Matt Dolan Biography

Senator Matt Dolan is currently serving his second term in the Ohio Senate, representing portions of Cuyahoga County.

His background in the private and public sectors is extensive as well as diverse. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan, where he represents business clients in a variety of matters, in addition to handling municipal law and real estate matters, including zoning and land use issues. He is also Vice President of 7th Avenue Properties, where he manages several area businesses as well as real estate properties. He has been an adjunct professor at the Case Western Reserve School of Law, as well as Kent State University’s Geauga Campus. 

He is a former Chief Assistant Prosecutor for Geauga County and Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio. 

Senator Dolan also served three terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing Ohioans of the 98th House District, which included parts of Cuyahoga County and Geauga County. While in the House, he earned the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the Finance and Appropriations Committee during his second term. In this role, he worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass a nearly unanimous $54 billion budget that lowered taxes and reduced the size of government. He made significant contributions in the area of tax reform, spearheading a campaign that resulted in legislation reducing the kilowatt-hour tax and supporting tax credits that stimulate business growth. He was also the sponsor and chief advocate of the Great Lakes Compact. 

Prior to joining the legislature, Senator Dolan was active in the community, where he served on several boards, including the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, LifeAct, the Rio Grande University Board of Trustees and Cleveland Indians Charities. He also sat on the Case Western Reserve University Advisory Committee and the Cleveland Foodbank Strategic Planning Committee. He is currently a member of the Cleveland City Club and the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. 

As a result of his public service, Senator Dolan was selected as an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow. Identified by the program’s leadership as America’s emerging political leaders, Rodel Fellows participate in a two-year program focused on exploring the underlying values and principles of western democracy, the relationship between individuals and the community, and the responsibilities of public leadership.

Senator Dolan is a graduate of Gilmour Academy, Boston College and Case Western Reserve School of Law. He lives with his wife, Jessica, his son, Sam, and his stepson, Maddox, in Chagrin Falls.

134th General Assembly Committee Assignments:
- Finance Committee (Chairman)
- Energy & Public Utilities Committee
- Insurance Committee
- Ways & Means Committee
- Rules & Reference Committee