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Law firm updates
Fox Rothschild announced March 29 Mitch Reid joined the firm as a partner in the litigation department. He’ll provide services to clients from both the Denver and Dallas offices. Reid defends clients in complex commercial and insurance litigation involving health, disability, life and AD&D benefits, including ERISA and insurance bad faith claims. Reid received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University. Prior to joining Fox, Reid was a partner at Spencer Fane LLP.
Husch Blackwell on April 1 announced it added a team of complex commercial litigators including Denver-based partners Scott Browning, Jessica Fuller, Stephen Steele and senior associate Megan Fugiers. The group, which comes from Lewis Roca, joins the firm’s commercial litigation and nonprofit organizations and religious institutions practices. Led by Browning and Fuller, the group represents prominent commercial, governmental, nonprofit and religious organizations. Also joining the attorneys are paralegals Jennifer Buchholz and Lisa Vialpando.
Fox Rothschild announced it appointed new leadership to several offices and practice groups, effective April 1. In Denver, office managing partner Caleb Durling replaced Patrick Casey, who ended his term. Firmwide managing partner Todd Rodriguez noted the changes are part of a standard leadership rotation.
On April 1, Ballard Spahr chair Peter Michaud announced former managing director and senior counsel at Goldman Sachs Joseph Schuster rejoined the firm’s business and transactions department and consumer financial services group as partner in the Denver office. Schuster was an associate at Ballard Spahr from 2014 to 2016 before joining Goldman Sachs. Schuster chairs the Electronic Financial Services and Digital Currency Subcommittee of the American Bar Association Committee on Consumer Financial Services. At Ballard Spahr, Schuster will work on matters involving credit products, payments and personal property finance with a focus on new Fintech product development and support.
Crowell & Moring on April 3 announced Stephen Bentfield, former vice president and group general counsel at DaVita Integrated Kidney Care, joined the firm’s health care group as a partner in the Denver office. Bentfield’s practice will focus on fraud and abuse matters, organizational compliance programs and policies and managed care. He will advise clients on value-based care. In addition, his practice will encompass health care regulatory issues, including reimbursement for care, licensure and state regulatory issues.
Fennemore announced April 1 that roughly 80 lawyers and legal professionals will join Fennemore’s Denver office later this month. The new team members will join Fennemore laterally from Moye White, according to Fennemore’s announcement. Fennemore, which also combined with Denver trial and litigation firm Reilly LLP in 2021, had roughly 10 attorneys located in Colorado prior to the addition from Moye White. Fennemore currently has 17 offices and just over 240 attorneys nationwide, according to Law Week’s two most recent Colorado 200 lists. With the added attorneys from Moye White, Fennemore will become one of the largest law firms in the state based on local headcount.
The judiciary
The Colorado judicial branch announced April 1 the application period for fiscal year 2025 grants from the Family Violence Justice Fund opened. The grant program was created by the General Assembly in 1999 to provide funding to Colorado nonprofit organizations that offer civil legal services to low-income persons who are experiencing family violence. Successful grant recipients must have experience providing legal services, including legal representation, to eligible persons in areas such as protection orders, divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support or other judicial actions where legal services are necessary to protect the client’s interests related to family violence. Funding available for the upcoming grant cycle is expected to be $2 million. In fiscal 2024, 15 organizations received grants totaling $2.1 million. Applications must be submitted via the Office of the State Court Administrator’s grant management system, AmpliFund, by 5 p.m. on April 30. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Please direct questions to [email protected].
The Colorado judicial department also announced April 1 the application period for fiscal year 2025 grants from the Eviction Legal Defense Fund opened. This grant program was created by the General Assembly in 2019 to provide funding to Colorado nonprofit organizations that help low-income persons who are experiencing an eviction or are at immediate risk of an eviction. Successful grant recipients must have experience providing legal services, including legal representation, to eligible persons facing eviction proceedings, actions for monetary damages, lease violations or other judicial actions where legal services are necessary to protect the tenant’s interests. Funding available for the upcoming grant cycle is expected to be $1.1 million. In fiscal 2024, seven organizations received grants totaling $1.9 million. Applications must be submitted via the Office of the State Court Administrator’s grant management system, AmpliFund, by 5 p.m. on April 30. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Please direct questions to [email protected].
The 12th Judicial District Nominating Commission on April 3 announced it nominated three candidates for a Mineral County Court judgeship created by the retirement of Judge Ruth Acheson, effective May 1. Nominees Carle Jessica Tarnutzer-Decker of Monte Vista, Adrian Washington of Westcliffe and Hollie Wheelwright of Del Norte were selected in a videoconference on April 1. Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from April 2 within which to appoint one of the nominees as county court judge for Mineral County. Comments regarding any of the nominees may be emailed to the governor.
The 1st Judicial District Nominating Commission on April 3 announced it nominated three candidates for a district court judgeship created by the retirement of Judge Ann Meinster, effective June 1. Nominees Paula Holt of Denver, Adam Kendall of Wheat Ridge and Andrew Poland of Lakewood were selected by the commission on April 2. Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from April 3, 2024, to appoint one of the nominees as district court judge for the 1st Judicial District serving Gilpin and Jefferson counties. Comments regarding any of the nominees may be emailed to the governor.
On April 4, the City of Boulder announced a national search for the city’s next municipal judge resulted in a recommendation for Judge Jeffrey Cahn. The city council will vote on this recommendation at its April 11 meeting, according to the announcement. Cahn has served as Boulder’s associate judge for the court for 21 years and has served as the interim presiding judge for the past nine months. He’s also been the presiding judge for the Frederick Municipal Court since 2009 and the Edgewater Municipal Court since 2012. Cahn has a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and a law degree from the University of Colorado Law School.