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Law firm updates
On June 14, Tyson & Mendes LLP named partner Ashley Paige Fetyko as its new head of communications. In her new role, Fetyko leads a team of attorneys, marketing and design professionals in firmwide internal and external communications and educational initiatives. Fetyko’s work focuses on public relations, marketing, client relations and education. She leads the creation and delivery of educational content for national audiences, as well as the development and oversight of legal marketing content for the firm. Fetyko was named partner last month, and she previously served all offices across the firm as senior counsel and communications director. She earned her law degree from Southwestern Law School and received a bachelor’s degree in writing and political communications from Emerson College.
On June 25, Holland & Hart announced that Melissa Braun joined the firm’s Denver office as a tax associate. Braun advises clients on a variety of federal income tax issues related to mergers and acquisitions, partnership tax matters, real estate financing and structuring of tax credits. Before joining Holland & Hart, Braun worked as an associate at Stinson LLP, specializing in new markets tax credits, renewable energy tax credits and historic tax credits. Braun received an executive LL.M. in taxation from the New York University School of Law and her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
Kudos
The Colorado Lawyers Committee annually honors individuals and organizations that have contributed significantly to its work through outstanding pro bono service. Phyllis Wan of Holland & Hart LLP will receive the Outstanding Sustained Contribution Award for her work to improve and expand the Hate Crimes Education Program. Wan donated more than 1,000 pro bono hours to this effort over the last two decades, much of that in middle and high school classrooms across Colorado. A Special Recognition Award will be presented to the Colorado Lawyers Committee Hate Crimes Education Project which is celebrating 30 years in Colorado classrooms. The Past Chair Award will be given to Richard Westfall of Westfall Law, LLC. Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, The Harris Law Firm, Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP were nominated for CLC Law Firm of the Year. Jared Ertle of Stinson LLP, Tasha Power of Fennemore, Ryan Thurber of Polsinelli PC and Andrew Valencia of Ballard Spahr LLP were nominated for CLC Individual of the Year. The 2024 awards luncheon will be 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Ritz-Carlton Denver. Individual tickets and corporate and community sponsorships are available. This year’s keynote speaker will be election administration and policy expert Amber McReynolds.
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association announced Andrew Ho is the bar’s new president from 2024 to 2025, replacing Immediate Past President Deborah Yim. APABA also announced new officers, including President-Elect Stephanie McConkie, Secretary Grant Shibao and Treasurer Mandy Neuman.
The Denver Bar Association awarded Judge Isabel Pallarés its Judicial Excellence Award. The Colorado Hispanic Bar Association noted the award honors her dedication to improving the judicial process in Colorado and her commitment to the community. According to CHBA, Pallarés was appointed to the Denver County Court in 2017. She earned her undergraduate degree from Boston University and her law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law. After law school, Pallarés interned at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, served as a judicial intern for a federal judge and as a law clerk for Chief Judge Michael Martinez of the Denver District Court. Before taking the bench, Pallarés served the citizens of Denver as the chief deputy district attorney for the office’s sexual assault unit. Pallarés will receive her award at a ceremony on July 17.
On June 25, the Colorado Judicial Institute announced it recently elected new board members Jim Carpenter, Joe Kennedy, Judge Andrew Luxen and Shawna Seldon McGregor. Carpenter is the co-founder of Freestone Strategies, a public affairs and communications firm. Kennedy is a senior account executive at Stenograph. Luxen is a district court judge in the 2nd Judicial District and McGregor is a public relations executive and founder of Maverick Public Relations.