Kendra Beckwith is an accomplished appellate lawyer, having briefed and argued nearly 60 cases in state and federal appellate courts nationwide. Her practice covers a broad variety of high-stakes subject areas, including professional liability, negligence and personal injury, employment, shareholder derivative suits, insurance law, real estate, natural resources, commercial litigation, and class and collective actions on behalf of individuals, small businesses, insurance companies, and Fortune 500 companies. In addition, Kendra has a robust amicus curiae practice. Industry groups and other interested parties often rely on her to provide briefing to the Colorado Supreme Court explaining how issues of first impression or great importance will affect them. She also has experience with original jurisdiction and mandamus proceedings.
Kendra frequently partners with trial counsel to strategize resolutions to complex legal issues, assist with preservation at trial, and handle post-trial and dispositive motions. She also litigates cases for clients, with emphasis in wage and hour, non-compete, breach of contract, agency actions, and health care.
Outside the courtroom, Kendra is a trusted counselor, known for providing pragmatic solutions to difficult problems. Calling on her breadth of experience, Kendra serves as outside general counsel for a local nonprofit, providing guidance on employment, contract, and strategic vision decisions.
Kendra is committed to pro bono representation. In 2021, she represented the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization before the Colorado Supreme Court in the inaugural congressional redistricting case addressing Colorado’s recent constitutional amendment.
More About Kendra N. Beckwith
Education
- J.D., University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, 2008
- B.S., Journalism, University of Colorado, 2004
Bar Admissions
- Colorado, 2008
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
Community
- Second Judicial District, Judicial Performance Commission, Commissioner, 2018-present; Chair, 2021-2022
- Colorado Bar Association, Ethics Committee, Member, 2016-present
- Colorado Bar Association, Appellate Sub-Committee, Member, 2016-present
- Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Member, 2016-present
- Colorado Supreme Court, Committee on Civil Jury Instructions, Member, 2015-present
- Minoru Yasui Inn of Court, Member, 2007-present
- Colorado General Counsel Mentoring Program, Member, 2018-2020
- Colo. RPC 8.4 Subcommittee, Standing Committee on Colo. RPC, Member, 2018
- Faculty of Federal Advocates, Board Member, Treasurer, 2014-2017
Representative Matters
- In re Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission, Colorado Supreme Court (redistricting)
- Gill v. Waltz, LLC and Delta Airlines, Inc. v. Scholle, Colorado Supreme Court (companion cases in which court adopted amicus rationale)
- Fox v. Alfini, Colorado Supreme Court (attorney-client privilege)
- Craft v. Wyoming Department of Health, Wyoming Supreme Court (medical malpractice)
- Cortez v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (employment law)
- Johnson-Linzy v. Conifer Care Communities A, LLC, Colorado Court of Appeals (arbitration agreement)
- Price v. Mountain Sleep Diagnostics, Colorado Court of Appeals (arbitration agreement)
- Turner v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., United States District Court, District of Colorado and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals (Fair Labor Standards Act)
- Belmont v. BP America Production Company, United States District Court, District of Wyoming (royalties class action)
Honors & Recognitions
- The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate, 2021-2023; Commercial Litigation, 2022-2023
- Colorado Super Lawyers, Appellate, 2022-2023
- Colorado Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2013-2021
- 5280 Magazine, Top Lawyers, Appellate, 2020-2023
- Colorado Bar Association Leader Training (COBALT), Graduate
Clerkships
- Honorable John Daniel Dailey, Colorado Court of Appeals
News
Publications
Presentations
- Panelist, "The Duty of Competence in the New Normal," 2022 Business Law Institute CLE, September 2022
- Presenter, "How to (Ethically) Withdraw from a Case," CBA-CLE, November 2021
- Presenter, "Tactics and Strategies for Preserving the Record," Fourth Annual Colorado Litigators’ Summit CBA-CLE, October 2021
- Presenter, "2021 Ethics Update," Faculty of Federal Advocates, November 2020
- Moderator, "Friend or Foe: Amicus Briefs," Annual Appellate Update, CBA-CLE, November 2020
- Presenter, "Ethics of Building a Practice," Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, June 2020
- Presenter, "Colorado Causes of Action CLE," Breach of Fiduciary Duty, June 2020
- Presenter, "Appeals Basics," Civil Appeals Clinic CLE, June 2020
- Presenter, "Appellate Practice 101: The Basics of Litigating an Appeal," March 2020
- Presenter, "Preserving Your Issues and Making Your Record for Appeal," Second Annual Colorado Litigators’ Summit CLE, September 2019
- Co-chair, "Annual Appellate Update," CBA-CLE, 2018-2020
- Presenter, "Joint Representation 2.0," Ethics 7.0 CBA-CLE, November 2018
Publications
- Quoted, "Recent Colorado Court of Appeals Decision Makes Waves for Water Utility, Landowners," Law360, November 2022
- Quoted, "Colorado Panel Seems Poised To Remand Atty Fee Issue," Law360, October 2022
- Quoted, "Supreme Court Urged To Review Bacardi's 'Untameable' TM," Law360, October 2022
- Co-author, "The Duty of Competence in the New Normal," Colorado Lawyer, July 2021
- Co-author, "Breach of Fiduciary Duty Chapter," Colorado Civil Claims, 2019
- Author, "A Lawyer’s Duty to Disclose Errors to the Client," Colorado Lawyer, May 2017
- Honors & Recognitions | 03/6/2023
- Insight | 11/14/2022
- Insight | 11/2/2022