Colorado firms announced 2022 firm and attorney rankings from Chambers USA. Chambers USA tiered rankings recognize Colorado attorneys and their firms as they operate nationally and internationally.
Chambers USA is the leading legal directory, according to the organization’s website, and its rankings are based on in-depth market analysis and independent research conducted by a dedicated team.
The following firm announcements noting inclusion in the Chambers USA rankings for 2022 were sent to Law Week. We received announcements that more than 120 local attorneys were included in the Chambers USA rankings this year.
Brownstein
Adam Agron (Corporate/M&A) – Agron is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and serves the entertainment, financial services and health care industries.
Robert Attai (Corporate/M&A) – Attai is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and provides legal support to businesses around the globe.
Gregory Berger (Tax) – Berger is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and serves government/municipalities and the financial services and real estate industries.
Kevin Cudney (Corporate/M&A) – Cudney is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein serving the financial services and technology, communications and media industries.
Andrew Elliott (Tax) – Elliott is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein, providing tax counsel for real estate and health care industries.
Christopher Hand (Banking & Finance) – Hand is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and focuses on complex transactions.
Michael King (Corporate/M&A) – King is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and serves the health care industry.
Gino Maurelli (Corporate/M&A) – Maurelli is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein serving the consumer products, financial services and health care industries.
Matthew Nyberg (Corporate/M&A) – Nyberg is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and serves the consumer products, financial services, hospitality, recreation and technology, communications and media industries.
Elizabeth Paulsen (Corporate/M&A) – Paulsen is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein serving the energy, hospitality, recreation and infrastructure industries.
Jay Spader (Banking & Finance) – Spader is in the corporate and business department at Brownstein and serves the financial services and infrastructure industries.
Lisa Hogan (Labor & Employment) – Hogan is with the employment group at Brownstein serving the health care, manufacturing, energy, engineering and construction and real estate industries.
Christine Samsel (Labor & Employment) – Samsel is with the employment group at Brownstein and serves the energy, entertainment, financial services and hospitality and recreation industries.
David Spaulding (Employee Benefits & Compensation) – Spaulding is with the employee benefits and executive compensation group at Brownstein serving the hospitality and recreation industries.
Nancy Strelau (Employee Benefits & Compensation) – Strelau is with the employee benefits and executive compensation group at Brownstein and serves the health care industry.
Martine Tariot Wells (Labor & Employment) – Wells is with the employment group at Brownstein serving the health care, energy, hospitality, recreation, cannabis and industrial hemp and consumer products industries.
Benno Guggenheimer (Intellectual Property) – Guggenheimer is in the IP department at Brownstein and serves the technology, communications and media industry.
Craig Hemenway (Intellectual Property) – Hemenway is in the IP department at Brownstein and serves the technology, communications and media industry.
Richard Benenson (Litigation – General Commercial) – Benenson is in the litigation department at Brownstein serving the consumer products and financial services industries.
Hubert Farbes, Jr. (Litigation – General Commercial) – Farbes is in the litigation department at Brownstein and serves the infrastructure, real estate, hospitality and recreation industries.
Michael Pankow (Bankruptcy/Restructuring) – Pankow is in the litigation department at Brownstein serving the financial services industry.
Jonathan Pray (Construction) – Pray is in the litigation department at Brownstein and serves the infrastructure, hospitality and recreation industries.
Wayne Forman (Environment) – Forman is in the natural resources department at Brownstein serving the water, energy and real estate industries.
Mark Mathews (Environment and Energy & Natural Resources) – Mathews is in the natural resources department at Brownstein and serves the energy industry.
Ronda Sandquist (Environment) – Sandquist is in the natural resources department at Brownstein serving the water, energy and infrastructure industries.
Eric Waeckerlin (Environment) – Waeckerlin is in the natural resources department at Brownstein and serves the energy industry.
Aaron Hyatt (Real Estate) – Hyatt is in the real estate department at Brownstein serving the real estate, hospitality and recreation industries.
Bruce James (Real Estate and Real Estate – Hotels & Leisure) – James is in the real estate department at Brownstein and serves the real estate, infrastructure, hospitality and recreation industries.
Carolynne White (Real Estate – Zoning/Land Use) – White is in the real estate department at Brownstein serving the infrastructure and real estate industries.
Davis Graham & Stubbs
Gary Meade (Banking & Finance) – Meade is with the banking and finance group at DGS and serves the corporate finance industry, focusing on lending, finance and venture capital.
Erin Simmons (Banking & Finance) – Simmons is with the banking and finance group at DGS serving the public companies, capital markets, corporate finance and banking industries.
Kyler Burgi (Bankruptcy/Restructuring) – Burgi is in the bankruptcy and restructuring practice group at DGS and serves oil and gas, mining, real estate, retail, tech and recreation.
Christopher Richardson (Bankruptcy/Restructuring) – Richardson is with the bankruptcy and restructuring practice group at DGS serving the oil and gas and energy industries.
Brian Boonstra (Corporate/M&A and Energy & Natural Resources) – Boonstra is in the finance and M&A department at DGS and serves on the executive committee. He serves the oil and gas, mining, real estate development, technology and financial services industries.
Mark Bussey (Corporate/M&A) – Bussey leads the M&A practice group at DGS and serves the energy, mining, real estate, hospitality and technology industries.
David Denious (Corporate/M&A) – Denious focuses his practice on M&A, private equity and complex transactions serving public companies and capital markets industries.
John Elofson (Corporate/M&A and Energy & Natural Resources) – Elofson focuses his practice on M&A, securities and corporate governance. He serves the public companies and capital markets industries.
Kristin Lentz (Corporate/M&A) – Lentz is a member of DGS’ executive committee and serves the manufacturing, technology and restaurant industries.
Christopher Richardson (Corporate/M&A) – Richardson focuses his practice on M&A and bankruptcy matters and serves the oil and gas, energy and corporate finance industries.
Bruce Stocks (Corporate/M&A) – Stocks focuses on M&A, joint ventures, finance and corporate governance and serves the hospitality industry.
Cindy Birley (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation) – Birley focuses her practice on employment matters including executive compensation, benefits planning, tax, M&A and finance.
Gregory Danielson (Energy & Natural Resources) – Danielson is a former member of the firm’s executive committee and serves the oil and gas industry.
John Jacus (Environment) – Jacus serves the oil and gas, mining and natural resources industries and is focused on environmental law and regulations.
Zach Miller (Environment) – Miller is an environmental lawyer focusing on water law, federal oil and gas, tribal lands, public lands, energy and mining.
Elizabeth (Betsy) Temkin (Environment) – Temkin serves as the at-large member of the firm’s executive committee and serves the mining industry in cleanup-related work at various mega sites and superfund sites.
Brett Painter (Labor & Employment) – Painter chairs the employment and labor group at DGS and serves the health and safety and commercial industries.
Janet Savage (Labor & Employment) – Savage is in the Employment & Labor Law Group at DGS serving the health and safety and commercial industries.
Shannon Wells Stevenson (Litigation: Appellate and Litigation: General Commercial) – Stevenson is chair of the firm’s trial group and serves the energy, natural resources and construction industries.
Michael Gallagher (Litigation: General Commercial) – Gallagher focuses his current practice on litigation impacting natural resource companies, oil and gas, mining and coal industries.
Kenzo Kawanabe (Litigation: General Commercial) – Kawanabe served on the DGS executive committee and currently co-chairs the diversity, equity and inclusion committee. He helps businesses and individuals with intellectual property litigation.
Chad Williams (Litigation: General Commercial) – Williams is a member of the firm’s executive committee and serves public and private corporations.
Catherine Hance (Real Estate and Real Estate: Hotels & Leisure) – Hance’s practice is focused on real estate and related transactions and she serves the hospitality, construction, energy and commercial industries with an additional focus on tribal lands.
Christopher Kinsman (Real Estate) – Kinsman focuses his practice on real estate development, construction and finance and acquisitions.
Laurence Nemirow [serves as special tax counsel to DGS] (Tax) – Nemirow is a principal of Nemirow Law LLP and serves as special tax counsel to DGS. He serves the finance, acquisitions, asset management, M&A and clean energy and sustainability industries.
Peter Rose (Tax) – Rose focuses his practice on tax law and serves as counsel for international, federal, state and local taxation of entities and individuals.
Michael Snider (Tax) – Snider focuses his practice on tax and private equity and serves the aviation, technology, finance and M&A industries.
Holland & Hart
Holland & Hart announced it was ranked by Chambers as a Colorado firm in the banking and finance, construction, corporate/M&A, employee benefits and executive compensation, energy and resources, environment, intellectual property, labor and employment, litigation: general commercial, real estate and tax practice areas.
Jennifer Benda (Cannabis Law: Western United States and Tax) – Benda focuses her practice on cannabis law and tax law with an emphasis on litigation issues for businesses and individuals.
Rachel Gillette (Cannabis Law: Western United States) – Gillette is a cannabis lawyer and focuses her practice on tax law. She also serves the food and beverage and pet care industries.
Thomas Sansonetti (Senior Statesperson, Native American Law) – Sansonetti serves the oil and gas, energy and mining industries and focuses his practice on Native American law, natural resources and water law.
Andrea Anderson (Intellectual Property) – Anderson focuses her practice on IP, IP litigation and trademark law and helps brands and companies with brand agreements.
Christopher Balch (Corporate/M&A) – Balch is a corporate/M&A lawyer focusing his practice on complex transactions. He is the firm chair leading the five-partner management committee at Holland & Hart.
Mike Beaver (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation) – Beaver is a labor and employment lawyer and focuses his practice on resolving employment, benefits and insurance disputes.
Brenda Berg (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation) – Berg was Holland & Hart’s tax and benefits practice group leader from 2019 to 2022 and focuses her practice on tax and Employee Retirement Income Security Act matters for employers.
Kevin Bridston (Construction) – Bridston serves as Holland & Hart’s principal legal counsel to the management committee and firm leadership. He focuses his current practice on risk management for the firm and prior to his role as GC, focused on construction and real estate matters.
Adam Cohen (Tax) – Cohen co-chairs the firm’s MLP, multifamily and affordable housing development and fund formation practices. He focuses his practice on institutional investment, investment management, tax law and fund formation.
William Colgin (Tax) – Colgin is a tax lawyer and focuses his practice on representing corporate taxpayers in high-stakes and complex tax issues. He serves the technology, communications, cannabis, health care and food and beverage industries.
Paige Coriden (Associate to Watch, Corporate/M&A) – Coriden focuses her practice on complex corporate transactions, M&A, venture capital and securities and serves the food and beverage and technology and communications industries.
Chuck Cotter (Corporate/M&A) – Cotter leads the firm’s food, beverage and consumer products industry group and serves the food and beverage and cannabis industries. His practice is focused on corporate transactions and investments.
James Crowe (Up & Coming, Corporate/M&A) – Crowe leads the firm’s M&A practice and serves the technology and communications and food and beverage industries.
Nate Davis (Associate to Watch, Corporate/M&A) – Davis focuses his practice on M&A and other corporate matters and serves the outdoor recreation and food and beverage industries.
Rebecca Dow (Senior Statesperson, Real Estate) – Dow focuses her practice on construction, zoning and land use and real estate development and finance.
Michael Drapkin (Intellectual Property) – Drapkin is an IP lawyer serving technology companies and assists with managing patents and patent prosecution.
Andrew Folkerth (Banking & Finance) – Folkerth is a real estate and lending attorney focusing his practice on finance and lending for real estate and commercial clients and banking and financial institutions.
Timothy Getzoff (Intellectual Property) – Getzoff is an IP lawyer serving the outdoor recreation industry. He focuses his practice on patent prosecution, trademark management, copyrights and trade secrets and noncompetes.
Gregory Goldberg (Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations) – Goldberg is the chair of Holland & Hart’s government investigations practice group. He focuses his practice on government investigations and white collar defense.
Timothy Gordon (Construction) – Gordon focuses his practice on construction and real estate development and finance and serves the outdoor recreation industry.
Chris Groll (Corporate/M&A) – Groll leads the firm’s M&A practice and is the chair of the firm’s partnership admission committee and focuses her practice on M&A and corporate matters serving the technology and communications and real estate and construction industries.
Steve Gutierrez (Labor/Employment) – Gutierrez focuses his practice on labor and employment and serves the cannabis industry and aids companies with trade secrets and wage and hour law.
Sean Hanlon (Construction) – Hanlon’s practice includes construction, real estate development and finance, banking and financial institutions and commercial litigation. He serves the real estate and construction industry.
James Hartley (Litigation: General Commercial) – Hartley focuses his practice on advertising, marketing, IP, class actions and antitrust and serves the outdoor recreation, energy, healthcare, technology, communications and consumer products industries.
Scott Havlick (Intellectual Property) – Havlick is an IP lawyer serving companies and entrepreneurs. He was a founding partner of the firm’s Boulder office.
Rebecca Hudson (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation) – Hudson focuses her practice on employee benefits, executive compensation, M&A and tax law. She serves companies, noncorporate entities, religious organizations and government employers.
Arthur Hundhausen (Tax) – Hundhausen is a tax lawyer focusing on income tax, state and local tax, estate planning, trusts and housing development.
John Husband (Labor/Employment) – Husband is a labor and employment attorney focusing on litigation and class actions for both large companies and small businesses.
John Maxfield (Senior Statesperson, Tax) – Maxfield is the previous chair of Holland & Hart’s tax practice. He focuses his practice on income tax, employee stock ownership plans or ESOPs, corporate matters and benefits.
Brian Mumaugh (Labor/Employment) – Mumaugh is a labor and employment lawyer and serves the manufacturing, construction, transportation, mining and government contracting industries.
Matt Ochs (Bankruptcy/Restructuring) – Ochs is a bankruptcy, natural resources and real estate lawyer serving the real estate, oil and gas, mining, natural resources and energy industries.
Marcus Painter (Real Estate) – Painter focuses his real estate practice on complex transactions, finance and banking. He serves the construction, commercial leasing, corporate and resorts industries.
Peter Perla (Tax) – Perla focuses his practice on corporate and individual federal income tax matters. He works on real estate joint ventures, M&A and international business transactions.
Sarah Ritchey Haradon (Tax) – Haradon is a vice-chair of the partnerships committee for the ABA tax section. She’s a member of Holland & Hart’s M&A, corporate, fund formation, master limited partnership and real estate deal teams.
Kevin Selzer (Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation) – Selzer focuses his practice on employee benefits, executive compensation, tax law, compliance and benefits litigation.
Elizabeth Sharrer (Senior Statesperson, Real Estate) – Sharrer focuses her practice on complex real estate transactions for office, retail and multiuse clients.
Sandra Snodgrass (Environment) – Snodgrass is an environmental lawyer and focuses her practice on public lands and energy law, cultural resources, compliance and wildlife protections.
Lucy Stark (Corporate/M&A and Energy & Natural Resources) – Stark is a corporate, M&A and securities lawyer and focuses her practice on joint ventures, debt and equity capital markets and securities and exchange offerings. She is the managing partner of Holland & Hart’s Denver office and previously served as the corporate practice group leader.
Beat Steiner (Real Estate: Hotels & Leisure) – Steiner is a real estate attorney focusing on resorts and leisure, real estate development and finance, zoning and commercial leasing.
Jeremy Syz (Up & Coming, Real Estate: Hotels & Leisure) – Syz focuses his practice on financing, development, acquisition and leasing of real estate.
Christopher Toll (Litigation: General Commercial) – Toll’s practice includes general commercial and trade secrets and noncompetes. His practice areas also include IP and alternative dispute resolution.
Roger Tsai (Immigration) – Tsai is an immigration lawyer and works with universities and companies in the health care, technology and energy industries.
Jill Van Noord (Up & Coming, Environment) – Van Noord is an environmental and natural resources attorney serving the energy and natural resources, power, oil and gas and mining industries.
Mark Wiletsky (Labor/Employment) – Wiletsky is the labor and employment practice group leader for the firm and served as the administrative partner of Holland & Hart’s Boulder office.
Husch Blackwell
Daniel Bray (Band 2: Banking & Finance) – Bray serves as the leader of Husch Blackwell’s banking and finance team.
Barbara Grandjean (Band 2: Labor & Employment) – Grandjean is the Denver office managing partner and is a member of the labor and employment practice team.
Kevin Kelley (Band 2: Real Estate) – Kelley focuses his practice on real estate development and investment transactions, professional sports facilities and social infrastructure development.
Christopher Ottele (Band 3: Labor & Employment) – Serving the manufacturing, cannabis and high technology industries, Ottele focuses his practice on workplace issues and employment law disputes.
Ireland Stapleton
Ireland Stapleton announced it was recognized as a firm by Chambers USA in Colorado’s litigation category.
Rebecca Almon (Environmental Law) – Almon leads Ireland Stapleton’s environmental practice group and represents both public and private companies in environmental regulation. She’s focused on permitting, compliance, enforcement, water quality and wetlands protection and environmental aspects for real estate and corporate transactions.
James Benjamin (Real Estate) – Benjamin focuses on commercial real estate transactions involving office buildings, apartments, shopping centers, industrial property and vacant land development.
K.C. Groves (Commercial Litigation) – Groves works with local and national companies, business owners, executives and entrepreneurs on complex business disputes and regulatory matters.
Lewis Roca
Lewis Roca announced it was recognized by Chambers USA as a firm in the bankruptcy/restructuring and litigation: general commercial practice areas in Colorado.
Frederick Baumann (Litigation: General Commercial and Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations) – Baumann focuses on complex corporate and business litigation and assists clients with securities issues, government investigations and business litigation.
Brent Cohen (Bankruptcy/Restructuring) – Cohen is a senior member of Lewis Roca’s bankruptcy and creditors’ rights practice group and serves the banking and financial services and energy and utilities industries.
James Lyons (Litigation: General Commercial) – Lyons focuses his practice on complex business litigation and corporate, securities and insurance law.
Ben Ochoa (Construction) – Ochoa chaired the firm’s real estate, construction and land use business group from 2008 to 2013. His practice includes construction law, litigation, real estate and commercial litigation.
Polsinelli
Polsinelli announced the firm’s corporate M&A, intellectual property, general commercial litigation, real estate and construction practices all received state and attorney rankings from Chambers USA this year. Polsinelli also announced Colorado attorneys were ranked in labor and employment and financial services, while its health care department received an elite ranking nationally.
Leonard (Len) MacPhee (Nationwide Franchising) – MacPhee is vice chair of Polsinelli’s franchise and supply network practice and focuses on franchise, licensing, distribution and supply chain matters.
Scott Berdan (Corporate/M&A) – Berdan focuses on finance, securities and transactional law.
Darren Hensley (Corporate/M&A) – Hensley’s practice is focused on corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, financings and general business law matters and transactions.
Gregory Durbin (Intellectual Property) – Durbin is chair of Polsinelli’s electrical engineering and computer science patent prosecution practice and also handles patent portfolio management.
John Posthumus (Senior Statespeople – Intellectual Property) – Posthumus is a brand and technology lawyer and litigates complex intellectual property related disputes and provides IP counseling.
Donald Samuels (Labor & Employment) – Samuels chairs the employment litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution practice for Polsinelli. He handles wage and hour issues, class and collective actions, discrimination and wrongful termination claims, sexual and racial harassment claims, whistleblower and retaliation claims and noncompetes.
Stacy Carpenter (Litigation: General Commercial) – Carpenter is chair for Polsinelli’s national commercial litigation practice and focuses on business and real estate transactions and benefits claims.
Sean Gallagher (Litigation: General Commercial) – Gallagher is a member of Polsinelli’s labor and employment practice. He handles disputes involving government regulations and policies.
Paul Franke (Banking & Finance and Construction) – Franke handles real estate transactional, banking and finance and construction matters. He serves owners and developers of commercial real estate, landlords and tenants, affordable housing developers, senior housing providers, skilled nursing facilities, tax-exempt organizations, banks, and contractors, subcontractors and engineers.
Amy Hansen (Real Estate) – Hansen is chair of the real estate, construction and environment practices at Polsinelli and she serves real estate developers, REITs and real estate private equity firms.
William Meyer (Construction) – Meyer is a trial lawyer and focuses his practice on real estate, construction and business disputes. He handles construction defects, delay and payment claims, landlord-tenant disputes, real estate litigation and business disputes.
Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell announced it was recognized by Chambers USA in Band 1 for Colorado general commercial litigation. WTO announced the firm’s lawyers compose 42% of the top-most Chambers rankings, with five lawyers ranked among the Top 12 in the state. WTO announced Chambers also ranked the firm in Band 2 for consumer class action defense, Band 3 for Nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts
Carolyn Fairless (Band 1: General Commercial Litigation) – Fairless is a co-managing partner of WTO and focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and professional liability defense.
John Fitzpatrick (Band 1: Asbestos Toxic Torts) – Fitzpatrick’s practice includes asbestos toxic torts, medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability and commercial litigation.
Hugh Gottschalk (Band 1: General Commercial Litigation) – Gottschalk focuses his practice on complex commercial, torts and intellectual property matters.
Peter Herzog (Band 3: Consumer Class Action Defense) – Herzog’s practice includes consumer class action defense and complex commercial litigation.
James Hooper (Band 4: Nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts) – Hooper focuses his practice on mass tort litigation involving prescription medications, wrongful death lawsuits, product liability and commercial disputes.
Raymond Martin (Band 1: Labor & Employment) – Martin assists companies in complex litigation including whistleblower, discrimination, wrongful discharge, trade secret and noncompetes.
Michael O’Donnell (Eminent Practitioner: General Commercial Litigation and Band 4: Nationwide Product Liability & Mass Torts) – O’Donnell’s practice includes product and professional liability, mass torts and complex commercial matters.
Katie Reilly (Band 2: General Commercial Litigation) – Reilly focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, antitrust matters and class actions.
Malcolm Wheeler (Senior Statespeople: General Commercial Litigation) – Wheeler’s practice is focused on product liability and class action lawsuits.
Michael Williams (Band 4: Consumer Class Action Defense) – Williams is a class action and commercial litigation attorney focusing on complex commercial disputes.
Frederick Yarger (Colorado Appellate Spotlight Table) – Yarger’s practice includes high stakes appeals and complex litigation.
Editor’s note: this article was updated July 19 to include an announcement from Husch Blackwell.