National defense firm Foley & Mansfield entered the Denver market last week with the addition of one attorney who’s bringing with him a career of experience in civil defense and trial work in Colorado.
Dustin Priebe previously worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney in San Diego and has also been practicing in Colorado in civil defense litigation since 2011. He will work as the office head — and sole attorney in Denver. For him, the move is an opportunity to scale his practice up with the support a national law firm provides. And for Foley & Mansfield, the entrance into Denver is a foothold in a new geographic area and perhaps the first step in growth in the Rocky Mountain West.
Priebe is currently the lone attorney in Denver, but he’s not alone. “We brought Dustin on to open our Denver office to meet current firm client needs — his range of experience meshes really well with our capabilities and client needs in that region,” a spokesperson for the firm said. “He is already working on local matters and working closely with attorneys in other offices on multi-jurisdictional matters, so he is not “alone” per se. … We are very conscious and measured about our growth in new locations. It has to be the right place, the right time and with the right people.”
The Denver location is the third office the firm has opened in the past two years, in addition to Kansas City, Kansas; Edwardsville, Illinois; and Indianapolis. Each of the new offices has a small group of attorneys — with three in Kansas City and two in Edwardsville, Illinois, indicating the firm might take a slow approach to growing its newest office as well. The firm, founded in 1989, now has 14 offices across the U.S. and approximately 160 attorneys.
Foley & Mansfield specializes in commercial litigation and insurance defense matters. The firm identifies specific practices in a range of litigation and commercial areas, but recent key wins involve defending contractors and construction companies in construction claims in state district and appellate courts, civil rights and harassment claims filed against a municipality and unfair labor charges.
Priebe said the firm, like Colorado itself, has continued to grow in recent years.
“It makes all the sense in the world for them to have an office here,” Priebe said. “It makes sense with their strategic growth plan to move into a market that is an up-and-coming market.”
The firm, based in Minneapolis, has grown from its Midwest roots to operate across the country. Priebe said that he has Midwest roots, as well, and in addition to having practiced in California, he has been working in Colorado for years.
Priebe said he had a prior connection to the firm, and when the opportunity came up to join full-time in Colorado — where he’s already established himself and his family — he couldn’t pass up the chance.
“I have experience with the area, and that marries well with what they want to do,” Priebe said. “I’m able to take on the need they have here in Colorado. For me, it worked out, and that is what sold me on the opportunity. I’m now working with a firm with national capabilities. I can now offer a firm with a wider reach with a national presence everywhere.”
Priebe said his day-to-day work going forward with the firm will remain largely the same. He has done trial work and civil litigation for the majority of his career and will continue to with Foley & Mansfield. A large portion of his work will be in Colorado, but he said he expects he’ll now have the opportunity to work with clients in a larger geographic range.
“I’ll be helping [clients] also in a number of aspects — I’ll have clients and cases in multiple jurisdictions but will be the boots on the ground here in Colorado.”
While the expansion plans for the firm are still to-be-determined, Priebe said he feels Colorado will provide good opportunities for the firm. “I feel like with the way the Colorado market is, the opportunities for growth for Foley & Mansfield in Colorado is unlimited. There is so much opportunity for a firm like this to continue to grow as Colorado does.” The new Denver office is located at 7887 E. Belleview Ave., Suite 1215 in Englewood.
— Tony Flesor