Washington County Family Lawyers

James Townsend is a dynamic attorney and strategic leader with a proven track record of growing and managing successful law practices. His legal acumen made a lasting impact in 2004 when he co-authored a pivotal Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the Colorado Supreme Court, reshaping the legal landscape for grandparent visitation rights in the state. A graduate of the University of Idaho College of Law, James sharpened his litigation skills as a trial attorney for the Colorado Office of the Public Defender before expanding his practice across multiple legal fields, including civil litigation, criminal defense, estate planning, personal injury, and...

Mr. Márquez has been practicing law since 2008, almost exclusively in family law. However, he has and continues to work in criminal defense. Mr. Márquez brings a fresh perspective to Law School Yes We Can, with an extensive background in the corporate world where he provided operational, technical, management, finance, and legal support to several corporations. Mr. Márquez acquired a BA from Westmont College where he double majored in Economics & Business and Physics. He went on to acquire an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver with an emphasis in change management....

Michelle Searcy has over a decade of significant family law practice in Colorado. While in law school, Michelle started honing her legal skills while working as student attorney, including representing clients in both civil and family law matters. Upon graduation, Michelle started her family law career in Denver. She provides her clients the knowledge and experience gathered during her ten plus years of domestic relations practice. She has handled a variety of family law cases from simple to complex, including dissolution of marriage, allocation of parental responsibilities, third-party parent cases, modifications, enforcement proceedings, child support and adoptions. Michelle also brings...

Lisa R. Shellenberger is a Managing Partner at Setter Roche Smith & Shellenberger, LLC, and she is an award-winning lead litigator. She is the Chairperson of the Family Law & Juvenile Law division at the firm. Ms. Shellenberger has been awarded the Super Lawyers Rising Star award in the area of family law for 5 years running: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Ms. Shellenberger has also been recognized as the Nation’s Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. Additionally, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Attorney Shellenberger has also been named as a Top 10 Attorney...

Dan is an attorney at The Harris Law Firm with over 30 years of law experience. He earned his law degree at Pepperdine University School of Law and Hamline University School of Law. In addition, he obtained his certification in Divorce and Family Mediation from Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. Due to his many years in the field, Dan can assist clients in cases, including but not limited to, divorce, stepparent adoptions, child custody and support, grandparent/third person rights, non-traditional family cases, maintenance, alternative dispute resolution, and marital property agreements.

Ursula Honigman is an attorney at the Harris Law Firm. She received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Ms. Honigman has worked in the Office of the Denver District Attorney’s Juvenile Diversion program, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, and interned with the Rocky Mountain Victims Law Center advocating for victims of domestic violence and other crimes. Additionally, she interned for The Hon. Richard Caschette, assisting in domestic, civil, and criminal matters. Ms. Honigman has practiced in the field of civil litigation, specifically first and third-party insurance defense, as well as special education law.

Suzanne has specialized in family law for the past 40 years. She graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law degree in 1978, and practiced in South Africa for 15 years. After being granted permanent residency in the United States, based upon her extraordinary ability in the field of family law, she relocated to Denver. Suzanne is a highly skilled and experienced litigator who feels comfortable handling complex financial and child related cases. She has extensive experience in analyzing trusts, stock options, corporate interests, and investigation of hidden or undisclosed...

Matthew Bradley graduated magna cum laude from Colorado Christian University where he studied Accounting as well as Business Management. After his graduation from CCU, Mr. Bradley went to Notre Dame Law School. During his time in law school, Mr. Bradley worked for the Notre Dame Clinical Law School where he represented clients in the taxation clinic, served as the Executive Managing Editor of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy, and interned with Judge David Furman of the Colorado Court of Appeals (Summer 2018) and Judge Damon Leichty of the United States District Court for the Northern...

A Colorado native, I began my practice as compliance attorney where I handled a variety of regulatory matters. I then changed gears and became a Deputy District Attorney for Jefferson County, where I handled criminal cases and became an experienced litigator. Coming from a single-parent household I use my upbringing to provide a different perspective when handling criminal cases and ensuring that actual justice to all persons involved was served rather than getting a “win.” I use this a similar approach in my family cases working to get the parties to come to an agreement that is best suited to...

Edra J. Pollin has been a legal practitioner in Denver, Colorado since 1980. Edra’s practice is limited to family law so she is highly knowledgeable in the area of domestic relations including, but not limited to, divorce, child custody, child support, maintenance, post Decree modification proceedings,, and division of marital property. Edra has specialized in family law for the past thirty four years. Her office is conveniently located in Southeast Denver on the corner of Hampden Avenue and Tamarac Drive.
Edra graduated with distinction with a B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1976. ...

I have practiced Criminal Law as a Prosecutor and Defense Attorney, Administrative Law as a Judge, and Family Law. I currently specialize in Colorado Family Law, practicing in jurisdictions across the state. I am proud to work with a group of compassionate attorneys with Johnson Law Group who help families navigate a challenging court system.

I do not believe in frivolous lawsuits. I believe in providing client’s access to justice in an aggressive, but responsible manner. I demand responsibility in others because I demand the same for myself. I’m a thorough and determined attorney who focuses on what’s important: you. Together, we handle your legal dispute, simply but powerfully, in a way that educates you, informs you, and puts you in charge the results.

Mr. Dolan is admitted to practice before Colorado State Courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, and the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in May 2016, and earned his B.A. in Political Science from Colorado State University in 2012. Mr. Dolan is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and the Denver Bar Association. Mr. Dolan represents clients in family law and personal injury cases. He has experience in auto injury, ski injury, and premises liability cases. In his family law practice, Mr. Dolan...

Erika is an attorney at The Harris Law Firm and recipient of the Colorado Office of Respondent Parent Counsel's Family Defender of the Year award, known for her zealous advocacy for parents. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College Law. With her experience at the Department of Human Services, Erika can represent clients in a wide range of divorce, child custody, and other family law matters. Erika aims to defuse high-conflict situations and educate her clients while vigorously defending their interests to achieve the best solutions in court.

Kim is an attorney at The Harris Law Firm. Kim began her career as a staff attorney at Pikes Peak Legal Services. In 1989, Kim opened up her own family law practice, at which time she became a trained mediator and focused on representing victims of domestic violence and families. Kim later became a partner at Ebner & Gent, specializing in Social Security Disability law and mediation. Kim’s accolades include the Recognition of Excellence in Representing Children and the John Marshall Award. Currently, Kim works in our LawYourWay? center where she helps individuals explore the option of representing themselves.

After graduating from Tulane Law School in 1994, I settled in the Denver area. Over the course of the next nine years I worked for two prestigious law firms in the Metro area. In 2004 I opened my own practice focusing solely on family law. I have been admitted to the Colorado Bar, the United States District Court, District of Colorado, and the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit.

As the founder of the firm MJ Law, LLC, Douglas County attorney Malinda J. Kloer offers legal services on matters of family law and estate planning. Before deciding to establish her practice, Attorney Kloer spent time as an Engelwood City prosecutor and law clerk for the 18th Judicial District. Ms. Kloer is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Learn more today by getting in touch with her firm.

Jacob Allen is an attorney at Kontnik Cohen LLC who brings a unique combination of experiences and skills to his family law practice. Jacob conducted his legal training at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law where he was a Chancellor’s Scholar. Jacob also received specialized training in counseling and psychological assessment of children at the University of Texas at Austin. His previous work ranges from providing psychological counseling and assessments to children and families, mental health counseling at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and litigating complex product liability cases against some of the nation’s largest companies.

While most lawyers education ends with the acceptance of their Juris Doctor, Reid Elkus continued to expand on his skills as a lawyer by enrolling in the prestigious L.L.M. program in Law and Government at the Washington College of Law. Upon receiving his L.L.M, he then received a federal externship with the honorable Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court of the District of Columbia. Also a previous Public Defender where he tried countless criminal cases, it is the combination of this extensive knowledge and experience that lay the foundation for his firm, Elkus Sisson & Rosenstein, PC....

The firm with four attorneys offers in excess of 50 years of experience. All with trial experience. Attorneys in the office also include former prosectors and public defenders for its criminal practice. Bankruptcy experience attorney with over 28 years of serving clients in Chapter 7 and 13 actions. The real estate side include substantial experience in al phases of acquisition, closings, development, sale and purchases including foreclosure and debt work outs.

Kathryn R. Tolison devotes 100 percent of her practice to family law at Tolison & Williams, Attorneys at Law, LLC in Brighton, Colorado. Designated as a Rising Star in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Ms. Tolison focuses her practice on family law mediation, dissolution of marriage (divorce) actions, legal separation actions, post-decree modification actions, allocation of parental responsibility actions and adoptions. Katie is also certified to practice Collaborative law. Katie has a passion for family law and works closely with her clients to ensure that each one understands their legal rights and options, and is given the...

Experienced advocate and trauma-informed attorney specializing in Family Law (divorce, custody, adoption, protection orders, guardianships, pre-nuptial agreements) as well as civil rights litigation, legislative affairs and Title IX enforcement. Graduate of The George Washington University Law School; JD/MA in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies. Licensed to practice law in Colorado and the District of Columbia.

Diane Carlton is Special Counsel at Griffiths Law. She has over 40 years of experience dedicated to helping clients and their families move through the difficult process of divorce. Diane is compassionate and works closely with clients to reach a constructive and productive resolution of their case. Diane focuses on achieving settlement wherever possible. She is a skilled trial lawyer as a result of her previous experience as a Colorado deputy public defender, municipal judge and her extensive trial experience in divorce cases. Diane represents clients from high net worth families and has served as co-counsel in complex divorce...

Mr. Creager holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Juris Doctorate from the Denver University Sturm College of Law. He earned the "Award for Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution" during law school and served as president of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. Before law school, Mr. Creager volunteered with Reading Partners – Denver, aiding children's reading skills. He holds a real estate license with over a decade of experience in residential, land, and commercial property sales and leasing. He maintains an active Colorado real estate brokers license. From 2008 to 2020, he contributed...