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Law firm updates
Vinson & Elkins announced March 17 that Jennifer Cornejo has returned to the firm as a Denver-based partner in its environmental practice. Cornejo counsels private equity clients, financial institutions and public and private companies on environmental liabilities across an array of industries, including all segments of the oil and gas sector, renewable power and fuels, waste management, recycling and disposal, manufacturing and the mining and chemical sectors. Cornejo rejoins Vinson & Elkins from Kirkland & Ellis, where she was a partner in that firm’s global environmental practice group. Cornejo earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center. Before law school, she was an environmental consultant, focusing primarily on National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act compliance issues.
Greenberg Traurig announced March 17 that four litigation practitioners from Polsinelli, Stacy Carpenter, Michael Dulin, Gina Tincher and Nicholas Banelli have joined the firm. Carpenter and Dulin joined as shareholders, Tincher as of counsel and Banelli as an associate.
The judiciary
The Thirteenth Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet on May 12 at the Morgan Combined Court in Fort Morgan, Colorado, to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of county judge for Morgan County. The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge Dennis Brandenburg, effective July 1. To be eligible, the applicant must be a qualified elector of Morgan County at the time of investiture and have graduated high school or attained the equivalent of a high school education. The annual salary for this position is $190,245. The initial term of office of a county judge is a provisional term of two years; thereafter, the incumbent county judge, if approved by the voters, has a term of four years. Applications must be emailed no later than April 22 by 4 p.m.
On March 14, Gov. Jared Polis appointed District Court Magistrate Garen Gervey to the Arapahoe County Court in the 18th Judicial District, filling the vacancy caused by the appointment of Judge Joshua Williford to the 18th Judicial District Court. The appointment is effective immediately. Gervey is a district court magistrate in the 18th Judicial District, a position he’s held since 2024. His docket consists of domestic matters. Previously, he was a lead deputy public defender from 2020 to 2024, senior deputy public defender from 2016 to 2020 and deputy public defender from 2012 to 2016 in the State Public Defender’s Office in Golden. He was also a law clerk for Judge R. Brooke Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado from 2011 to 2012 and for the First Judicial District Court from 2010 to 2011. Gervey earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California San Diego in 2003 and his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School in 2009.
On March 18, Polis announced the attorney appointments to the state’s judicial district nominating commissions. There is a judicial district nominating commission for each of Colorado’s 23 judicial districts that select nominees for district and county judicial vacancies. Each district nominating commission is chaired by a justice of the Supreme Court, who is a non-voting member of the commission. Attorney appointments are a joint appointment by the governor, chief justice and attorney general. Attorney appointments included: James Garrett (Sixth Judicial District Nominating Commission), Dan Hotsenpiller (Seventh Judicial District Nominating Commission), Beth Klein (Ninth Judicial Nominating Commission), Ruth Acheson (Twelfth Judicial District Nominating Commission), Damon Barry (Seventeenth Judicial Nominating Commission), Brandi Nieto (Nineteenth Judicial District Nominating Commission), Andrew Macdonald (Twentieth Judicial District Nominating Commission) and Elaina Shively (Twentieth Judicial District Nominating Commission).
The Denver County Court Judicial Nomination Commission on March 19 submitted three nominees to Mayor Mike Johnston to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Clarisse Gonzales. Nominees included Arnie Beckman, Marguerite Conboy and Jaime Cowan. The Judicial Nomination Commission accepts applications for judicial vacancies, screens the applicants and recommends a shortlist of the best-qualified candidates to the mayor for appointment. Per the charter, Johnston now has 15 days in which to appoint the new Denver County Court judge.
Members of the new Judicial Discipline Rule-Making Committee, in accordance with House Concurrent Resolution 23-1001 and the passage of Amendment H approved by Colorado voters in November 2024, recently commenced work to establish rules for the formal judicial discipline process. Pursuant to Amendment H, the rule-making committee consists of four members appointed by the Supreme Court, four appointed by the Independent Judicial Discipline Adjudicative Board, four appointed by the Colorado Judicial Discipline Commission and one victim’s advocate appointed by the governor. The members of the rule-making committee are Ingrid Barrier, David Beller, Nancy Cohen, Richard Gabriel, James Hartmann, Amanda Hollander, Bryon Large, Anne Mangiardi, Colleen McManamon, Kristen Mix, Jeff Swanty, Vincente Vigil and Jeff Walsh. To guide its work, the committee elected Kristen Mix as chair and Nancy Cohen as vice chair. Because the committee anticipates that the work of creating and adopting rules will take time, interim rules will be adopted to apply to matters pending while the committee completes the process of adopting permanent rules.
Kudos
Each year, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System honors individuals and groups who exemplify innovation and leadership in creating a legal system that is accessible, fair, reliable and accountable. This year, Judge Adam Espinosa has been selected as a recipient of the Rebuilding Justice Award and will be recognized on April 10 at the History Colorado Center.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced Blaine Tracy, an associate in the firm’s real estate department, has joined the board of directors of UpRoot Colorado, a nonprofit that harvests and redistributes surplus foods while endeavoring to support the resilience of farmers. In his three-year term, Tracy will help advance the long-term and high-level goals of the organization.
Brownstein also announced associate Ruth Elizabeth Morris was appointed to the board of directors of The Greenway Foundation, a nonprofit organization that leads efforts to care for the South Platte River and its tributaries. In her role, Morris will provide support to the organization’s fundraising efforts, community engagement initiatives and strategic planning.
Coan, Payton & Payne announced on March 20 that Brett Payton was named one of BizWest’s Top 50 Most-Influential Business Leaders in Northern Colorado and Boulder Valley and was recognized as the top ranked leader in the Professional Services category. Payton is a founding member of Coan, Payton & Payne and leads the firm’s litigation team.