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Law Firm Updates
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP announced Oct. 25 Duncan Williams has joined the firm as senior counsel in the Denver office. Williams will be part of the intellectual property practice group, focusing on the licensing and technology agreements sub-practice. He has experience in drafting and negotiating complex software and patent licenses, IP acquisitions and divestitures, SaaS agreements and software development agreements. Williams is also knowledgeable in cloud services, data privacy, information security and terms and conditions for websites and mobile apps. He also has a background in patent prosecution and litigation.
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP announced Oct. 26 Evan Williams has rejoined the firm as an associate. Williams’ practice will continue to have an emphasis on corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions and corporate counseling. Earlier in his career, Williams practiced in the DGS Business & Corporate Advisory Group.
DGS also announced Oc. 27 the firm added six new associates: Cormac Bloomfield, Mackenzie Coupens, Kristin Glesne, Erin Gust, Kylie Ngu and Haley Van Broekhoven. Bloomfield’s practice will focus on commercial litigation and disputes. Coupens will focus her practice on general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions and private equity. Glesne will focus her practice on corporate governance and employee benefits. Gust will focus her practice on commercial litigation and disputes. Ngu will focus her practice on commercial litigation and disputes. Broekhoven’s practice will focus on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity and capital markets.
The Judiciary
The Supreme Court Nominating Commission has nominated six candidates for two vacancies on the Colorado Court of Appeals. The vacancies were created by the retirements of Judge John Dailey and Judge David Furman. Both vacancies are effective Jan. 1, 2024. The nominees were selected during a meeting in Denver on Oct. 24 and 25 at the Colorado Supreme Court. They are Priscilla Loew of Aurora, Melissa Meirink of Castle Pines, Pax Moultrie of Denver, Grant Sullivan of Denver, Don Toussaint of Aurora and Christopher Zenisek of Golden. Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from Oct. 25 within which to appoint two of the nominees as judges on the Colorado Court of Appeals. Comments regarding any of the nominees can be sent to [email protected].
The 14th Judicial District Nominating Commission announced five people have applied for nomination to the office of district judge for the 14th Judicial District. The application deadline was Oct. 53. Applicants are Ronald Arguello of Arvada, Jay Cranmer of Craig, Billy-George Hertzke of Oak Creek, Brittany Schneider of Craig and Erin Wilson of Steamboat Springs. The 14th Judicial District Nominating Commission will meet virtually Nov. 7 to interview and select nominees for appointment by the governor to the office of district judge. The judgeship was created by the retirement of Judge Sandra Gardner effective Jan. 1, 2024. The deadline for public comment on the qualifications of the applicants is 5 p.m. Nov. 7 and may be sent to [email protected].
Kudos
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP announced Oct. 24 Zach Miller has been named the recipient of the 2024 Colorado Law Alumni William Lee Knous Award, presented by the University of Colorado Law Alumni Board and dean Lolita Buckner Inniss. In 2011, he was inducted as a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and has received numerous other awards. The 43rd annual Colorado Law Alumni Awards Banquet will take place March 14, 2024, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Levin Sitcoff Waneka, PC announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms, ranked by Best Lawyers, nationally in one practice area and regionally in four practice areas. The firm was ranked nationally in tier 3 for appellate practice and ranked regionally in tier 1 in Colorado for appellate practice, insurance law, insurance litigation and personal injury litigation.
Robinson Waters & O’Dorisio, P.C. announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms nationally in two practice areas and regionally in eight practice areas. The firm was ranked nationally in tier 3 for franchise law and mergers and acquisitions; ranked regionally in tier 1 in Colorado for corporate law, family law, real estate litigation, real estate law and tax law; and ranked regionally in tier 2 in Colorado for commercial litigation, franchise law and mergers and acquisitions.
Ogborn Mihm, LLP announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms nationally in one practice area and regionally in 13 practice areas. The firm was ranked nationally in tier 3 for construction law and ranked regionally in tier 1, 2 and 3 for practices like commercial litigation, insurance law and construction litigation, among others.
Keating Wagner Polidori Free announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms regionally in 10 practice areas like insurance law, medical malpractice law and commercial litigation, among others.
Epstein Patierno Family Law Attorneys announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms regionally in tier 1 in Colorado for family law.
Woods Aitken LLP announced it was awarded 21 rankings in 13 practice areas in Best Law Firms. This includes a national tier 2 ranking for construction law, a national tier 3 ranking for construction litigation and 19 regional rankings.
Sheridan Ross P.C. announced it was recognized in Best Law Firms nationally for two practice areas (trademark law, biotechnology and life sciences) and regionally for five practice areas including biotechnology law, copyright law, intellectual property, patent law and trademark law.
Kamlet LLP announced it was recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms for real estate law.
Movers and Shakers
Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. announced Oct. 26 the firm recently expanded its Denver office. Reinhart has added three attorneys and two paralegals to its Denver office in recent months, including co-managing shareholders Jennifer Stenman and Amy Ruhl. Ruhl played a key role in many high-impact projects, such as in increasing housing availability near Denver International Airport. Stenman has a long history of partnering with commercial property owners in the Denver metro area and Front Range to develop leasing strategies, models and templates.
Odds & Ends
The City of Denver will hold its second Fresh Start warrant clearance event Oct. 28 at the Assessment, Intake and Diversion Center of Denver from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A person is eligible if they have active warrants for one or more of the following: a Denver misdemeanor case; a Denver municipal case, including criminal traffic offenses; a probation violation in a Denver County or Municipal Court case; and failure to appear at a second advisement in a class 4, 5 or 6 non-Victim Rights Act felony. Domestic violence, higher-level felony cases and VRA cases are not eligible for this program. People who are eligible can speak with defense attorneys, have their outstanding warrants cleared and either resolve their court cases or set new court dates.
The Colorado Department of Corrections announced Oct. 26 the process of deconstructing the former Colorado Women’s Correctional Facility on Mackenzie Avenue in Cañon City. Between 2009 and 2011, multiple correctional training courses were held at the facility in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. The training programs will now transition to the new location at 29 CO Rd 143 in Cañon City. Since 2009, approximately 6,000 students have completed training on a wide range of topics, including prisoner transportation, classification and prison industries.