Ireland Stapleton’s trial lawyers have had a very successful year. Not only have the litigation practice group and its attorneys been selected to a variety of prestigious rankings, they have also had several notable trial victories.

At the end of last year, attorneys K.C. Groves, Regina Drexler, and Lidiana Rios tried a complex contract dispute in federal court, obtaining a $6 million jury verdict and a $9 million judgment after the trial court awarded attorney fees, costs, and prejudgment interest to the firm’s client. This was reported to be the eighth largest jury verdict in the State of Colorado in 2021.

In March, attorneys Julie Walker and Zach Price, along with co-counsel William Kelly of Kelly Law Partners, defended an international real estate franchise that was sued for fraud and vicarious liability by one of its franchisees. After a three-week trial in Riverside County, California, the jury reached a complete defense verdict in favor of the firm’s client.

In April, attorneys Kelley Duke and Benjamin Larson represented the plaintiff tenants in a complex state court dispute involving the breach of a long-term farm lease. Duke and Larson received a jury verdict in favor of the firm’s client in Prowers County, Colorado.

At the end of May, attorneys Mark Haynes and Lidiana Rios defended an accounting firm accused of breaching fiduciary duties in a federal jury trial. After five days in front of the jury, the team obtained a complete defense verdict finding that the firm’s client did not commit any fiduciary breaches.

In September, attorneys Julie Walker, Timothy Atkinson, and David Manush defended an architecture firm against the plaintiff who had sued over an alleged breach of a professional services agreement and sought over $1 million in damages. After a three-week jury trial, the team obtained a complete defense verdict in favor of the firm’s client.

“I am incredibly proud of this team and the work they have done to effectively advocate for our clients. This year’s trial victories prove what an effective and skilled group of litigators we have.”

Litigation Practice Group Leader Kelley Duke

Ireland Stapleton’s litigation group practices before state, federal, and administrative courts and state and federal regulatory agencies. The team represents individuals and international, national, regional, and local organizations in commercial and private disputes, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation-avoidance strategies. With each litigation matter, their goal is to achieve favorable and cost-effective results by understanding each client’s business and financial objectives, efficiently utilizing the firm’s staff and technology, and aggressively advocating for the best interests of the clients.