the Middle District of Florida and the Middle District of Florida, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit.

The Florida Bar

The Texas Bar

The American Bar Association