-
In my career I've established a track record of service and successful execution, both in and out of the courtroom. As a military intelligence officer, I planned and executed over 200 successful special operations missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In that unforgiving environment, I learned the value of strategic planning, continuous innovation and an uncompromising focus on execution. Now I apply those skills and experiences to serve my clients. As an attorney, I have built a track record of success in trial, motions practice, mediation and arbitration, including:
• Prevailed in a two-week franchise dispute arbitration under AAA rules, obtained award to my client in excess of $630,000 against franchisee and owner as alter ego, obtained full release from loan obligations, defeated four million dollar counterclaim.
• Prevailed at an arbitration hearing under AAA rules, obtained award to my client of $377,000 plus costs for neligent misrepresentation and breach of contract against corporation and against corporation's primary owners under alter egotheory.
• Defended a business fraud claim at trial and secured dismissal of all claims against my client mid-trial.
• Tried a $1.7 million commercial lease dispute case in Boulder District Court. While my client admitted liability at the outset of litigation, I conducted the critical cross-examination of the opposing expert witness and secured factual findings in my client's favor resulting in ultimate judgment against my client for less than 6% of trial demand and a fraction of our final pre-trial settlement offer.
• Represented plaintiff in business tort case, conducted eight depositions in four states including deposition of opposing expert witness, settled claims for $2.1 million payment to my client.
• Secured dismissal of high-profile medical monitoring class action brought against Fortune 100 hospital services provider.
• Argued Alcivar v. Wynne before the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 268 Fed. Appx. 749 (10th Cir. 2008).
• Defended oil major BP America against antitrust claims in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Compliance Mktg. v. Drug Test, Inc., 2011-1 Trade Cas. P77,464 (D. Colo. 2010); with co-defendants, secured dismissal under Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly.
• Secured dismissal of a civil conspiracy fraud claim against client-hospital under Twombly.
• Obtained summary judgment in my client's favor in a medical interpleader claim.-
As a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Air Force, I led an 11-person intelligence team that planned over 200 successful special operations missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the combined US-UK seizure of several critical nodes in Iraq’s southern oil export infrastructure. Now I draw on these processes and methods to bring innovation, execution and strategic insight to my litigation practice.
-
I also speak and write frequently on systems theory, complexity, and geopolitics, and I am actively involved with The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future. My speeches and presentations include:
-
• the Yale Journal of International Law’s 2006 symposium entitled "The New Map: Terrorism in a Post-Crtesian World"
• the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas 2009 conference entitled "The Renewables Gap"
• the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas 2008 conference entitled "Systems Thinking and the Geopolitics of Energy"
• the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s 2006 industry conference entitled "Infrastructure Vulnerabilities: Learning from Nigeria"
• the Interagency Forum on Infrastructure Protection’s 2005 conference entitled "Infrastructure Targeting by Non-State Actors"
• the FBI’s Anti-Terrorism Advisory Committee annual meeting entitled "Water Infrastructure Vulnerabilities"
• the Mediterranean Studies Association 2005 conference in Messina, Italy entitled "Processes of Hierarchy, Subsidy, and Control in the Evolution of Empire"
-
I received my J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. During law school, I was active in moot court competitions. I advanced to the national finals tournament of the ABA’s Appellate Advocacy Competition, took second place in the annual Hoffman Cup trial competition, and won best orator two years in a row in the Barrister’s Cup appellate competition. I also served as editor and board member of the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy and interned for Judges Brian Boatright and Peter Weir in Colorado’s 1st Judicial District.
-
I received a B.S. in Engineering and History from the United States Air Force Academy in 1999 where I was the John A. Rupp award winner in interdisciplinary studies. While at the Air Force Academy, I participated in an exchange program with the German Air Force Academy and attended the American Institute for Political and Economic Systems in Prague at Charles University, Czech Republic.
-
Education
University of Denver Sturm College of Law, J.D.
U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer School
U.S. Air Force Academy, B.S. in Engineering and History, minor in German
