Law Firm Updates
On Jan. 14, Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP announced it hired Jacob Taylor as an associate.
Doida Crow Legal, a Denver-based M&A law firm, announced on Jan. 18 that Vaughn Marshall was promoted to partner. Marshall, University of Denver Sturm College of Law graduate, has been at the firm since 2015 where he’s counseled clients through mergers and acquisitions, securities, commercial finance and general transactional matters.
The Judiciary
The state Judicial Department announced on Jan. 14 an upcoming vacancy in the 4th Judicial District for a district judge. The open position in El Paso and Teller counties is created by the retirement of Judge David Miller. Applications are due by Feb. 11 for the March 31 vacancy.
Two applicants for an upcoming vacancy in the 15th Judicial District were announced on Jan. 14. Jeremy Boyce from Greeley and Deni Eiring from Cheyenne Wells applied for the position of Cheyenne County judge, a vacancy that will occur on March 1 which was created by the resignation of Judge Gerald Keefe. The 15th Judicial District Nominating Commission will interview and select nominees for Gov. Jared Polis to appoint later this month. The rules of procedure for the 15th Judicial District Nominating Commission require all applicant names be made public once an application period closes.
There is a judicial district nominating commission for each of Colorado’s 22 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.
On Jan. 14, Polis announced 23 appointments to judicial nominating commissions. The appointments include 13 attorneys and nine non-attorneys at district court nominating commissions across the state and one appointment to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. Colorado’s 22 judicial district nominating commissions select nominees for vacancies at district and county courts. The appointments were effective Jan. 1 for terms expiring in 2026 and 2027.
The state judicial nominating commission appointments are:
- Paul Wiggins from Peyton was appointed to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027. Wiggins, a Democrat, serves as a non-attorney member from El Paso County.
- Tracy Schroeder from Littleton was appointed to the 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Jefferson County.
- Megan Garnett from Denver was appointed to the 2nd Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney and a Democrat from Denver County.
- Sisto Mazza from Trinidad was appointed to the 3rd Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney and a Democrat from Las Animas county.
- Michael Allen from Colorado Springs was appointed to the 4th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from El Paso County.
- Phyllis Adams from Idaho Springs was appointed to the 5th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027, as a non-attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Clear Creek County.
- Sarah Thorsteinson from Breckenridge was appointed to the 5th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027, as a non-attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Summit County.
- Karen McCarthy from Leadville was appointed to the 5th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Lake County.
- Alvin Lutz from Lake City was appointed to the 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and a Republican from Hinsdale County.
- Paul Major from Telluride was appointed to the 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and a Democrat from San Miguel County.
- David Inouye from Hotchkiss was appointed to the 7th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and a Democrat from Delta County.
- Kimberly Baker Medina from Fort Collins was appointed to the 8th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney and a Democrat from Larimer County.
- Samuel Crary from Carbondale was appointed to the 9th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney and a Democrat from Garfield County.
- Randy Canney from Salida was appointed to the 11th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026, as an attorney and a Democrat from Chaffee County.
- Lance Clark from Wiley was appointed to the 15th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney and a Republican from Prowers County.
- Darla Specht from Lamar was appointed to the 15th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney and a Republican from Prowers County.
- Donald Davis from La Junta was appointed to the 16th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and a Republican from Otero County.
- James Tutchton from Hasty was appointed to the 16th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Bent County.
- Emily Valdez from Centennial was appointed to the 18th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney and a Democrat from Arapahoe County.
- Annette Martinez from Windsor was appointed to the 19th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Weld County.
- Solomon Little Owl of Greeley was appointed to the 19th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and a Democrat from Weld County.
- Tejwant Mangat from Lafayette was appointed to the 20th Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027, as a non-attorney and a Democrat from Boulder County.
- Daniella Correa Shively from Grand Junction was appointed to the 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2026 as an attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Mesa County.
- David Combs from Clifton was appointed to the 21st Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney, unaffiliated with a political party, from Mesa County.
- Clarissa Feuilly from Cortez was appointed to the 22nd Judicial District Nominating Commission for a term expiring Dec. 31, 2027 as a non-attorney and Republican from Montezuma County.
The 4th Judicial Nominating Commission selected three finalists for an upcoming vacancy at the El Paso County Court. On Jan. 18, the commission announced Charlotte Ankeny, Hillary Gurney and Cynthia McKedy, all from Colorado Springs, made the shortlist to fill a county court judgeship vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Doug Miles. The governor must appoint the position by Feb. 2.
Kudos
On Jan. 19, Colorado-founded firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP announced Of Counsel Abby Dvorkin joined the board of directors for Team Summit Colorado. Dvorkin was an athlete and coach at Team Summit Colorado, a youth development organization for athletes before she joined the board of directors for a three-year term.