Colorado Law Alumni Awards Honorees for Their Outstanding Contributions and Dedication to the Legal Profession and the Colorado Community
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40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards Thursday, June 17, 2021 | Virtual 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 1 COLORADO LAW WELCOME FROM DEAN ANAYA Dear Colorado Law community, Thank you for joining us for the 40th and visionary faculty, and committed annual Alumni Awards celebration. This staff all contribute to our success. Over evening, we celebrate the achievements the past five years – and particularly of eight individuals who demonstrate in the last extraordinary 15 months – I the spirit and values of Colorado Law. have seen how this community unites in I always look forward to bringing our the face of adversity. Working together, community together for this special we can continue to grow and improve occasion. Tonight is especially poignant Colorado Law as a law school that for me as it is the last awards event I will is rooted in the community it serves, attend as dean of Colorado Law. create opportunities for students and faculty, and contribute to a more just and Each of tonight’s honorees embody the equitable world. qualities of professionalism and service that we promote at Colorado Law. Thank you for your many contributions The honorees are engaged in giving to that enable and enhance our students’ their communities, improving the legal education and career development and profession, and supporting Colorado for the ways you support our faculty Law and future lawyers. Through their and staff. I hope that this year’s program S. James Anaya exemplary public service, philanthropy, inspires you to renew your commitment leadership, serving as role models, and to the law school. representing high professional standards, they epitomize the best of Colorado Law. It is an honor to recognize these Warmly, individuals and their many remarkable accomplishments. We are a successful law school because of the support of our community. Our passionate and creative students, S. James Anaya, Dean and University accomplished and dedicated alumni, Distinguished Professor generous donors and partners, devoted 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 2 COLORADO LAW 2021 ALUMNI AWARDS SCHEDULE WELCOME Law Alumni Board Chair – Hiwot M. Covell (’09) Law Alumni Banquet Chair – David W. Stark (’73) REMARKS Dean – S. James Anaya DEAN’S CHOICE AWARDS Richard Schaden Adopted Alumnus Award John Echohawk Sonny Flowers Award Hon. Gary M. Jackson (’70) DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Public Sector - Jacki Cooper Melmed (’03) Education - Whiting Dimock (’96) Private Practice - Carolyn Fairless (’98) Small/Solo Practitioner - Tyrone Glover (’09) Special Recognition for Outstanding Leadership in Civil Rights - Ryan Haygood (’01) WILLIAM LEE KNOUS AWARD Daniel A. Vigil (’82) SPECIAL PRESENTATION CLOSING Law Alumni Banquet Chair – David W. Stark (’73) 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 3 COLORADO LAW THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS The University of Colorado Law School is grateful for the support of its sponsors. Proceeds will benefit the Colorado Law Dean’s Fund for Excellence and the Law Alumni Scholarship Fund. GOLD Chayet & Danzo, LLC Hogan Lovells University of Colorado Foundation Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Polsinelli Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP SILVER BRONZE FRIENDS Ballard Spahr LLP Anonymous Anonymous in honor of Dean Anaya Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Arnold & Porter Colorado LGBT Bar Association Colorado and Denver Bar Associations and The Buck Family Fund Conscience Bay Company Colorado Bar Association CLE Burns, Figa & Will Daniel A. Vigil, (’82) Crane & Tejada, P.C. Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, LLC Judicial Arbiter Group, Inc. Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP Colorado Trial Lawyers Association Kissinger & Fellman, P.C. Faegre Drinker Dorsey & Whitney LLP Marisa Hudson-Arney, (’01) and Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP The Gary (‘70) and Regina Jackson family Ryan Arney, (’00) The Knous Family Gebhardt Emerson Moodie Bonanno, LLC Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC Holland & Hart LLP Hurth, Sisk & Blakemore LLP Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP Lewis Roca Native American Rights Fund Milgrom & Daskam Shoemaker Ghiselli & Schwartz LLC New Jersey Institute for Social Justice University of Colorado, University Counsel Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC Vicente Sederberg LLP PURVIS • GRAY • THOMSON, LLP Sheridan Ross PC Names in bold denote Sherman & Howard L.L.C. sponsorship for 10 years or more Snell & Wilmer Welborn Sullivan Meck and Tooley PC Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 4 COLORADO LAW DEAN’S CHOICE AWARD Richard Schaden Adopted Alumnus Award John Echohawk John Echohawk, Pawnee, is the He serves on the boards of the executive director of the Native American Indian Resources Institute, the American Rights Fund (NARF), which is Association on American Indian Affairs, headquartered in Boulder. He was the the Indigenous Language Institute, first graduate of the University of New Natural Resources Defense Council, and Mexico’s special program to train Indian the National Center for American Indian lawyers and was a founding member Enterprise Development. of the American Indian Law Students Echohawk has been a strong supporter Association while in law school. He of Colorado Law’s American Indian Law received both his JD and BA from the Program and the law school’s students University of New Mexico. Echohawk and graduates who are interested in and has been with NARF since its inception practice Indian law throughout his years in 1970, having served continuously as as the executive director of NARF. executive director since 1977. He has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal and has John Echohawk received numerous service awards and other recognition for his leadership in the Indian law field. 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 5 COLORADO LAW DEAN’S CHOICE AWARD Sonny Flowers Award Hon. Gary M. Jackson (’70) of Colorado, where he received a including treasurer and president; Jackson, retired as of Dec. 30, 2020, special commendation from U.S. in 2006 was honored with the King presided in the Criminal and General Attorney Edward Levi and FBI Director Trimble Lifetime Achievement Award. Session Divisions of Denver County Clarence Kelley for his successful Numerous other community Court. In 2018 the Colorado Judicial representation of the FBI in a multi- organizations have benefited from Institute recognized him with its million dollar civil suit. Jackson’s leadership and involvement, Judicial Excellence Award for County In 1976, Jackson entered private including the Northeast Denver Youth Court Judge of the year. Mayor practice and became a partner in the Services, the Cleo Parker Robinson Hancock presented Jackson with the law firm of DiManna, Eklund, Ciancio Dance Ensemble, and the Denver Monte Pascoe Civic Leadership Award & Jackson. In 1982, Michael DiManna Urban League. With his participation in in 2018. In 2019, Law Week Colorado and Jackson formed the law firm of the Sam Cary Scholarship Endowment selected Jackson as a trial judge DiManna & Jackson. This partnership Fund and the Delta Eta Boule of the year. In 2020, the Center for continued until Jackson’s appointment Foundation (former chairman), these Legal Inclusiveness awarded Jackson by Mayor Michael Hancock to the organizations have awarded deserving the Hon. Wiley Daniel Lifetime Hon. Gary M. Jackson Denver County Court bench in January African-American students more than a Achievement Award. The Colorado 2013. Other legal achievements quarter-million dollars in scholarships. County Court Judges’ Association Gary M. Jackson, a native of included an appointment to the 18th awarded Jackson the Anthony Greco Colorado, grew up in Denver and Jackson has generously shared his Judicial District Judicial Performance Award for his judicial excellence and graduated with honors from George legal knowledge and experience Commission, the 2nd Judicial leadership. In addition, the Colorado Washington High School. He received through mentoring programs and Nominating Commission, and the chapter of the American Board of an academic scholarship to the instruction at colleges and law U.S. District Court’s Nominating Trial Advocates awarded Jackson its University of Redlands in California schools throughout Colorado. His Commission to select U.S. District Judicial Excellence Award. and earned his undergraduate degree active participation in the legal Court judges and magistrates. Jackson is married to Regina Lee and Juris Doctor from the University of community has also meant serving on Jackson. They have two children and Colorado Boulder. In 1971, Jackson was a founder of several boards. Jackson is currently the Sam Cary Bar Association, an one of the Colorado Bar Association/ four grandchildren. He began his legal career as a organization dedicated to promoting Colorado Judicial Institute Coalition deputy district attorney with the professionalism and the exchange leaders on Judicial Diversity, which Denver District Attorney’s Office of ideas among African-American has a two-year initiative to address in 1970. In 1974, he was assigned lawyers and judges. He has had the lack of diversity in the Colorado to the Civil Division of the United many roles within the organization, state judiciary. States Attorney’s Office, District 40th Colorado Law Annual Alumni Awards 6 COLORADO LAW rising to the top Polsinelli congratulates all the Colorado Law Alumni Awards Honorees for their outstanding contributions and dedication to the legal profession and the Colorado community.