Lawyers in Colorado

Finding a lawyer in Colorado

Most Colorado law firms are concentrated along the Front Range, in Denver, the state capital, and in Colorado Springs, Boulder and Fort Collins, while the mountain towns and the Western Slope are served by smaller practices that often cover several counties. Wherever you are, the same rules apply: the attorney must be licensed in Colorado, and your case will normally be heard in the state district or county court for your county, or in federal court for federal matters.

This directory sorts Colorado lawyers by practice area and city. Start with the type of problem, then look at firms near the court that will hear your case, and use the checks below before you sign anything.

When you need a lawyer (and when you may not)

Talk to a Colorado attorney without delay if you have been arrested, if you were badly hurt on the road, at work or on the slopes, if your divorce involves children or property, if you face an immigration proceeding, or if you have been served with a lawsuit. Colorado sets time limits for bringing claims by statute, and some are short, so an early conversation protects your options.

Colorado county courts include a small claims division that people commonly use without a lawyer, and the Colorado Judicial Branch runs self-help centers in many courthouses for people handling their own matters. Uncontested paperwork and minor traffic tickets are also often manageable alone. When in doubt, a free or reduced-fee first consultation is an inexpensive way to find out.

Common practice areas in Colorado

• Personal Injury and Car Accident — claims after crashes, falls and other negligence, including winter driving and mountain recreation injuries, and negotiation with insurers.
• Criminal Defense and DUI & DWI — defense in Colorado county and district courts; Colorado uses both DUI and the lesser DWAI charge, and driving cases also carry a separate license consequence.
• Family & Divorce — dissolution, allocation of parental responsibilities, child support, maintenance and modification of existing orders.
• Business — formation, contracts and disputes, with a notable practice around Colorado's state-regulated cannabis industry and its licensing rules.
• Real Estate — purchase and sale, title and boundary issues, water and mineral rights questions, and landlord-tenant matters.
• Employment and Workers' Compensation — wage and discrimination claims, and injuries covered by the Colorado workers' compensation system.
• Immigration, Bankruptcy and Social Security Disability — federal practice areas handled before federal courts and agencies.
• Estate Planning & Probate — wills, trusts, powers of attorney and estate administration.
• Medical Malpractice, Tax, Intellectual Property, Civil Rights and Traffic Ticket lawyers complete the Colorado categories.

How to check a lawyer's license in Colorado

Colorado is one of the states where the Supreme Court itself licenses and disciplines lawyers, through its Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. The office maintains a public attorney search where you can confirm that a lawyer is licensed and in active status and see any public discipline. The Colorado Bar Association is a separate, voluntary membership organization, so membership in it is not the same as a license.

Check that the status is active, not inactive or suspended, and read any disciplinary entries. If you cannot find the person in the search at all, do not hire them to practice law.

How to choose a law firm

Choose on experience with your kind of case in your part of the state. A Denver criminal defense lawyer will know the Denver courts, but a case in Grand Junction or Durango may be better served by someone who appears there regularly.

Ask the firm to explain its fee model in plain terms. Personal injury cases are typically handled on contingency, while family, criminal and business work is usually billed hourly or at a flat rate. Ask what costs are extra and whether a retainer is required, and get the agreement in writing before work begins.

Clarify who will be doing the work and how you will communicate. A firm that answers these questions directly at the start is usually one that will keep you informed later.

Questions to ask at the first consultation

• How much of your practice is cases like mine, and in this county?
• What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of my situation?
• Who will handle the day-to-day work, and how do I reach them?
• How do you charge, and what costs are billed separately?
• What deadlines apply, and what do we need to do first?
• What would you need from me to move the case forward?
• How and how often will you update me?

Free and low-cost legal help

Colorado Legal Services provides free civil legal help to low-income Coloradans in areas such as housing, family and public benefits. The Colorado Judicial Branch's self-help centers and online forms support people representing themselves, and local and specialty bar associations run lawyer referral programs that offer a low-cost first meeting. Law school clinics in the Denver and Boulder area take selected cases under faculty supervision. In criminal cases, a defendant who cannot afford a lawyer may ask the court for a public defender.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every case is different — talk to a licensed Colorado attorney about your situation.