Supreme Court Nominating Committee Announces Finalists

Vacant seat to be filled after Chief Justice Nancy Rice retires July 1

NANCY RICE

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission announced Wednesday its three finalists for a vacancy on the Colorado Supreme Court. The retirement of Chief Justice Nancy Rice, effective July 1, will create an open spot on the bench that will be filled by one of the candidates to be appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper. 

The nominees, whom the commission selected during a Denver meeting May 14 and 15, are Maria Berkenkotter of Boulder, Karen Brody of Denver and Carlos Samour of Lone Tree.


Berkenkotter had served as chief judge of Colorado’s 20th Judicial District for four years until she retired from the position in October. She went on to join Judicial Arbiter Group, Inc. in January as an arbiter. Prior to her time on the bench, Berkenkotter led the Antitrust, Consumer Protection and Tobacco Litigation Units of the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.

Brody is a judge in Colorado’s 2nd Judicial District in Denver where she was first appointed in 2014. 

She previously practiced commercial litigation with a focus on real estate and eminent domain with Lowe Fell & Skogg and Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti.

Samour is chief judge of Colorado’s 18th Judicial District where he presided over the Aurora theater shooting trial. Before his appointment as chief judge in 2014 and as district judge in 2007, Samour served in the Denver District Attorney’s Office and practiced with Holland & Hart in Denver.

Under the Colorado Constitution, the governor has 15 days from May 16 to appoint one of the nominees as a justice on the Colorado Supreme Court. 

Comments regarding any of the nominees may be sent via e-mail to the governor at [email protected]

Lateral Watch

Zupkus & Angell announced Thursday that it had added attorneys Clayton Manceaux and Jessica Carnes to its legal team.  

Manceaux focuses his practice on construction defect and fraud claims as well as personal injury defense litigation. 

Manceaux received his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and his law degree from the University of Denver College of Law.

Carnes will focus her practice on insurance defense and civil litigation matters. She received her bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University and her law degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law.

Good for You

The Colorado Lawyers Committee will recognize law firms and attorneys who have contributed significantly to its projects in the past year. Nominees for the association’s Law Firm of the Year Award are Hernandez & Associates, Husch Blackwell, Rollin Braswell Fisher and Squire Patton Boggs. 

Nominees for the Individual of the Year Award are Bennett Cohen of Polsinelli, Christopher Lane of Davis Graham & Stubbs, Pascal Schunk of the Schunk Law Firm and Christine Snider of Ballard Spahr. 

Award winners will be announced Tuesday at the Colorado Lawyers Committee 40th Anniversary Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Hilton Denver City Center, 1701 California Street. 

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