FOSTER GRAHAM MILSTEIN & CALISHER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Rocky Mountain Region Board Member and National Commissioner
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Paralegal
Demaryius Thomas, former Broncos Pro Bowl receiver, pleads guilty to careless driving (denverpost.com)
Former Aurora police chief's partner facing charges of falsifying child abuse allegations against council member - Sentinel Colorado
Ex-Colorado police chief's partner faces charges after fraudulent child sex abuse report | Crime & Justice | gazette.com
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Paralegal
Bryson supports the corporate, mergers & acquisitions, and real estate practices at FGMC, focused on helping business leaders achieve their goals while honoring the time and effort they've invested in their business. Growing up in a town where small business was the lifeblood of the community, Bryson shaped his legal practice to support the same critical pillars of neighborhoods, families, and communities. Bryson brings a wide range of perspectives from in-house experience at startups to legacy investment firms. On the corporate and real estate teams, Bryson brings relentless effort to support your next critical business decision, while always keeping the personal client relationship at the forefront. Outside the office, you can find him lost in the woods, enjoying a local golf course, climbing, or sliding down hills, and cheering on the Florida Gators.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant
- Receptionist
Job Titles:
- Lawyers Association, Member
Mr. Calisher has broad litigation experience, including commercial disputes, mortgage litigation, ownership and/or control of businesses, real estate and landlord/tenant matters, employment issues, construction litigation, appeals, as well as licensing and other administrative proceedings.
His practice is currently focused on mortgage related litigation, including secondary market repurchase and indemnity claims, appraiser malpractice, broker liability, borrower malfeasance, and title issues.
Mr. Calisher is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California. Before entering private practice, Mr. Calisher served as a law clerk to the Honorable Carlos F. Lucero of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Managing Partner of Foster Graham Milstein & Calisher LLP
Selected by his peers as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in the state of Colorado.
For over thirty five years, David has provided legal counsel and guidance to clients. David joined the firm in 2012 and brings a vast knowledge base of the legal system that has benefited the firm and his fellow colleagues.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- Campaign Chair
- Executive
- Member and Former Chair
- Member of Selection Committee for Denver Jewish Film Festival
Drew is a dynamic and proficient real estate and business lawyer with over two decades of experience closing real estate transactions and creating solutions in complex real estate projects and business disputes.
From raw land development through lease out, Drew guides his clients through the life cycle of their real estate portfolio.
Drew's comprehensive experience as a business litigator, a proficient drafter, and deal counsel helps his clients move with the market, and provides keen insights and a unique perspective on wide range of real estate matters.
Bio
With over 20 years of experience, Drew's practice is focused on commercial real estate financing, development, purchase and sale transactions, leasing and related real property disputes.
Drew began his career in the courtroom, representing clients ranging from Fortune 100 lending institutions to regional developers and investors in all manner of real estate and commercial contract litigation. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Drew successfully represented dozens of financial institutions and investors in resolving over $400MM in distressed commercial real estate through litigation and loan restructuring. Drew's expertise in contract law and prior experience as trial counsel for property owners, lenders and construction clients in state and federal courts is frequently brought to bear for his transactional clients on tough and complicated deals.
Drew is licensed to practice in Colorado, Florida and Ohio.
Experience
Practice Areas
Gary's practice spanning close to 40 years in the Denver and Colorado community includes business, real estate and finance transactions where he generally represents closely held or family ownership groups. Gary's practice also includes extensive work in wealth planning to include estate and gift, family succession and charitable planning along with probate and estate disputes. Gary is proud to have had the honor to represent clients for many years and into multi- generational planning and ownership. He has been adept at navigating complex legal matters with practical approaches to resolve competing or adverse viewpoints with the goal of resolution to mutual beneficial results. Gary also has extensive personal business managements skills in the oil and gas industry.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- High School IB Foundation, Board Member
Job Titles:
- Trust / Estate / Tax Paralegal
John Chanin is a trial lawyer with extensive experience in complex business litigation, financial fraud, government investigations, and white-collar defense. In his 30-years of practice, John has handled and tried diverse cases involving securities, intellectual property and trade secrets, commercial disputes, employment agreements, real estate, healthcare, and financial institutions. He has also represented numerous companies and individuals facing government investigations, enforcement proceedings, and white-collar prosecutions. Often practicing at the intersection of civil, criminal, and regulatory law, John brings a global perspective, keen intellect, and when necessary, vast courtroom experience to bear for his clients. In recognition of that experience, John was elected President of the Faculty of Federal Advocates in 2011.
Experience
Practice Areas
With her unwavering commitment to client success, Julie is a powerful advocate for businesses and individuals navigating the legal landscape.
Bio
Julie is a skilled business litigation attorney with extensive experience in complex disputes. Prior to joining the firm, Julie was a commercial litigation attorney for one of the 10 0 largest law firms in the U.S., handling a wide range of matters including breach of contract, business torts, business ownership disputes, consumer protection, intellectual property, employment, real estate, construction defect, professional negligence, and attorney ethics. She achieved successful settlements and trial outcomes for her clients. Julie also previously owned her own law firm, where she provided outside general counsel and litigation advisory services. Sh e began her legal career as a staff attorney at the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, where she gained experience in attorney ethics and discipline matters.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- Office Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Paralegal
Job Titles:
- Business / Corporate / Finance Paralegal
25 years of legal experience with the unique background of having practiced real estate and land use in both the public and private sector, Kristin has the advantage of understanding local government law and procedure and the experience of assisting developers with navigating through government processes.
Intertwined into her real estate and land use practice, Kristin has organized and represented Title 32 special districts and has advised and assisted local governments with the service plan approval process.
Experienced in the creation, revision and interpretation of multiple jurisdictional land use regulations, ordinances and agreements, Kristin provides a precise understanding of the law giving unparalleled direction and guidance to her clients.
She is a dynamic attorney who offers a diplomatic and determined approach to her clients. Her straightforward and collaborative style, combined with her experience, makes her a well sought-after attorney at FGMC.
Bio
Kristin has 25 years of experience representing landowners and private entities in land use matters, as well as working in local government advising officials and governmental departments on multiple issues. During her tenure with Adams County, Douglas County, and City of Westminster, Kristin's legal expertise guided counties and municipalities through the oversight of all things land use. From helping Planning Commissions navigate through zoning, subdivisions and comprehensive master plans to advising city council and boards during quasi-judicial hearings and guiding them through zoning and subdivision issues, real estate agreements, development and infrastructure agreements, eminent domain and land use litigation; Kristin has an extensive background making her a one-of-a-kind asset to the FGMC land use team. On the private side, Kristin represented home builders, landowners, and developers providing legal services for a wide range of projects such as conditional use permits, rezonings, planned unit developments and property acquisition. Her understanding of the intricacies of governmental procedure and process provides favorable framework and solutions to clients engaging in projects or disputes with governmental entities.
Experience
Practice Areas
Kristin is a professional planner with 15 years of experience in various local government roles including planning, transportation, economic development, and public works, serving most recently as the Director of Public Works for Adams County, Colorado. She is adept at bridging the space between technical and political perspectives. She is a determined problem solver, a skilled communicator, and has a unique ability to blend technical knowledge with big ideas and vision.
Experience
Practice Areas
Lara Baker specializes in criminal defense and Title IX litigation in state and federal courts. Because a criminal allegation can have a myriad of ancillary consequences, Lara's sophisticated criminal practice often includes handling related investigations and/or litigation involving the Department of Regulatory Agencies, the Securities and Exchange Commission, collegiate and secondary educational settings, the Department of Human Services, and the Office of Attorney Regulation. Prior to honing her focus to criminal defense, Lara spent years litigating a variety of civil matters.
Lara began her career at Isaacson Rosenbaum, P.C. where she practiced for six years before joining Foster Graham Milstein and Calisher in 2011. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Lara worked as a business process consultant for Accenture, advising Fortune 500 companies on ways to create procedural synergies and efficiencies following mergers, acquisitions, or other business restructuring.
Internal to the law firm, Lara is a senior partner, a member of the firm's management committee and head of the criminal litigation practice group.
Lara is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and the Leeds School of Business. In recognition for her excellence in practice, Lara is consistently named to the national listing of Best Lawyers in America, 5280 Magazine's "Top Lawyers" and Colorado Super Lawyers. She is well known throughout the metro area for presentations she gives related to juvenile justice.
Experience
Practice Areas
From her early career in healthcare to her commitment to her community, Lori brings compassion and care for all of those around her. Specializing in estate law, elder care and corporate law, Lori exercises a unique client style that focuses on approachability, understanding and meeting clients where they are. With an exceptional attention to detail and extensive experience, Lori helps clients navigate legal scenarios that are rarely simple and often multi-layered. Lori guides individual clients though estate planning, trusts, wills, advanced directives, and powers of attorney for health and financial/legal needs. She also practices corporate and business law spanning areas including contracts, governance, and employment law.
On a personal note, Lori volunteers on several boards, actively participates in the Colorado Bar Association, and fundraises as a Wheels of Justice team cyclist for the Courage Classic benefitting Children's Hospital Colorado.
Experience
Practice Areas
With more than 35 years of a broad and diverse practice, Mark has assisted individuals and businesses, both large and small, with a myriad of legal issues spanning the areas of real estate acquisition, development and sale, leasing and lending, business formation, general taxation, estate planning and business succession, and general corporate representation. He has had the opportunity to spend his career working in both a large international law firm as well as in highly respected mid-size law practices.
His approach has been one of a "general practitioner" who has developed specialized knowledge to counsel his clients. Paired with the added benefit of having spent his formative years working in a successful Denver family business, Mark has gained useful perspectives on the challenges that face both the entrepreneur and any business in all phases of its growth.
Experience
Practice Areas
Melanie's practice focuses on complex commercial and business disputes, as well as employment matters. Melanie has successfully handled civil proceedings at the district and appellate levels-securing favorable settlements, verdicts, and judicial rulings for her clients.
Most recently, Melanie persuaded the Colorado Court of Appeals to reverse a judgment entered against her client on an issue of first impression regarding the distribution of LLC assets. The case is U.S. Bank v. Constance Marie, LLC, 2017 WL 2385499 (Colo. App. 2017).
Experience
Practice Areas
Michael's practice involves complex real estate, corporate and financing transactions with a special emphasis on commercial leasing and sale/leaseback financing. While protecting his clients' interests is his primary focus, Michael understands the dynamics of the deal and the importance of closing the transaction rather than allowing it to get bogged down with theoretical "what if's" and legal minutia. As an attorney Michael's experience includes the representation of a publicly traded real estate investment trust with over 2.5 billion dollars of acquired assets, the acquisition and sale of ongoing business ventures, all aspects of commercial and private lending, as well as general corporate and business representation.
Experience
Practice Areas
Michael is an experienced civil litigator with a diverse practice. Michael has successfully handled hundreds of civil hearings, trials, arbitrations, and mediations, primarily in connection with real estate, contract and business disputes. Michael's litigation experience includes cases relating to real estate transactions, development, financing, landlord-tenant matters, and complex commercial and business disputes, from inception through appeal. Michael also has an extensive real estate and business transactional practice.
Experience
Practice Areas
Michael is a Colorado native born in Fort Collins to a career military officer. After studying trumpet at the Lamont School of Music, he plunged into law school. He is a civil litigation specialist with considerable experience in construction industry disputes, business and commercial litigation, employment disputes, general liability, and insurance matters. He has assisted clients with matters such as construction defect disputes, construction contract disputes, trade secret protection, employee discipline and investigation, civil rights, insurance coverage, and premises liability.
Experience
Practice Areas
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Paralegal
Mike is a trial and appellate lawyer who handles complex civil and commercial litigation across an array of industries and in the public sector, representing businesses, executives, investors, and employees. In 20 years of practice, Mike has handled cases ranging from billion-dollar disputes to interesting and novel constitutional and election law cases. He is also a law enforcement academy instructor and former police sergeant with deep knowledge of criminal, constitutional, and use-of-force law.
Mike is licensed and practices regularly in Colorado, California, and New York, and appears in state and federal courts and in FINRA and AAA arbitration nationwide. Among other accolades, Mike has been named a "Best Lawyer" in commercial litigation and a Law Week Colorado "Lawyer of the Year." More than anything, Mike takes great pride in working people out of seemingly intractable situations.
Experience
Practice Areas
Mikhail Laskin is an experienced trial attorney at Foster Graham Millstein & Calisher. His practice focuses on defending the rights of those accused in criminal courts of every kind across Colorado. He received his law degree from the University of Denver, where he had his first trial experience in the Criminal Defense Clinic. He joined FGMC after four years as a trial attorney at the office of the Colorado State Public Defender in Pueblo and Arapahoe counties. Mikhail has defended hundreds of people in matters ranging from DUI to Homicide and everything in between.
He feels most comfortable in the courtroom, having been to trial on numerous cases and receiving successful verdicts in a vast majority of those cases. Mikhail is also a native Russian speaker. He feels privileged to be part of the team at FGMC which shares his passion and dedication to strong and zealous advocacy.
Job Titles:
- Document Management Specialist
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Paralegal
Job Titles:
- Land Use and Real Estate Legal Executive Assistant
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Administrative Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Land Use and Real Estate Paralegal
Steven's areas of practice include taxation, estate planning, business formations, structuring and planning, and tax-exempt organizations
Prior to entering the field of law Steven worked for Arthur Andersen, LLP as a Certified Public Accountant
Steven received his law degree from the University of Denver where he was a member of the editorial board of the Denver University Law Review and received a Scholastic Excellence Award in Estate and Gift Taxation. Steven also received his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Denver
Bio
Steven has published articles in the Denver University Law Review, The Colorado Lawyer, and Colorado Real Estate Journal. He has also written a chapter on U.S. law in the publication E-Commerce and the Law of Digital Signatures, and a chapter on Taxation in Lawyer's Professional Liability in Colorado (2d ed.). He is a frequent lecturer on tax-related subjects for continuing legal education classes, and held an honorarium at the University of Colorado at Denver, Graduate School of Business where he teaches International Taxation.
Steven holds an "AV" rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, which is based on the publisher's confidential surveys of attorneys and judges practicing in the Denver metropolitan area. An "AV" rating is the highest rating conferred by the publisher and represents the legal community's opinion as to an attorney's legal abilities and adherence to ethical standards.
Job Titles:
- Board of Trustees, Trustee & Executive Committee Member
Job Titles:
- Criminal Defense Paralegal