Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Jan. 31 announced the appointments of Shannon Wells Stevenson as solicitor general, and Nathan Blake as deputy attorney general of the consumer protection section.
Stevenson is a partner and trial and appellate attorney at Davis Graham & Stubbs. According to the announcement from the AG’s Office, she’s briefed and argued more than 70 cases before state and federal appellate courts throughout the Rocky Mountain West. She’s also served on the board of directors for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, on the Colorado Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission and she’s a member of the Colorado Judicial Institute Board, the Law Alumni Advisory Board for Duke Law School and the Colorado Women’s Bar Foundation.
Stevenson clerked for Judge David Ebel on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and she earned her bachelor’s degree and J.D. at Duke University. The AG’s Office noted her appointment will be effective April 3.
“I have known Shannon for over 20 years and have great respect for her appellate skills, legal acumen, and emotional intelligence. She will continue a tradition of excellence as our solicitor general and serve the people of Colorado very effectively. We are excited to have her on our team,” said Weiser in the announcement.
“Shannon’s appellate advocacy skills and extraordinary talent provide her with all the tools to be an outstanding Solicitor General,” said DGS Co-Managing Partner Kristin Lentz in a Jan. 31 DGS press release. “Her expertise is a tremendous asset to the Attorney General’s Office, and we wish her every success in her new leadership role.”
“I am honored to join Attorney General Weiser and the exceptional and dedicated lawyers of the Colorado Department of Law,” said Stevenson in an announcement from DGS. “While leaving my clients and colleagues will be hard, I am energized to work with a new team committed to serving the people of Colorado.”
According to the Colorado AG’s Office, Blake recently served as the chief deputy AG in the State of Iowa Office of the Attorney General, where he was responsible for administration and operations. He advised former Iowa AG Tom Miller on legal and public policy issues and played a key leadership role in multistate antitrust and consumer protection enforcement matters.
Prior to his work in the Iowa AG’s Office, Blake served as a special assistant to the undersecretary of food, nutrition and consumer services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and was an associate in the law firm Belin McCormick in Des Moines. The Colorado AG’s Office noted he earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies at Union College in Nebraska, a master’s in ethics at Yale Divinity School and a J.D. at Yale Law School.
Blake’s appointment will be effective Feb. 6, according to the announcement.
“Nathan Blake is respected nationally for his consumer protection expertise, his problem-solving skills, and his leadership in the AG world. We are very fortunate to bring him to Colorado, where he will ensure we continue to lead on consumer protection issues, expand the work of that section, and serve the people of Colorado effectively,” Weiser said in the release.
Eric Olson, who’s served as solicitor general since January 2019, will return to trial practice this spring, the AG’s Office said. During his tenure as solicitor general, Olson advised the AG on legal strategy on appellate and multistate litigation. According to the announcement, he also led complex, high-profile initiatives such as the review of Catholic clergy sexual abuse of children in Colorado and the pattern and practice investigation of the Aurora Police Department and Aurora Fire Rescue. Olson also argued two cases at the U.S. Supreme Court and successfully defended the constitutionality of the state’s large-capacity magazine limitation law before the Colorado Supreme Court.
Steve Kaufmann, the current deputy AG of the consumer protection section, will take on a new role in the department leading high-profile antitrust and consumer protection investigations and litigation. During his leadership of the consumer protection section, the AG’s Office said Kaufmann oversaw the department’s work addressing fake and deceptive fees, and the passage of a law banning deceptive auto-renewals.
Kaufmann also oversaw the department’s work holding accountable those responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic, protecting student loan borrowers and addressing illegal practices in consumer finance, including with guaranteed automobile protection, the AG’s office announced. Kaufmann also led antitrust work, including spearheading the case against Google’s monopolization in search and search advertising.
“Eric Olson and Steve Kaufmann are both outstanding lawyers, valued colleagues, and dedicated public servants. Eric leaves a legacy of outstanding legal work and collaboration at our department. I am delighted that we are keeping Steve in a role where he can help lead and manage critical litigation, enabling his sharp legal skills and tremendous litigation expertise to serve the people of Colorado,” said Weiser in the release.