Colin Stuart Diver was born on December 29, 1943 in Boston, Massachusetts. He received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Amherst College (1965) and a LL.B., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School (1968). He held an honorary degree from Amherst and served as a trustee.

Diver was dean of the University of Pennsylvania law school and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law from 1989 to 1999. Previously he had taught at Boston University for over 20 years in public management and law, and had served as the dean of the school of law. Additionally, he held positions at Harvard University and at Wharton School in areas of public management and public policy, respectively. He held a series of positions in state government and authored numerous scholarly publications.

Diver was married to Joan D. Makechnie and had two children. He enjoyed squash, tennis, yoga, cooking, and music (especially opera).