Best Lawyers Near You in Highlands Ranch, Colorado for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Ryan Lessmann is the office managing principal of the Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah offices and is a client solutions leader of Jackson Lewis P.C. He practices primarily in the area of employment litigation, including representing employers against claims alleging discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination, matters involving trade secret protection, restrictive covenants and unfair competition, and various contract issues. Ryan also counsels and defends employers in wa...
Comprehensive coast-to-coast employment law attorney. Over three decades of experience. Proactively identifies issues and provides creative solutions to mitigate risk and promote business goals. Christine Samsel advises employers—public and private companies, large and small, and celebrities and high-net-worth individuals—on virtually every aspect of employment law, from counseling on day-to-day issues and corporate transactions to managing high-level internal investigations and a...
Lauren E. Schwartzreich is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment. Lauren E. practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Lauren E. Schwartzreich since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Lauren E. Schwartzreich is held by other lawyers.
Danielle Urban is a partner in the firm's Denver office. She has a national practice representing a wide range of employers. Her practice involves representation of employers in wrongful termination, employment discrimination and harassment, Title VII, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), False Claims Act, international employment issues, covenants not to compete, employee defection and trade secrets c...
Christopher L. Ottele is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Christopher L. practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Christopher L. Ottele since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Christopher L. Ottele is held by other lawyers.
Sue Schaecher's practice has been dedicated to representing employers in labor and employment-related matters since 1984. She represents employers in bench and jury trials and appeals in state and federal courts, arbitrations, mediations, proceedings before state and federal administrative agencies, and government audits. She also advises employers involved in investigations, drafting policies and negotiating agreements. Sue provides advice and counsel to employers of all sizes from a variety...
Vance Knapp is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Vance practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Vance Knapp since 2023. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Vance Knapp is held by other lawyers.
William “Bill” is the founding member of Kelly Law Partners, LLC whose commercial and employment litigation practice focuses on national and regional litigation for business clients. In response to a survey of Fortune 500 General Counsel, Bill has been named a “BTI Client Services All Star” for 4 consecutive years. He is also the sole Colorado recipient of the “Lexology Client Choice Award in Litigation” for 2017, a national survey of in-house counsel. Bill...
Melisa Panagakos is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Melisa practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Melisa Panagakos since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Melisa Panagakos is held by other lawyers.
Stephen E. Baumann II is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Stephen E. practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Stephen E. Baumann II since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Stephen E. Baumann II is held by other lawyers.
David C. Gartenberg is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Litigation - Labor and Employment. David C. practices law in Denver, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized David C. Gartenberg since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David C. Gartenberg is held by other lawyers.
Brian L. Duffy is a president of the firm and previously served as Chair of the firm’s 600-member Global Litigation Department from 2009-2013. He focuses his practice on trial and appellate work in the class action, employment, energy, commercial contract and product liability areas, serving as national, regional and local counsel in high-profile cases. Brian represents public and privately-held entities and their principals in complex business-related disputes arising from both interna...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
