John “Sean” Jennings

Sean Jennings is a regulatory attorney at Ireland Stapleton who represents businesses in matters involving regulatory law, government relations, and commercial transactions. He works with local and national clients across a wide range of industries, including food and beverage, energy, gaming, cannabis, and transportation. Sean regularly advises clients operating in emerging and highly regulated markets such as sports betting, short term rentals, online delivery platforms, and renewable energy.

Sean guides businesses through licensing and permitting hearings, zoning and land use matters, compliance issues, government enforcement actions, and investigations. He frequently represents clients before the Colorado Department of Revenue, the Department of Regulatory Agencies, the Public Utilities Commission, and other state agencies. At the local level, he appears before city councils, planning commissions, and other elected and appointed bodies. 

Sean also drafts proposed rules and legislation for clients in regulated industries and assists with rulemaking, policy development, and government affairs throughout Colorado.

In addition to his regulatory practice, Sean advises clients on commercial transactions, contracts, and intellectual property matters. He regularly helps businesses protect and leverage their brands through federal trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Sean has served on rulemaking committees and policy working groups for the State of Colorado and the City of Denver. Prior to joining Ireland Stapleton, he served as hearings manager for the City of Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, where he led the City’s administrative hearings process for business licensing matters. While in law school, Sean served as Executive Editor of the Villanova Law Review.

Education 

• J.D., Villanova University School of Law, 2011, cum laude
• B.A., Michigan State University, 2008, with Honors, Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions 

• Colorado

• Villanova Law Review, Executive Editor
• Recipient of Villanova Law Review Scribes Award for Legal Writing & Editing
• Recipient of Best First-Year International Law Brief Award
• Recipient of Best First-Year Memo Award

• Represents food and beverage clients ranging from aspiring local chefs to national supplier brands to international hotels for local, state, and federal liquor licensing and permitting. Represents local and national cannabis and CBD businesses for licensing, operating procedures, government investigations, and regulatory strategy in Colorado.
• Represents public and private sector clients in electric utility, renewable energy, and environmental compliance matters at several State of Colorado agencies.
• Represents rural electric cooperatives in regulatory matters and Public Utilities Commission proceedings. Represents local and national transportation companies and other industry sectors in Public Utilities Commission matters.
• Represented a rural electric cooperative to secure grant funding for broadband internet deployment at a State of Colorado agency.
• Represented business organizations for successful ballot initiatives in two Colorado cities for legal recreational cannabis sales.
• Represented the first cannabis research and development laboratory to obtain a license in the State of Colorado.
• Represented commercial and residential property owners in land use and licensing challenges for short-term rentals and local government policy.
• Represented the first entertainment district to obtain a common consumption liquor license to activate large public space in a metro city.
• Represented the first licensed racetrack to operate an online daily fantasy sports platform in the State of Colorado.
• At the City of Denver, managed and conducted the nation’s first community public hearings for recreational cannabis store licenses.

Involvement

• Energy Bar Association (EBA) Rocky Mountain Chapter, Board Member
• Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Infrastructure Committee Member
• Downtown Denver Partnership,  Downtown Denver Leadership Program
• WorldDenver, Emeritus Board Member
• University of Denver Law School Professional Mentoring Program
• Brother Rice Colorado Alumni Committee Member

Publications

• “What’s New at the Colorado PUC,” Colorado Rural Electric Association Legal Seminar, October 2024, May 2024, and October 2023
• Public Utilities Commission Update, Colorado Rural Electric Association Legal Seminar, October 2022
• “Bankruptcy and State Alternatives for Marijuana Business,” September 2018
• “Current Topics in Colorado’s Regulatory Landscape,” in 92 Denver Univ. Law Review Online 183 (2015)
• “Skiing Close to the Edge of Trademark Law: The Enforceability of Geographically Descriptive Marks in Vail Associates v. Vend-Tel-Co.,” in 55 Villanova Law Review 205 (2010)
• Marijuana and the Non-Profit Industry, at Community Resource Center Roundtable, 2019
• Hospitality Law, at Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association Conference, 2016
• Regulatory Update, at Recreational Marijuana CLE, 2015
• Navigating the Agencies, at Alcohol Beverage Law CLE, 2015
• Colorado Marijuana Licenses, at Recreational Marijuana CLE, 2014

Media

• Quoted in Law Week Colorado, “The Slow Rollout of Medical Marijuana Delivery,” April 16, 2020
• Quoted in Law Week Colorado, “Race Betting and Sports Betting – Different Rules Go Back Decades“, August 14, 2020

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