Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod Waterfall (JKW), a regional full-service litigation and business law firm, added five attorneys from Denver-based Burns Figa & Will as partners and a sixth attorney as an associate. Together, they have established JKW’s newest office in Denver.
“We are pleased to announce the opening of our newest office in Denver — marking JKW’s expansion into the Colorado market,” John Sinodis, chairman of JKW, said. “Our firm will continue to focus on delivering high quality client service in our core practice areas of litigation, commercial lending, surety, dispute resolution, labor and employment, environmental, insurance and creditors’ rights.”
The six Colorado-based attorneys joining the firm are Michael “Mickey” Ley, Adrienne Scheffey, Dennis Bartlet and John Henry Verhoff, who have opened the firm’s Denver office. Dana Eismeier and Herrick Lidstone will join JKW shortly after the Denver office opening.
“We are proud to welcome our new partners to the firm,” Sinodis said. “While our relationship is just beginning, their experience, ties to the business and legal communities in Colorado, and fresh perspectives will strengthen the scope of services JKW offers. Bringing on attorneys who share our vision and commitment to excellence is an important step forward. Just as the Southwest continues to grow and transform, so will JKW.”
Attorneys opening JKW’s Denver office include:
Ley represents businesses and individuals in commercial litigation matters primarily involving disputes related to construction, suretyship, landlord/tenant issues, officer and director liability, company ownership and business torts. A litigator with a national litigation and arbitration practice, Ley has represented clients in matters across the U.S., from Oregon to New York and Delaware and numerous states in between. He frequently works with commercial property owners, providing guidance on common issues like construction disputes, contractor liens, trespassing complaints, zoning, lease workouts and restructuring and tenant evictions. Additionally, Ley assists businesses and non-profit organizations by serving as outside counsel and advising on common legal matters associated with risk management, compliance, contract drafting and litigation avoidance. A native Coloradan, Ley earned his law degree from the University of Colorado Law School and has been committed to the broader Denver community where he and his family live.
“I’ve known the partners at JKW for many years and helping to lead the firm’s expansion into the Colorado market is an exciting opportunity and a natural fit,” Ley said. “Success in today’s competitive and changing legal market depends on a lot of things and one of them is alignment — we all have a shared value for client service and a desire to continually grow and change to better serve our clients. That’s exactly what our clients do to be successful in business and they should expect nothing less from us. I’m very proud to broaden the reach of my new partners at JKW and to provide my Colorado clients with the legal acumen and experience of this great group of lawyers.”
Scheffey serves as strategic counsel for employers and business executives in Colorado who are navigating routine and complex employment related issues and assists them with finding business-forward solutions to litigation. Through her relationships in the Colorado State Legislature and her role with the Colorado Bar Association’s Labor and Employment Section, Adrienne is informed about Colorado’s ever-changing legal landscape and notifies her clients on topics pertinent to their business. Her practice focuses on matters involving wage & hour compliance and litigation; defending against discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and retaliation claims, with claims arising out of the ADA, FMLA, Title VII, CADA; classification matters involving independent contractor agreements as well as exempt vs. non-exempt determinations; severance and employment agreement drafting and negotiation; and preventive counseling, which involves drafting policies, training programs and compliance strategies for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, Adrienne conducts internal investigations related to employee misconduct and helps guide businesses through the complexities of adverse findings to minimize impact on the business and its team. Throughout her legal career, Adrienne has defended dozens of wage and hour class actions and has broad civil trial experience that ranges from representing clients in single plaintiff matters in state courts and arbitration to managing trial teams in high stakes Bet-the-Company litigation in federal courts throughout the Western United States. A native Coloradan and avid Buffs supporter, Adrienne received her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and earned her law degree from University of Miami School of Law.
“All businesses must navigate the intricacies of employment law at some point, whether through preventative compliance, or in administrative proceedings and litigation. I love working with executives and business owners, big and small, to proactively minimize risks of common missteps, such as misclassification of an employee, as well as helping navigate a sound path forward when something goes wrong,” said Scheffey. “Having the regional resources that JKW brings to our team in Colorado will not only help my current clients even more, but it allows us to serve more companies in Colorado and across the western United States. I am thrilled to be associated with such a respected group of lawyers and to introduce more of them to Colorado’s business community.”
Bartlett is a litigator with over 40 years of experience in civil and commercial litigation. He primarily focuses on matters involving fidelity and surety law issues, construction related disputes and litigation, agriculture law, insurance litigation and creditors’ rights issues. Scheffey has a successful track record of representing clients in Colorado and across the Intermountain West during mediation, arbitration, trial and through the appeals process. He is also regarded for providing general business representation and advising clients on business contracts and an array of common business legal matters and disputes. Scheffey previously served as the vice-chair of the Fidelity and Surety Law Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section and is AV-Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubble. Scheffey earned both his undergraduate degree and his law degree from the University of Notre Dame and is active in numerous law associations both locally and nationally.
Verhoff is an associate attorney who focuses his practice on commercial litigation, labor and employment law and surety law matters. Prior to joining JKW, Verhoff worked as a law clerk at several Denver law firms, where he gained experience in litigation and transactional matters. He also served as an extern for the Honorable Elizabeth Brodsky in the 20th Judicial District of Colorado.
Attorneys joining JKW in the coming weeks are:
Lidstone is a business lawyer who practices in the areas of business transactions, including taxation, limited liability company and corporate formation and organization, mergers and acquisitions, ethics and securities. He is well-known in the Colorado legal community as a successful attorney and an accomplished author. In addition to his legal practice, Lidstone has been an adjunct professor of business law and frequently presents to professional organizations on topics related to securities law, ethics, limited liability companies and partnerships.
Additionally, Lidstone is frequently called to serve as an expert witness in cases involving professional ethics, corporate law, partnerships, limited liability company and securities law matters. Throughout his storied legal career, Lidstone has served in various leadership positions, including on the Colorado Securities board and as a member (and past chair) of the executive council of the Colorado Bar Association’s Business Law Section, as well as on the Colorado Secretary of State’s business advisory board. He has aided in drafting bills and has testified on behalf of the Colorado Bar Association before the Colorado General Assembly on numerous bills. Lidstone has been honored for his dedication to the principles of legal professionalism with various awards recognizing his contributions to the advancement of Colorado business law and for his efforts to enhance the quality of business law practiced by attorneys throughout the state. A retired Lieutenant Commander with the U.S. Navy, Lidstone graduated from Cornell University in 1971 and earned his law degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1978.
“I’m looking forward to joining the excellent lawyers at Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod Waterfall, including those I have worked with for many years,” Lidstone said. “I am excited about the opportunity to introduce the firm to my friends and colleagues in the Denver community.”
Eismeier is a trial attorney with more than 35 years of experience representing clients in federal, state and appellate courts on all forms of business disputes and employment law matters in Colorado and throughout the western United States. He is recognized as a “go-to” lawyer when businesses encounter federal multidistrict litigation matters or are facing litigation involving significant business entity disputes, whistleblower and qui tam claims or agricultural and rodeo litigation. Eismeier has been consistently recognized as both a Colorado Super Lawyer and a Best Lawyer in America for litigation. He earned his law degree from the University of Notre Dame and has served in leadership roles for numerous community, educational and bar associations over the years.
