BEST IN SHOW Congratulations to this year’s Barrister’s Choice winners. Find the complete list, with the winners of our readers’ People’s Choice selections inside. Supreme Court Justice Real Estate Lawyer Criminal Defense Lawyer Killmer Lane & Newman Barrister’s Choice: Nathan Coats Barrister’s Choice: Jay Kamlet, Barrister’s Choice: Pam Mackey, Kamlet Law Haddon Morgan Foreman Employment Lawyer - Defendants Court of Appeals Judge Barrister’s Choice: Amy Miletich, Barrister’s Choice: Neeti Pawar Banking Lawyer Criminal Defense – White Collar Miletich PC Barrister’s Choice: Christian Crime Lawyer State Trial Court Judge Otteson, Shapiro Bieging Barber Barrister’s Choice: Patrick Ridley, Disability Law Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Morris Hoff- Otteson Ridley McGreevy & Winocur Barrister’s Choice: Steven Earl, man, 2nd Judicial District Sports Lawyer Apex Disability Law Tax Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Craig Um- Arbitrator Barrister’s Choice: Greg Berger, baugh, Hogan Lovells Personal Injury Law Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Maria Berken- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Barrister’s Choice: David Woodruff, kotter, JAG Communications/Media Law Denver Trial Lawyers Securities Lawyer Lawyer Mediator Barrister’s Choice: Luke Ritchie, Barrister’s Choice: Steve Zans- Medical Malpractice Lawyer – Barrister’s Choice: Joe Epstein, Moye White berg, Ballard Spahr Plaintiffs Conflict Resolution Services Barrister’s Choice: Jim Leventhal, Antitrust Lawyer Entertainment Lawyer Leventhal Puga Braley Overall Litigator Barrister’s Choice: Todd Seelman, Barrister’s Choice: David London, Barrister’s Choice: Michael Burg, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith Hogan Lovells Medical Malpractice Lawyer – Burg Simpson Defendants M&A Lawyer Immigration Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Scott Nixon, Commercial Litigator Barrister’s Choice: Pat Linden, Barrister’s Choice: Catherine Nixon Shefrin Ogburn Drew Barrister’s Choice: Ellie Lockwood, Linden Law Partners Chan, Chan Immigration Snell & Wilmer Construction Defects Lawyer – Healthcare Lawyer Trust/Estates Lawyer Plaintiffs Civil Litigator Barrister’s Choice: Kevin Kuhn, Barrister’s Choice: Marco Chayet, Barrister’s Choice: Jeff Kerrane, Barrister’s Choice: Jennifer O’Con- Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell Chayet Danzo Kerrane Storz nell, Queener Law Environmental Lawyer Nonprofit Lawyer Construction Defects Lawyer – Lawyer-turned-Legislator Barrister’s Choice: Jim Spaanstra, Barrister’s Choice: Betsy Fordyce, Defendants Barrister’s Choice: U.S. Rep. Diana Faegre Drinker Biddle Reath Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Barrister’s Choice: Jonathan Pray, DeGette Center Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Oil and Gas Lawyer Public Sector Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Ghislaine Corporate Law Lawyer Class Action/Mass Tort Lawyer – Barrister’s Choice: George Bruner, Polsinelli Barrister’s Choice: Rehan Hasan, Plaintiffs Brauchler, 18th Judicial District Hasan Legal Barrister’s Choice: Dave Hersh, Attorney Water Law Lawyer Burg Simpson Barrister’s Choice: Joe Dischinger, In-House Counsel Government Lawyer Fairfield and Woods Barrister’s Choice: Jennifer Class Action/Mass Tort Lawyer – Barrister’s Choice: Phil Weiser, Jaskolka, Xcel Energy Defendants Colorado Attorney General Renewable Energy Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Michael Wil- Barrister’s Choice: Rochelle Ra- Appellate Lawyer liams, Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell Lobbying Firm beler, Holland & Hart Barrister’s Choice: Anne Whalen Barrister’s Choice: Brownstein Gill, Gill & Ledbetter Insurance Lawyer -–Plaintiffs Hyatt Farber Schreck Agricultural Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Stephen Barrister’s Choice: Wayne Forman, IP Lawyer (Non-litigator) Shapiro, Shapiro Bieging Barber Family Law Lawyer Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Barrister’s Choice: Tom Franklin, Otteson Barrister’s Choice: Megan Sherr, Kilpatrick Townsend Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb DUI Lawyer Insurance Lawyer - Defendants Barrister’s Choice: Abe Hutt, Recht IP Litigator Barrister’s Choice: John Palmeri, Private Equity Lawyer Kornfeld Barrister’s Choice: Aaron Brad- Gordon & Rees Barrister’s Choice: Keith Tram- ford, Bradford LTD mell, WilmerHale Marijuana Law Lawyer Education Lawyer Barrister’s Choice: Rachel Gillette, Employment Lawyer - Plaintiffs Barrister’s Choice: Jack Robinson, Greenspoon Marder Barrister’s Choice: Mari Newman, Spies Powers & Robinson 560 CHEROKEE STREET, DENVER, CO 80204 | 303–292–1212 | WWW.LAW WEEK COLORADO.COM VOL. 18 | NO. 45 | $6 | NOVEMBER 9, 2020 Denver might be a small legal community, but it’s bursting with top-tier attorneys. We recognize the best attorneys from around the state, according to our readers, in our annual Barrister's Best list. PG. 7 2 | LAW WEEK COLORADO INSIDE SCOOP LAW WEEK COLORADO 03/LEGAL LOWDOWN 04/USE IT OR LOSE IT SPECIALTY BAR ROUNDTABLE AN AWARD-WINNING This week, the Colorado Su- NOVEMBER 16 04/CORPORATE COUNSEL INSIGHT INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER preme Court is considering a case that questions whether OWNER Circuit Media, LLC 05/IN THE COMMUNITY BEST LAW FIRMS an employee working under PUBLISHER Rebecca A. Askew, Esq. NOVEMBER 23 06/IN THE NEWS a “use it or lose it” vacation | EDITORIAL | policy was entitled to her va- Tony Flesor, Managing Editor 07/BARRISTER’S BEST cation time payout after BIG DEALS Q3* Julia Cardi, Reporter features contents she was fired. NOVEMBER 30 Jessica Folker, Reporter 18/COURT OPINIONS Avery Martinez, Reporter Jess Brovsky-Eaker, Assignment Editor 19/THIS WEEK IN HISTORY up coming COLORADO 200* 05/OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT DECEMBER 7 20/ENDNOTES A Colorado DA pleaded guilty | MARKETING | *These issue features are based on survey Nick Eckerman, Account Executive last week to drug possession information. Upcoming surveys can be Lisa McKell, Account Executive 22/CONTINUED... and official misconduct found at LawWeekColorado.com Jacob Hurley, Account Executive charges related to a drug transaction at her office. | DESIGN STUDIO | Now, she’s subject to attorney Joe Horton, Art Director regulation review. Shelby Lueckenotto, Senior Graphic Designer from the editor Hannah Blatter, Multimedia Specialist Zack Fifer, Graphic Designer / DA RACE REVIEW We’ve long heard that Karen Hill, Graphic Designer 06 Every vote mattered in Denver is a big city with a contact us Colorado’s biggest district small legal community. It attorney race last week. And seems that everyone generally LAW WEEK COLORADO ERRORS (USPS 024757, ISSN 1942–7964), founded 2002, Please call 303-292-1212 other districts around the knows one another, and that’s is published weekly. Periodicals are paid at to report a correction or clarification. state saw a blue shift with certainly true among Denver’s Denver, Colo. Entire contents copyrighted. larger firms. We leverage this NEWS RELEASES Democrats winning many SUBSCRIPTIONS Email: [email protected] races for the top prosecutor tight-knit community each $285/year. Single copies are positions. year when we ask our readers $6 plus $1 postage and handling. OFFICE Email [email protected] 560 Cherokee Street, Denver, CO 80204 to write in to let us know who the top attorneys and judges ADVERTISING POSTMASTER Send address changes to: are across the state in dozens Ads are taken at 303–292–1212 Law Week Colorado or visit us at www.lawweekcolorado.com PO Box 9404, Denver, CO 80209 of practice areas. This week, we provide the rundown of all LETTERS & ARTICLES Law Week Colorado retains copyrights on ON THE COVER of those top attorneys in our submitted material. Design by Shelby Lueckenotto list, which begins on page 8. Email: [email protected] NOVEMBER 9, 2020 | 3 LEGAL LOWDOWN Armstrong Teasdale Names Diversity Officer Denver partner Meshach Rhoades to serve in firmwide role STAFF REPORT committee, alongside St. Louis partner ference meeting on Oct. 30. LAW WEEK COLORADO Sarah Sise, who will maintain her role Under the Colorado Constitution, as chair of that committee. the governor has 15 days from Nov. 2 to Armstrong Teasdale announced Nov. Denver legal secretary Stephanie appoint one of the nominees as county 2 that the firm has created a dedicated Hendrickson will serve as executive as- court judge for Arapahoe County. diversity, equity and inclusion depart- sistant to the diversity, equity and inclu- Comments regarding any of ment and named partner Meshach sion department. the nominees may be sent via Rhoades chief diversity officer. e-mail to the governor at gov_ju- Rhoades is a complex commercial JUDICIAL [email protected] litigator and will continue to maintain an active legal practice in addition to her ANNOUNCEMENTS GOOD FOR YOU new role. The 18th Judicial District Nominat- Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck an- She has long been a champion of in- ing Commission has nominated three nounced Thursday that Justin Bubenik, clusion efforts both professionally and candidates for an Arapahoe County an associate in its Denver office, has personally and has been involved with Court judgeship created by the appoint- joined the board of directors of The Ur- local and national organizations such ment of Judge Don Toussaint to the ban Farm, a nonprofit farm promoting as the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, District Court. The vacancy will occur on youth and community education. Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Jan. 12. As part of his two-year term, Bubenik Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and Nominees Melina Hernandez of will assist TUF through his participation Latinas First Foundation. Denver, Phelicia Kossie-Butler of in board meetings, planning commit- Rhoades previously served as co- Aurora and Joseph Whitfield Jr. of tees, improvement