Class Notes

Christine (Barr) Mastin ‘98 joyfully announced her indefinite sabbatical from the practice of law last year and has become owner and operator of The Buna Coffee Company and farm in Holualoa, Hawai’i. She and her family live on the farm full-time but she maintains an online management presence at Mastin Bergstrom LLC, which she founded in 2003. In addition to managing the farm, she volunteers at her youngest daughter’s school and can also be found surfing in Kahalu’u.

Amy Parsons '99 was named the 16th president of Colorado State University. For the last 16 years, Parsons served in executive roles at CSU in Fort Collins – as legal counsel from 2004-2009, as vice president for university operations from 2009-2015, and as executive vice chancellor from 2015-2020.

Keri Arnold '99 joined Wilkinson Stekloff LLP as a partner. Arnold has over 20 years of experience defending companies in product liability, environmental, and complex commercial litigation.

Gov. Jared Polis appointed Sarah Wallace '99, a litigation partner in Ballard Spahr’s Denver office, to the Second Judicial District bench. At Ballard Spahr, Wallace handled litigation and arbitrations of all kinds including trade secret litigation, breach of contracts, employment litigation, and asset purchase disputes.

Matt Hobbs '01 joined Cain & Skarnulis PLLC as a partner. Hobbs' work focuses on real estate, transactional work, civil litigation, business law matters, and providing estate planning and probate services.

Jon Ploetz '01 joined Applied Industrial Technologies as vice president – general counsel  and secretary. In this role, Ploetz will lead the company’s global legal affairs, governance and compliance activities, ESG efforts, and corporate secretary duties.

A slew of Colorado Law alumni and faculty contributed to a new book, How to Be a Lawyer: The Path from Law School to Success, coauthored by longtime Colorado Law adjunct faculty member Jason Mendelson. Contributors to the book include Brad Bernthal '01, Stacy Carter '07, Tyrone Glover '09, Nicole Day '10, Ryan Day '10, Josh Fitch '17, Nicholas Troxel '17, and former dean Phil Weiser. With candid advice and mentorship about how to bridge the gaps between law school and the actual practice of law, the book has been hailed as a "must-read" for law students and new lawyers.

Hilary Graham '02 was promoted to director at Hoffman Parker Wilson & Carberry P.C. on January 1. Graham specializes in representing municipalities, special districts, urban renewal authorities, and downtown development authorities and advising them on various general counsel matters.

Tracy Y. Williams '02 joined Clark Hill's Environmental and Natural Resources practice. Williams advises clients on compliance and issues related to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund) and state equivalents.

Michael Roseberry '03 has joined Lyons Gaddis as an Attorney in the Government Practice Group. Roseberry will focus on supporting the firm's school and special districts clients, as well as other local government entities.

Craig Clark '03 was named staff judge advocate (equivalent to general counsel) for the 4th Marine Division. Clark is a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Brittany Kauffman '03 was named chief executive officer of the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) at the University of Denver. Kauffman has been with IAALS since 2012 and was appointed interim CEO in 2022.

Governor Polis appointed Marika Frady '04 to the position of County Court Judge in El Paso County, Colorado. This marks the first appointment of a judge with Asian heritage in El Paso County. 

The Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program (DFEI) at the University of Colorado Denver Business School awarded Meshach Rhoades '04, managing partner at Crowell & Moring LLP and Co-Founder of the Latinas First Foundation, as the 2024 Bill Daniels Ethical Leader of the Year. The award recognizes leaders whose work and accomplishments mirror cable television pioneer Bill Daniels’ strong commitment to ethics. Leaders are chosen by a Business School student committee, which uses the eight guiding principles of DFEI to make their final selection. 

Jonathan Pray '05 was named Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's first chief legal officer.

Jonathan Pray '05 was named Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's first chief legal officer.

Ethan McQuinn '05 formed a law firm, Kane Dulin McQuinn Young, with fellow Colorado Law graduate Travis Young '03.

Claire Havelda '05 joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck's Real Estate Department as of counsel in its Denver office. Havelda’s experience in municipal planning and development in Northern Colorado gives her direct insight into the interpretation and application of land use codes, planning and zoning approvals, housing and transportation development, and historic preservation concerns.

After spending over a decade in-house, Lydia Holzman '05 has joined the Boulder law firm of Hutchinson Black & Cook as of counsel. Her practice focuses on estate planning and business transactions, and she joins many other Colorado Law alumni at the firm.

Nicki Cerasoli '06 was selected for the 2023 Colorado General Counsel Mentor Program, a two-year program designed to develop networking skills and professional development. Mentees will have direct access to general counsel and senior in-house lawyers throughout the Denver metro area who are involved in the program.