Meet the Outstanding Attorneys Beyond Denver
Law Week Colorado is pleased to recognize four outstanding attorneys practicing largely beyond the Denver metro area. These attorneys, nominated by their peers, were selected for their exceptional legal work, contributions to their communities and dedication to their clients and the legal profession.
Join us in celebrating this year’s honorees and learning more about the work they’re doing across Colorado.
Bridging high-stakes law and human connection
Early in his undergraduate studies, Michael Laszlo received a blunt piece of advice from an accounting professor: drop the business major. While Laszlo had an instinctive grasp of business strategy, branding and storytelling, spreadsheets weren’t his forte.
Laszlo was grateful. “I realized what I truly loved was problem-solving and helping people navigate challenges,” he said. “That’s what led me to law.”
Today Laszlo is the member in charge of Clark Hill’s Boulder office, blending corporate counsel, commercial litigation and a niche in hospitality, food and beverage law.
After graduating from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Laszlo joined his father, Ted Laszlo, to practice at LaszloLaw, the boutique his father founded in Boulder County in 2004. For nearly two decades, the duo built a reputation as trusted advisors to restaurateurs, hotel groups, breweries, distilleries and wineries, among others, across the state and country.
“With hospitality, everything is rooted in human connection,” Laszlo said. “Early on, I’d force myself to go to dinner alone or sit at a bar, and I’d end up building organic relationships with owners and entrepreneurs.”
As their client base burgeoned into national transactions and multistate disputes, the firm saw the benefit of a broader platform, and in 2024, LaszloLaw merged with Clark Hill.
Remaining in Boulder was non-negotiable. “Boulder is a remarkably international city,” Laszlo said. “Between the University of Colorado, Naropa and the major biotech and natural foods hubs, we have top-level executives and entrepreneurs from around the globe. We’ve built a presence here that couldn’t simply be relocated to downtown Denver.”
Laszlo’s practice spans both transactional counseling and high-stakes courtroom advocacy. His dual perspective enables him to advise transactional clients with an insider’s understanding of how contractual language holds up before a judge.
Recently, Laszlo and his father served as trial counsel for the toolmaker Makita in the first silicosis product liability case ever tried to verdict in Colorado. The trial resulted in a complete defense verdict, securing a win in a bellwether proceeding for the industry.
Beyond private practice, Laszlo is committed to community service, starting with his volunteer work with the Federal Pro Se Clinic in Denver. In Boulder County, Laszlo has served for 16 years on the board of directors for the Boulder Cancer Fighters, helping organize the annual “B Strong Ride” to fund 100% of the integrative cancer care initiative at Boulder Community Health. He also serves on the board of Denver Broncos player Garett Bolles’ GB3 Foundation, which supports troubled youth in Arapahoe County and aids children affected by childhood apraxia of speech. Laszlo also services on the board of Holy Family High School.
Outside of Colorado, Laszlo brings an authentic understanding to his beverage clients as the proprietor of Cartello, his own wine label based in Sonoma County, California.