CASTLE & CASTLE - Key Persons
Jim was raised in large Irish Catholic family. With four other brothers and sisters to contend with, Jim trained himself at an early age to be an effective advocate.
During his law school education, Jim was exposed to the defense of the criminally accused and instantly recognized this was his calling. When he graduated he chose to become a Public Defender.
Jim decided to become a public defender as he believed in the constitutional principle that all people deserve a quality defense when the government threatens their freedom. Jim believes very strongly that being a lawyer is a profound honor. Abraham Lincoln and John Adams were personal heroes, and both were criminal defense lawyers who mixed their practice with a commitment to serve others.
In his time as a Public Defender, Jim became the youngest attorney to be handed the responsibility of defending a capital death penalty case and the youngest office head in the system. At the time he left the PD system, he held the record for most jury trials done while a county court deputy, 48 jury trials in 40 months. In one remarkable calendar year, Jim tried 13 felony cases to verdict with complete acquittals in all 13 jury trials.
Jim has been appointed by the state and federal courts in Colorado but also by federal judges in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
Jim has been named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in 2008-Present. Jim has been named one of the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers" by the American Association for Justice and has been selected for inclusion on the 2008-2024 Super Lawyers® lists by 5280 Magazine.
Jim has handled cases that have become the subject of documentaries produced by the BBC, the Discovery Channel and 48 Hours. He has been a nationally recognized expert in criminal defense and has been a guest commentator for CNN, CNBC, Fox News and the New York Times, as well as local television stations and newspapers.
Jim is often called upon to teach his fellow attorneys, was President of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, and has been recognized by courts and prosecutors as an expert in criminal defense. He has received the highest national rating for competence and ethics.
Laura was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She attended Colorado State University. There, she majored in sociology with a concentration in criminology and criminal justice. During her undergraduate studies, she interned as an investigator with the Fort Collins Public Defender's Office. It was that experience which sparked her passion for defending the accused and the indigent.
After college, Laura received her paralegal certification from the Community College of Denver. She then came to work with Jim and Liz.
In her time with Castle and Castle, Laura wears many hats, all of which overlap to some degree. She is a certified paralegal, a licensed private investigator and is trained as a mitigation specialist. Laura assists the team by collecting and analyzing records; interviewing clients, witnesses, and family members; conducting mitigation interviews and evaluations, and preparing pleadings, timelines, and exhibits for hearings and trials. She maintains connections with clients and their families in order to sustain positive relationships throughout representation, and beyond.
Over the years, Laura has served as the paralegal, investigator and/or mitigation specialist on over ten murder cases, six of which were clients who faced the death penalty. Laura is an indispensable member of the defense teams for Castle & Castle, both in and out of court. She has been at counsel table for multiple first-degree murder acquittals and has been very much a part of the results.
Laura's favorite part of the job is our clients. For most of them, dealing with their legal situation may be the worst time in their lives. It's important for her to make the clients feel heard, understood and to know they have a team fighting for them. It is not just her considerable talents and intellect that Laura literally, and figuratively, brings to the table but it is her sincere kindness to all that marks her as a truly outstanding member of the defense team.