James L. Palenchar

Concentrates on oil and gas, environmental and land use law. Involved in many of the major disputes facing the energy industry in Colorado. Mark Mathews has successfully represented oil and gas and mining clients and real estate development companies in litigation and regulatory rulemakings concerning oil and gas preemption and royalty issues, hazardous waste contamination, enforcement of oil and gas regulations, zoning and development disputes and land use permitting issues. Mark is outside ...

Tom Bieging is of counsel with the firm. He focuses his practice in the areas of banking and commercial litigation. Mr. Bieging’s financial institutions practice includes holding company and change of control applications, loan documentation, regulatory compliance advice, loan work outs, board representation, and the sale, acquisition, and merger of banks and bank holding companies. Mr. Bieging has litigated with government agencies on financial institution policy matters with national ...

Elisabeth A. Cortese is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Elisabeth A., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elisabeth A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gretchen E. Lipman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Individuals and Family Law. Gretchen E., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gretchen E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Betty leverages extensive corporate finance and M&A transactional experience to guide companies through the entire corporate lifecycle, from formation through growth and planned exit. Her clients include established and emerging growth companies as well as venture capital and other private equity funds. She works with clients in a variety of industries, including software, technology, telecommunications, analytics, medical devices, healthcare, fintech and manufacturing. Betty regularly ac...

Ms. Frances McCracken, a founding Partner of Brown Gren Abraham & McCracken, was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1988 after graduating from the University of Colorado School of Law, where she was a Rothgerber Moot Court finalist and Professorial Assistant teaching appellate advocacy. Ms. McCracken clerked for the late Honorable James M. Robb before joining a Colorado insurance defense firm, where she became a shareholder. For the past 30 years, Ms. McCracken’s practice has concentra...

Hester M. Parrot has specialized in public finance law over the last 20 years, emphasizing charter school facility financings. She has extensive experience coordinating multidisciplinary financing teams to secure funding for charter schools’ permanent facilities in Colorado and throughout the country. She also assists other 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities—ranging from small towns and special districts to large cities, counties, and state-level issuers—achieve...

Carl F. Berglind is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law. Carl F., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carl F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Duncan focuses his practice on difficult and complex civil litigation and family law matters. He has significant experience in a variety of fields including construction defect, insurance, real estate and commercial litigation. He also assists with complicated domestic relations matters, and is especially useful in complicated property situations, or when there are concurrent civil lawsuits, receiverships, business torts or partnership dissolutions.Duncan’s work has led him to represent...

Bryan focuses his practice on advising privately-held business and their owners with respect to mergers and acquisitions, entity formation and operation, sales, purchases and leasing of real estate, commercial real estate, private placements of securities, and wills, trusts and business succession planning. Bryan is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Colorado Bar Association.