The Colorado Bar Association's Podcast

Stairway to ATJ — Evictions

Is Colorado facing an impending evictions tsunami? Listen up as three attorneys from across the state explain that providing access to justice to clients facing evictions requires a more holistic, client-centered approach to lawyering. This episode of Stairway to ATJ explores the forces causing many Coloradans to experience housing instability both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Co-hosts Mia Kontnik and Anthony Pereira sit down with Jenny Wherry, the executive director of Alpine Legal Services, Megan O’Byrne, a housing attorney with Colorado Legal Services, and Amanda Pearson, the Development Director of La Puente. Jenny, Megan, and Amanda identify statewide problems causing housing insecurity, while also highlighting issues unique to each of regions of the state that they live and work in. Stay tuned as Andy White, the CBA’s Director of Legislative Relations, provides some background about how the Colorado Legislature has addressed these pressing housing needs. Finally, the guests wrap up by sharing some programs and connections that give them hope for the future.

 

If you or someone you know needs legal assistance, they can contact Colorado Legal Services by calling the intake number: (303) 837-1321 or visiting their website: coloradolegalservices.org.

This episode also features Liz Jones of Metro Volunteer Lawyers in the Pro Bono Corner as she discusses the Family Law Court Program clinic.

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 — Karen Hen

Karen Hen is an associate attorney working on a variety of civil cases including personal injury, sexual assault, premises liability, wrongful death and medical malpractice. Prior to joining the firm, Karen clerked at the Second Judicial District Court for the Honorable Edward Bronfin. During her time at the court she had the opportunity to clerk in the civil, criminal, and domestic rotations. While in the civil rotation, Karen witnessed numerous jury trials where she gained insight and knowledge on how jurors view facts, parties, attorneys, and, most importantly, how they reach their verdicts.

Karen was recently appointed to the Executive Council of the Colorado Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. Karen is a member of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. She is also a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association and the Intellectual Property Inn of Court. She is licensed to practice law in Arizona and in Colorado.

Our Voices — Scott LaBarre

Scott LaBarre's stunning voice (give a listen) matches his extraordinary career. Blind from age 10, literacy and independence were his goals and those he shares for other blind people. Scott's professional life of advocacy and leadership is his gift to us. 

Modern Mindset for Modern Law: The Power of Believing (Part 1 of 2)

What if we told you that success doesn’t make you happy, being happy makes you successful? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the actual work that we're doing that we forget to focus on ourselves and the mindset that is the basis of Modern Lawyering.

The mission statement of the Modern Law Practice Initiative is “To revolutionize the legal profession by enhancing access to innovative client-driven and cost-effective legal services that empower lawyers to build thriving law practices.”

In today’s episode, we focus on the word empowerment. How exactly do we empower lawyers to become modern lawyers practicing modern law? The answer is mindset. There is growing evidence from the fields of positive organizational behavior and positive psychology that the resources of hope, optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience shape the underlying attitudes and behaviors associated with increased performance.

Our special guest is Martha Knudson, Executive Director of the Utah State Bar Well-Being Committee for the Legal Profession. Martha discusses how policies that promote lawyer’s strength and well-being are good for lawyers, law firms, and ultimately, good for business.

The Women's History Month Project with Ruchi Kapoor — Judge Terry Fox

Terry Fox sits on the Colorado Court of Appeals (COA), where she has served since January of 2011.  In 2017, the Denver Bar Association awarded Judge Fox its Judicial Excellence Award.  In 2018, she received the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ, Region IX) Lady Justice Award and the Colorado Women’s Bar Association (CWBA) honored her as the 2019 Outstanding Judicial Officer.  Judge Fox was the People’s Choice for Best Court of Appeals Judge on Law Week Colorado’s “Barrister’s Best 2019.”  Judge Fox has served as the Colorado Director and as District Director for the NAWJ and remains a NAWJ member.  In collaboration with the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, she is a member of the Judicial Dream Team’s efforts to diversify the bench.  She is a member of the Executive Committee of Our Courts Colorado and contributes to the Colorado Judicial Conference Planning Committee, the Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Language Access, and the Supreme Court’s Character and Fitness Committee.  Beginning in 2020, she will train new COA judges.  Her community service includes membership and board service in the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and the CWBA and mentoring young lawyers and aspiring jurists.  She previously served on Colorado Supreme Court’s Attorney Regulation Committee and the Board of Law Examiner’s Law Committee.  Before her appointment to the Colorado Court of Appeals, from 2004-2010, Judge Fox served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in Colorado, working as trial counsel to federal agencies and specializing in environmental law, constitutional law, and other civil matters. 

Our Voices — Judge Theresa Spahn

As Presiding Judge on the Denver County Court bench, Judge Theresa Spahn has been a passionate defender of the Court and a champion of access to justice efforts in the city and beyond.  From her time as a magistrate in Colorado’s 17th Judicial District to her tireless efforts to help create the Office of the Child’s Representative or leading the O’Connor Judicial Selection Initiative at the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System to her current role, Judge Spahn has always recognized the role of judges as leaders and models of fairness, impartiality and integrity.  Her judicial philosophy is deeply rooted in her character and experiences as a Denver native from a large and loving family that instilled in her the value of hard work and community. 

Our Voices — David Beller

David Beller is not only a sharp-dressed man but also a top Colorado criminal defense lawyer and skilled advocate whose attention to detail is unparalleled. Growing up, David developed his all-important compassion and drive through his obvious path to law school: veterinary science. Listen as he shares his unique path to leadership and the moving experiences that shaped his character, dedication to trust, integrity, and vulnerability in his relationships with clients and opposing counsel.

The Women's History Month Project with Ruchi Kapoor — Judge Neeti Pawar

Honorable Neeti V. Pawar was appointed to the Colorado Court of Appeals in March, 2019. Judge Pawar's practice over the 25 years prior to her appointment included litigation, mediation, and appellate work in the areas of family law, employment law, and criminal defense. She was a solo practitioner immediately preceding her appointment and prior to that a partner with a boutique law firm. Judge Pawar is the founding president of the South Asian Bar Association of Colorado, Past-President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, and recipient of APABA-Colorado's Minoru Yasui Community Service Award. Judge Pawar is the first South Asian American to be appointed as a Judge in the State of Colorado and the first Asian American to be appointed to the Court of Appeals or higher in Colorado. In her free time, Judge Pawar spends her time dancing and teaching with an Indian Dance Studio and skiing in the Rockies.

 

Host:

Ruchi Kapoor 

Gettin Legal With It — Dean Bruce Smith

Bruce Smith is the 20th dean of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, having served in that role since July 2016. Previously, he was professor of law and Guy Raymond Jones Faculty Scholar at the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was dean from 2009-14. From 1996-2001, he practiced in the litigation group at Covington & Burling LLP in Washington, D.C., where he focused on intellectual property litigation and sports law, representing the NFL, NHL, and NBA, among other clients. Dean Smith currently serves on a number of educational, civic, and corporate boards, including the board of advisors of the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), the board of directors of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness (CLI).

Host:

Kevin Cheney

The Women's History Month Project with Ruchi Kapoor — Judge Pax Moultrie

Appointed by Governor Jared Polis in February 2020, Judge Pax Moultrie serves on the Denver Juvenile Court. Before becoming a judge, she served as a Magistrate in the 1st Judicial District (Jefferson County) and assistant county attorney in Jefferson and Arapahoe counties. Judge Moultrie focused her studies on anthropology, setting her sites on working with primates and becoming the next Jane Goodall. But life seldom happens as we planned it. When asked how she found her path to the bench, Judge Moultrie says the path actually found her. Hear how it happened and how she employs empathy and compassion to inform her work on the bench. 

 

About the Host:

As former appellate director and legislative liaison for the Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel, Ruchi Kapoor helped establish and oversee Colorado’s first appellate program for respondent parents in child welfare cases. A Colorado native, Ruchi has been an extremely active member of the legal community, holding leadership positions in both the Denver and Colorado Bar Associations as well as the South Asian Bar Association of Colorado and the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. She currently serves as First Vice President of the Denver Bar Association.