Biography
Joe moved to Colorado from Texas in 1969. He is the oldest of 10 siblings. He graduated from Mullen High School, where he was active in Speech and Debate. He finished 3rd nationally at the National Student Congress in 1975. Joe then returned to Texas and obtained a B.B.A in Management in 1977, summa cum laude, at the University of the Incarnate Word located in San Antonio. After two years selling computers and computer services, he attended law school in Boulder at the University of Colorado, receiving a J.D. degree in 1982.
Joe was married to Jan O’Mary in 1977. They have one son, Jay, who is a practicing attorney and partner with the firm.
Joe has practiced law since 1982. He is a former Assistant County Attorney for Jefferson County, where he primarily represented the Human Services Department. He has been continuously engaged in private practice since April 1, 1986. Joe has practiced in both State and Federal Court, and has tried in excess of 100 jury trials in his career. He is very excited when challenged to solve complex problems, and relishes a fair resolution. He is equally able to settle a matter out of court, or to bring the matter to trial when required.
Joe received The Linda T. Palmieri Award, For Outstanding Service On Behalf of Children, awarded by The 1st Judicial District Bar Association, in 2009, and the Award of Merit in 2017. He is also AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, a Super Lawyer (2018 & 2019), and 10.0 Superb Rated Lawyer by Avvo.com.
Travel and golf are Joe’s interests outside of the courtroom.
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Family Law
- Adoption
- Criminal Law
- Juvenile Law
- Civil Litigation
- Dependency and Neglect
- Representation of Attorneys in Ethical Matters
- Appellate
Bar Admissions
- Colorado, 1983
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1983
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1983
Professional Associations
- 1st Judicial District Bar Association, President, 2005 to 2006
- American Association for Justice
- American Bar Association
- Colorado Bar Association, Vice President, 2008 to 2009
- Federal Bar Association
- Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
- National Association of Counsel for Children
Honors
- Martindale Hubbell’s preeminent rating of “AV”
- The Linda T. Palmieri Award, The 1st Judicial District Bar Association, 2009
- Award of Merit
- Super Lawyer
- 10.0 Superb Rated Lawyer by Avvo.com
Pro-Bono Activities
- American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children
- International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
- Metro Volunteer Lawyers
- Supreme Court Pro Bono Commitment
- West Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, Member
- Pinehurst Country Club, Past President, 2017 to 2018
- Boy Scouts of America
- Bear Creek Junior Sports Association Baseball Coach
- Speech and Debate Coach at Mullen High School
- High School Speech Critic
Past Positions
- Jefferson County, CO, Assistant County Attorney, 1982 to 1986
Education
- University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado
- J.D - 1982
- Incarnate Word College
- B.B.A - 1977
- Honors: summa cum laude
- Major: Management
- Mullen High School
- Honors: Mock Trial Team Coach
Current Positions
- Attorney
Classes & Seminars
- Testimony For Experts and Those Who Testify From Written Reports, Law Enforcement Training for the Wheat Ridge Police Department, Denver, Colorado, 2011
- Forensic Child Abuse Experts; Effective Reports & Testimony, Training for the El Paso County Attorney’s Office, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 2011
- No Reasonable Effort, for CLE Credit on behalf of the Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative, Golden, Colorado, 2010
- Forensic Child Abuse Experts; Effective Reports & Testimony, presenter at 18th ISPCAN International Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2010
- Deal or No Deal; Why Divorce Cases Don’t Settle, for CLE credit on behalf of the First Judicial District Bar Association, Golden, Colorado, 2010
- D&N and Criminal Law: What Family Lawyers Need to Know, for CLE credit on behalf of the First Judicial District Bar Association, Golden, Colorado, 2009
- A Paralegal’s Guide, Preparing a Summary Judgment Motion, for CLE Credit on behalf of the Institute for Paralegal Education, Denver, Colorado, 2009
- What is TRAILS?, for CLE credit on behalf of the Juvenile Law Section of the CBA, Denver, Colorado, 2009
- What is TRAILS?, for CLE credit on behalf of the Family Law Institute, Breckenridge, Colorado, 2008
- Jefferson County Leadership Committee Training, invited speaker, annually, from 2006 to present
- Civil Trial Practice “A View From the Trenches” for CLE credit on behalf of the First Judicial District Bar Association, Golden, Colorado, 2006
- Abstract, Re: Expert Witness Issues in Child Abuse Cases, with C.B. Smith, Chosen for Presentation at 15th ISPCAN International Conference, Brisbane, Australia, 2004
- Dependency and Neglect for Criminal Practitioners, for CLE credit on behalf of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, Lakewood, Colorado, 2004
- Colorado Children’s Records Law, for CLE credit, Denver, Colorado, 1999
- Colorado Children’s Records Law, for CLE credit, Denver, Colorado, 1998
- Child Abuse Investigations… Putting the Pieces Together presenter of free paper at 11th ISPCAN International Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 1996
- Child Abuse Investigations… Putting the Pieces Together, for CLE credit on behalf of the Juvenile Law Forum – moderator for panel discussion, Denver, Colorado, 1993
- Panel Presentation: Legal Responsibility and Diagnosis for Physicians in Child Abuse Cases and Repercussions, panelist, Poudre Valley Hospital Continuing Medical Education, Ft. Collins, Colorado, 1992
- 1983 Civil Rights Litigation Seminar, for CLE credit, for the Colorado Chapter of V.O.C.A.L. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1990
- Dependency and Neglect Seminar, for CLE credit on behalf of the First Judicial District Bar Association, Golden, Colorado, 1984