I learned relatively early on in my life that I gained an incredible amount of personal satisfaction from helping people. Whether it has been to exonerate the wrongly accused, or gain custody of a child for a grandparent hoping for better opportunities for their grandchildren, assisting someone struggling with substance or alcohol abuse, or reaching a settlement to enable a family to move forward through a dissolution of marriage proceeding, helping my clients remains my number one goal.

Shortly after moving to Colorado in 1996, I was fortunate enough to meet my law partner, Curtis Smith, who gave me the initial opportunity to open my practice. I have thoroughly enjoyed practicing law in an environment that fosters integrity and compassion as cornerstones of law. Opening the firm in 2005 fulfills a dream of mine that continues my commitment to my clients and the practice of law.

I have been in too many courtrooms, on too many occasions, where I have witnessed the judicial system running roughshod over individual rights, too concerned with expediency to care about or protect the individual standing before it. I have seen prosecutors misstate the facts in order to try to secure “victories”, courtrooms deny due process, and litigants abused by their own attorneys. I strive in every case to ensure that these injustices do not occur to my clients.

I am married and have a family; they mean everything to me. I enjoy being with them more than anything in the world. I try to imagine that what I do for a living helps them find a better place, where justice really is carried out in the courtrooms, and where they can be proud of our system of justice.

EDUCATION:

• Valparaiso University, School of Law, JD 1996
• Indiana University, BS, Major-Marketing, 1993

EXPERIENCE:

• Private practice emphasis in Litigation including Criminal Defense, Family Law, General Civil Litigation
• Admitted to practice in the State of Colorado and United States District Court, District of Colorado.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:

• First Judicial District Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
• Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS:

• First Judicial District (Jefferson and Gilpin Counties) Bar Association Award of Merit -2023, in recognition of outstanding contributions to the bar association, the legal profession and the community
• Appointed to Judicial Nominating Commission, 1st Judicial District, by Governor Jared Polis in 2024
• Legal Clinic Volunteer: Women in Crisis Center, Family Tree, Inc.
• 1st JD Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Chairperson
• Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Board of Directors, Family Law Court Program and Post Decree Clinic
• Former Council member with First Judicial District Adult Diversion Program
• Volunteer in Mentoring Group with Shiloh House, Inc.
• Volunteer for TLC Meals on Wheels (Former Executive Board Member)