2026 Appellate Practice Update - In-Person
Return to the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center for this year’s Appellate Practice Update to learn how appeals are managed by the courts; hear bench perspectives on standards of review, preservation of issues, brief writing, and oral arguments.
Don’t miss:
• Faculty of over 40 Judges and Justices, court appellate specialists, including Clerks of Court, and highly respected appellate practitioners covering important appellate issues.
• Fan-Favorite Statistics Update presented by Geoff Klingsporn.
• NEW Lightning Rounds – covering 10 wide-reaching topics, such as supersedeas bonds and stays, client intake, unpublished opinions, and magistrate rules.
• Civil and criminal breakout sessions
• Extensive guidance on effective brief writing.
• Intimate reception immediately following the last presentation. Join us at the ART Hotel to mix and mingle with your colleagues, judges, and justices!
IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE HAS ITS PERKS
Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc. (CBA-CLE) values you and your participation in the Colorado legal community. The pandemic taught us that community building comes more naturally in person than it ever could via Zoom. Attending CBA-CLE events in person is a great way to network and meet new colleagues.
To encourage community building through in-person attendance, CBA-CLE will be holding a drawing at every live program held in the CLE Classroom, available only to in-person attendees. The winner will receive a CLE Elite Pass for 1 year (a value of $1,295 for members/$1,695 for non-members) simply by attending live.
CLE CREDITS: This program has been submitted for 8 General CLE Credits.
The program is accredited in Colorado. CBA-CLE staff can provide a Uniform Certificate of Attendance, and it is the attendee's responsibility to complete the accreditation outside of Colorado.
CBA-CLE will email webinar access information 24-48 hours before the program.
Home studies will be available 2-3 weeks following the live program.
CBA-CLE is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, and employment. To request an accommodation please contact [email protected] at least 14 business days in advance.
8:30 – 9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:05 am
Welcome and Introduction
Extended by Ruth Moore, Esq., Moore Williams PLLC, Chair of the CLE Planning Committee, Sharlene Aitken, Esq., Aitken Law LLC, Vice-Chair of the CLE Planning Committee, and Susie McNulty, Esq., CBA-CLE
9:05 – 9:25 am
Statistics Update—Colorado Appellate Courts
Presented by Geoffrey Klingsporn, Esq., Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP
9:25 – 10:15 am
Amicus Briefs
Panelists:
The Hon. Richard L. Gabriel, Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
The Hon. Ted C. Tow III, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Moderated by Jacob Hollars, Esq., Spencer Fane LLP, and Dana Kaersvang, Esq., Deutsch Hunt PLLC
10:15 – 10:25 am
Morning Break
10:25 am – 12:20 pm
Lightning Rounds
- Client Intake/Case Screening
Presented by Joel Pratt, Esq., Law Office of Joel M. Pratt
- Trial vs. Appellate Representation
Presented by Marsha Piccone, Esq., Fox Rothschild LLP
- Standards of Review
Presented by Kevin McReynolds, Esq., First Judicial District Attorney’s Office of Colorado
- Unpublished Opinions
Presented by Jesse Witt, Esq., Frascona, Joiner, Goodman and Greenstein, P.C.
- Magistrate Rules
Presented by The Hon. Marianne M. Tims, Magistrate, 1st Judicial District Court of Colorado
- Interlocutory Appeals
Presented by Taylor Bartlett, Esq., Motions and Jurisdiction Counsel, Colorado Court of Appeals, and The Hon. Jerry N. Jones, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
- Appellate Access to Justice
Presented by M. Linton Wright, Esq., Gardner Legal Services LLC
- Supersedeas Bonds and Stays
Presented by Jeffrey Ruebel, Esq., RQ Law, LLC
- Editing for Substance
Presented by Jen Erickson Baak, Esq., Hilgers PLLC
- Less is More – Techniques for Slashing Your Word Count
Presented by Paige Mackey Murray, Esq., Paige Mackey Murray, LLC
12:20 – 12:30 pm
Collect Boxed Lunch and Transition to Selected Breakout Session
12:30 – 1:20 pm
CIVIL BREAKOUT SESSION
Civil Appellate Practice – Year in Review
Panelists:
The Hon. Brian D. Boatright, Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
The Hon. Matthew D. Grove, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
The Hon. W. Eric Kuhn, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Moderated by Risa Brown, Esq., Fox Rothschild LLP, and Cati Shadakofsky, Esq., White and Steele, P.C.
CRIMINAL BREAKOUT SESSION
Beyond the Briefs – Motions Practice in Criminal Appeals
Panelists:
The Hon. Veronica S. Rossman, Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
The Hon. Rebecca R. Freyre, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
John Arceci, Esq., Office of the Federal Public Defender
Kyle Brenton, Esq., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado
Katayoun (Katy) Donnelly, Esq., Azizpour Donnelly LLC
Blain Myhre, Esq., Blain Myhre LLC
1:20 – 1:35 pm
Return to Main Classroom
1:35 – 2:25 pm
Preservation, Waiver, and Invited Error
Panelists:
The Hon. Christina F. Gomez, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
The Hon. Sueanna P. Johnson, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
The Hon. Pax L. Moultrie, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Moderated by Dean Batchelder, Esq., Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C., and Leigh Horton, Esq., Artemis Law LLC
2:25 – 3:15 pm
Oral Argument: Beyond Do’s and Don’ts – Goldilocks v. Bear
Panelists:
The Hon. Terry Fox, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
The Hon. Neeti V. Pawar, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
The Hon. Craig R. Welling, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Moderated by Sharlene Aitken, Esq., Aitken Law LLC, Ruth Moore, Esq., Moore Williams PLLC, and Quentin Morse, Esq., JVAM
3:15 – 3:25 pm
Afternoon Break
3:25 – 4:05 pm
Message from the Chiefs
Panelists:
The Hon. Monica M. Márquez, Chief Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
The Hon. Ted C. Tow III, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Moderated by Christopher Jackson, Esq., Holland & Hart LLP
4:05 – 4:50 pm
Clerks’ Panel
Panelists:
Tiffany Mortier, Esq., Clerk of Court, Colorado Court of Appeals
Jane Castro, Esq., Chief Deputy Clerk of Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit
Moderated by Robin Lutz Beattie, Esq., Beattie, Westmont & Simpson, LLC, and Nelson Boyle, Esq., Singleton Schreiber, LLP
4:50 – 4:55 pm
Appellate Pro Bono Program/Civil Appeals Clinic
Presented by Dean Batchelder, Esq., Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C., and Kyle Brenton, Esq., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado
4:55 – 5:00 pm
Closing Remarks and Welcome to New Justice
Recognizing:
The Hon. Susan J. Blanco, Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
Extended by Ruth Moore, Esq., Moore Williams PLLC, Chair of the CLE Planning Committee, and Sharlene Aitken, Esq., Aitken Law LLC, Vice-Chair of the CLE Planning Committee
5:00 – 6:30 pm
Networking Reception at ART Hotel – one block away from the Judicial Center!
Sponsored by:
Aitken Law, LLC
Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP
Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C.
Fox Rothschild LLP
Hilgers PLLC
Paige Mackey Murray LLC
Law Office of Joel M. Pratt
Location Information
2 East 14th Ave.
Denver, CO 80203
Registration Fees
| Non Member | $529.00 |
| CBA Member | $399.00 |
| CBA Litigation Section Member | $319.00 |
| New Lawyer Edge Partner | $199.50 |
| Government/Military/Public Service | $199.50 |
| Paralegal/LLP/Support Staff | $199.50 |
| CLE ELITE Pass Holder | $20.00 |
| Student Currently Enrolled in Law School | $0.00 |
- General Credits: 8.00
- Ethics Credits:
- EDI Credits:
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