Law Week Colorado is recognizing three Outstanding Legal Professionals who play an essential role in their teams’ success. This year’s honorees, all nominated by their colleagues, demonstrate the expertise, initiative and commitment that keep cases moving, support clients and help attorneys do their best work.
As a child, Alex Miller listened to NPR’s coverage of the Supreme Court with his parents. Years later, that interest in law, combined with a love of reading, writing and research, led Miller to the Colorado Department of Law.
“I really enjoy getting into the weeds on a certain issue and analyzing,” he said.
Miller joined the office as an intern nearly four years ago, seeking a career in public service. He was soon hired as a paralegal, working in the Criminal Appeals section before moving to the Solicitor General’s Office at the end of 2024.
Today Miller provides paralegal support for a wide range of litigation, including federal appeals, U.S. Supreme Court cases and matters involving the federal government. He also supports the office’s Federal Initiatives Unit, created to respond to what the state considers federal overreach.
Among Miller’s most demanding assignments has been litigation against Meta. He began working on the case more than two years ago, helping manage extensive pretrial proceedings and discovery involving millions of pages of documents before the case went to trial in August.
Jason Slothouber, chief trial counsel for consumer protection at the Colorado Department of Law, noted Miller’s initiative and attention to detail throughout the case, including catching potential problems involving sealing and service in high-pressure filings.
During the trial, Miller found and built a custom podium to address audio problems and outfitted the team’s war room.
In one pivotal moment, the court overruled Meta’s privilege redactions during an examination. Within minutes, Miller had obtained and printed the newly unredacted document so it could be used during cross-examination.
On Aug. 26, a multistate settlement with Meta was announced, with the company agreeing to pay up to $17 billion and implement child-safety reforms.
“Alex is an all-star in every way and was crucial to the success of this historic case,” Slothouber wrote in his nomination of Miller.
For Miller, the case resonated personally. “I saw a lot of my peers and a lot of my friends impacted by (social media),” he said. “So, it really meant a lot to me to work on that case specifically.”
He emphasized that the Meta case was a team effort, crediting the attorneys and administrative staff who worked on the litigation, including colleagues Miriam Burnett and Corin Stigall. He also credited Leslie Bostwick and Bonnie Smith, two paralegals who partner with Miller on Supreme Court litigation, with helping the team produce their best work.
Miller said protecting Coloradans is the most rewarding part of his job. He is currently working on State of Colorado v. Trump Administration, in which the state has challenged actions by the Trump administration as retaliatory, including funding cuts to programs serving disadvantaged communities.
“I was born and raised in Colorado, lived here my whole life, and I feel very connected to the state and our special relationship that we have with fellow Coloradans and the way we look out for each other,” he said. “We’re putting up a fight.”
At the Colorado Department of Law, Miller appreciates that the office values everyone’s input. “I feel like I am a member of a team here,” he said.
While Miller sees the benefits of using artificial intelligence in legal work, he wonders how AI will affect the profession.
“I hope that there will still be paralegals because I think we really bring a special perspective and a special set of skills,” he said.
For those beginning their careers, Miller recommended volunteering for a wide range of assignments, even those that might not initially seem interesting. “I volunteer for everything because I just love learning more,” he said.
Outside of work, Miller enjoys backcountry, alpine and cross-country skiing, as well as cycling. And he still listens to NPR’s legal coverage, continuing to fuel his interest in law.