The Colorado Bar Association's Podcast

Stairway to ATJ — Access to Justice Commission

What is the Access to Justice Commission and what do they do? Take a listen as their new Executive Director, Elisa Marie Overall — also known as Emo — shares her experience and helps us understand what the Access to Justice Commission is all about. Emo describes the important work of local committees across the state and sheds light on the many barriers to access to justice that too many Coloradoans are still facing.

This episode also features Gail Rodosevich, the Pro Bono Coordinator for Colorado Legal Services in Pueblo and the Chair of the Access to Justice Committee for the 10^th JD.

Is there a topic you would like to hear us explore? Have a program or issue you want to discuss on Stairway to ATJ? Please email us at ATJPodcast@cobar.org.

Our Voices — Judge Diana Terry

Judge Diana Terry recently retired from the Colorado Court of Appeals.  In this podcast, she discusses growing up in New Jersey with Nebraskan parents, being the youngest of five children, and deciding that she wanted to be a lawyer as a child.  She also shares her love for music and singing, becoming a self-starter, and her talent for training and leading others.

 

Hosts:

Nicoal Sperrazza

Courtney Holm

 

Guest:

Judge Diana Terry (Ret.)

 

Continuing the Story:

• The Law Club
• Metro Caring
• Thompson G. Marsh Inn of Court
• Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Stairway to ATJ — Disability Law

How do we properly accommodate different disabilities? Take a listen as disability rights attorneys Spencer Kontnik of KONTNIK | COHEN and Kevin Williams of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition encourage us to take an individualized, person first approach to accommodating disabilities. In this funny, honest, and raw conversation we hear about what it’s like to be underestimated and excluded due to a disability and the perseverance and passion that animates the important work Spencer and Kevin are doing. Learn about how some of Spencer’s and Kevin's recent wins are creating positive changes for individuals with disabilities and the areas where those with disabilities are still being excluded.

This episode also features Tom Snyder, founder and board president of Colorado Poverty Law Project, in the Pro Bono Corner discussing all the support they provide to those in need.

If you have a topic you would like to hear about or have a program or issue you want to discuss on Stairway to ATJ please email us at ATJPodcast@cobar.org.

Gettin Legal With It — Laurence Gendelman — Non-monogamy and the Law

Non-monogamy is an umbrella term for every practice or philosophy of non-dyadic intimate relationship that does not strictly hew to the standards of monogamy. An openly non-monogamous relationship is one where partners agree that they want to be together and are open and honest about the fact that they have other partners. Although polygamy is illegal in Colorado, there are many other types of relationships where more than two people enter into a domestic relationship or arrangement.

Parenting, for example, can only include two individuals under Title 19. However, there are often three or more people actively parenting any one child. Through instruments such as trusts, contracts, cohabitation agreements, and pre or post-marital agreements, non-monogamous relationships can have protections under the law. Ultimately, non-monogamous relationships are complex to protect especially considering current Colorado law is averse to addressing them.

Enter Laurence Gendelman. Trained in a large family law firm, Laurence gained experience working with high-asset, high-conflict, and complex divorces and child custody issues. He also advocated for and advised clients regarding the division of complex financial assets including executive compensation packages and retirement benefits.

In 2016, Laurence transitioned his practice to probate, trust, estate law, working with a team of four other attorneys representing clients with estate planning, estate and trust administration, uncontested and contested guardianships and conservatorships, and probate litigation matters.

After gaining extensive experience in these practice areas and learning law firm management and operations, Laurence established Gendelman Law Group, LLC in 2017, where he represented clients in trust, estate, probate, and family law matters. In 2020, Gendelman Law Group, LLC and Klimas Law Firm, LLC, joined forces to create Gendelman Klimas, Ltd., the firm Where Family is Everything.

Laurence is also the Immediate Past President of the Colorado LGBT Bar Association. 

Host: Kevin Cheney

Our Voices — Justice Monica Márquez

Justice Monica Márquez currently serves on the Colorado Supreme Court.  In this podcast, she discusses growing up in the San Luis Valley, how she found her own voice and took risks early on, and how her trumpet-playing in a mariachi band bridged multicultural communities.  Justice Márquez also talks about her time with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC), and the importance of collegiality and professionalism in the legal profession.

 

Hosts:

Mallory Revel

Linda Moss

 

Guest:

Justice Monica Márquez

 

Continuing the Story:

• Jesuit Volunteer Corp
• Colorado Hispanic Bar Association
• Colorado Women’s Bar Association

Gettin Legal With It — Chris Brock — Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition

Chris Brock is Managing Attorney of Probate Power, at Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition’s probate and estate planning legal program. CCDC is Colorado’s leader in disability rights. Prior to joining CCDC, Chris worked as a law clerk for the Honorable A. Bruce Jones in Denver District Court and as a Dean’s Fellow at the University of Colorado Law School. He is admitted to the Colorado Bar and is a member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations, where he belongs to the Trust and Estate and Elder Law Sections. Chris focuses his practice in the areas of special needs planning, estate planning, and probate administration.

Stairway to ATJ —Pro Bono Coordination

How do pro bono programs really work? This episode of Stairway to ATJ examines several of the Colorado Bar Association’s and Denver Bar Association’s pro bono programs to see how they work from the inside out. Co-hosts Mia Kontnik and Anthony Pereira turn the tables in this episode and interview each other. Mia and Anthony describe the impact their programs have on access to justice and explore themes like empowering litigants and helping volunteer attorneys find meaningful ways to give back.  

In lieu of the traditional Pro Bono Corner, Mia and Anthony describe the programs they help run. If you would like to learn more about Family Law Unbundled (Volunteer (denbar.org)) or have any questions about the program, you can reach out to Anthony at apereira@cobar.org. 

If you would like to learn more about the Appellate Pro Bono Program or Clinic (Appellate Pro Bono (cobar.org)) or the Legal Fee Arbitration Committee (Legal Fee Arbitration (cobar.org)), please reach out to Mia at mkontnik@cobar.org.  

Finally, if you are interested in learning more about the Federal Pro Se Clinic (Colorado Federal Pro Se Assistance Program (cobar.org)) or the Bankruptcy Clinic (Home (cobar.org)), you can send an e-mail to FPSC@cobar.org. 

As always, if you have a topic you would like to hear about or know of a program you would like to see featured on Stairway to ATJ, please email us at ATJPodcast@cobar.org.  

Our Voices — Adam Hepp

Growing up in a family focused on service impacted Adam Hepp’s life tremendously. His dedication and empathy have served him well in his service roles as a Jefferson County Senior Deputy District Attorney and as an Air Force Veteran. Adam has received the Arapahoe County Bar Association (ACBA) 2020 Tommy D. Drinkwine Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year award. Listen as Adam shares his perspectives on the importance of mentorship, the necessity of court systems that value rehabilitation, cultivating positive professional relationships, and the important connection between lawns and family

Modern Law Revolution — Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice

One of the (many) things they don’t teach us in law school is how to be a businessperson. And after all, to build a successful practice, don’t lawyers have to be entrepreneurs? Enter Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice. LEJ is a small business incubator for socially conscious lawyers building sustainable practices to provide affordable quality legal solutions to low- and middle-income Colorado. But beyond that, LEJ is a public interest solution to improving access to legal services and helping bridge the justice gap in Colorado by offering 18 months of training, mentoring, resources, and support to attorneys who are launching practices to serve this hugely underserved population. This means that they produce modern lawyers!

Today we dive into this amazing program with our accomplished guests Justice Melissa Hart of the Colorado Supreme Court and Laurie Gilbertson, executive director of Legal Entrepreneurs for Justice, and learn how doing pro bono and cost-effective work can be beneficial not only to the profession and to your community, but also to your mental and professional health.

Our Voices — Judge Olympia Fay

Denver County Court Judge Olympia Fay knew she wanted to be a judge while in law school and intentionally worked in both civil and criminal law to assist a balanced and well-rounded perspective. Judge Fay discusses her influences, family, leadership, mentorship, her love of the courtroom and her philosophies. Her cognizance of the powerful impact of words and actions drives her delivery of dignity, respect, and hopefulness to those in her court.  Listen as her story weaves through her gratefulness, her own self-awareness, preparation, and the vital importance of authenticity. 

 

Hosts:

Mallory Revel

Linda Moss

 

Guest:

Judge Olympia Fay

 

Continuing the Story:

• Colorado Bar Association Leadership Training (COBALT)
• Denver County Court