James H. Chalat - Denver, CO

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James H. Chalat Overview

Jim Chalat has been selected for the Colorado SuperLawyers list each year that members of the Colorado bar have been considered for the distinction. He has earned this recognition through his success on behalf of his clients, in and out of the courtroom. In February of 2010, Mr. Chalat's client, a victim left paraplegic by a drunk driver , was awarded $18.5 Million following a district court bench trial. In June of 2007, Mr. Chalat obtained a $10.1 Million jury verdict, one of the largest verdicts ever awarded in a Colorado medical malpractice case.

A Colorado lawyer since 1977, Mr. Chalat is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a nationally esteemed organization. He is a sustaining member of American Association for Justice (formerly the American Trial Lawyers Association) and the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. Jim Chalat is rated "AV" (highest rating) by Martindale-Hubbell, the authoritative resource for information on the worldwide legal profession. He has also be rated 10 out of 10 by Avvo.

Mr. Chalat has published numerous professional articles, including the definitive articles on U.S. ski law and Colorado ski law. He has frequently been intereviewed as a national expert on ski litigation, and he is also a popular speaker for Continuing Legal Education, speaking on ski litigation, attorney ethics and malpractice, and general trial tactics.

Notable Verdicts and Cases

• $10.1 Million jury verdict, Bargai v. Carlson, 2006CV1550, Denver District Court, Colorado, June 18,2007.
• $8.3 Million jury verdict Grigg v. Wintergreen, CL-03-9452, Circuit Court for Albermarle
  County, Virginia, July 16, 2004.\
• Amicus curiae, for the prevailing party (plaintiff) Cooper v. Aspen, 48 P.3d 1229 (Colo.
  2002)
• $1.4 Million jury verdict, Nguyen v. Stecher, 01 CV 2541 Arapahoe County District Court
  (6/27/02)
• Amicus curiae for the prevailing party (prosecution) People v. Hall, 999 P.2d 207 (Colo.
  2000).
• $6.2 Million jury verdict, Hoar v. Great Eastern Resort, 506 S.E. 2d. 777 (Va. 1998)
• $2.4 Million jury verdict, Ulissey v. Shvartsman, 61 F.3rd 805 (10th Circ. 1995).
• Attorney discipline, Respondent suspended, People v. Watson, 833 P. 2d 50 (Colo. 1992).
• Non-settling defendant's damages, Wong v. Sharp, 734 F. Supp. 943 (D. Colo. 1990).
• Representation of blind vendors, Hudson v. Boxer, 632 F. Supp. 1569 (D. Colo. 1986)
  Plaintiffs' counsel, in three mass disaster cases: Glenwood Springs propane explosion,
  Joslin v. RMNG, Teller lift failure, Mills et al. v. Ralston, et ah, Steamboat Springs natural
  gas disaster.

Press and Media Appearances

• National Television: Evening News with Dan Rather, CBS; The Today Show, NBC; World
  News Tonight, BBC; panelist w/ moderator Chris Matthews, MSNBC;
• Local Television: with Professor Jan Laitos, segments for @Issue, 9 News; interviews for
  Denver's 7 and News4.
• Radio: Colorado Public Radio (Colorado Matters, 2/24/06) National Public Radio, KOA, KHOW, BBC.
• Print: Newsweek, The Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain News, The Guardian, The Los
  Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Boston Globe.

Practice Areas

• Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
• Legal Malpractice
• Medical Malpractice
• Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
• Products Liability Law
• Professional Malpractice Law

Litigation

• 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Current Employment Position(s)

• Managing Partner

Bar Admissions

• Colorado, 1977
• Michigan, 1983
• U.S. Federal Courts, 1977
• U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1981
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1981

Specialties and Certifications

• Civil Trial Lawyer, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988

Other Affiliations

• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1980 - Present (Member and Diplomate)
• American Association for Justice, 1982 - Present (Sustaining Member)
• National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988 - Present (Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer)
• Colorado Supreme Court Grievance Committee (Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel)
• Jefferson County Juvenile Review Board (Member)
• Thompson G. Marsh American Inn of Court (Senior Member)
• The American Inns of Court, 2004 - 2005 (President)
• Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (Eagle Member)
• American Bar Association (Member)
• Colorado Bar Association (Member)
• Denver Bar Association (Member)
• Michigan Bar Association (Member)
• First Judicial District Nominating Committee (Appointee)
• State of Colorado, Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel, 1991 - 1996 (Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel)
• Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2000 - 2004 (Member, Board of Directors)
• American Association of Justice, 1980 - Present (President's Circle)
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy (Instructor & Diplomate)

Education

• University of Denver College of Law, Denver, Colorado, 1977
  Doctor of Jurisprudence
  Law Review: Administrative Law Review, Assistant Editor
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1974
  B.G.S.
  Honors: With Distinction

Pro Bono Activities

• Pro Bono Program, Denver Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach. Lakewood HS, 2005
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach. Lakewood HS, 2006
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach, Evergreen HS, 2007
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach, Evergreen HS, 2008
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach, Regional Winners, 2005
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach, Regional Winners, 2007
• Colorado Bar Association, High School Mock Trial Attorney Coach, Regional Winners, 2008
• Fund Raising, Colorado Ballet, Board of Trustees, 1995 - 1996
• Soda Creek Property Owners Assn., Director, 1991 - 1995
• Trustee, Congregation Beth Evergreen, Evergreen, CO, 1993 - 2001
• Jefferson County Juvenile Review Board, Member, 1992 - 1994
• Judge - Regional Finals, National Student Trial Advocacy Competition, ATLA, 1986
• Judge - Regional Finals, National Student Trial Advocacy Competition, ATLA, 1987
• Volunteer, Boy Scouts of America
• Advisory Board, Team Manager, Board of Directors of Jeffco & Mountain Area Midget Football Association, 2001 - Present

Classes and Seminars

• Survey of Ski Law in United States, Recreation & Adventure Program Law & Liability, 2006
• Ski Law in the United States: A Practical Guide to Ski Accident Litigation, Recreation & Adventure Program Law & Liability, 2005
• Ski Law in the United States, Law Education Institute, 2005
• How to Try a Medical Malpractice Case in Colorado, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2004
• Faculty, Avalanche Liability Law & Ski Law in the United States, A Practical Guideline to Ski Accident litigation for non-U.S. Attorneys, XXXI SKILEX 2004, Obergurgl/Solden Austria, 2004
• Civil Litigation Update, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2003
• Faculty, "Preventing Legal Malpractice",, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2001
• Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention, Ethics 2001 Conference, 2001
• Faculty, Recreation Tort Law, Colorado Tort Law Update,, CLE in Colorado, 2000
• Faculty, Current Topics in Legal Ethics, Colorado CLE Seminar, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, 2000 - Present
• Faculty, Current Topics in Legal Ethics, Colorado Continuing Legal Education Seminar, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, September 1, 1999 - September 30, 1999
• The Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention, National Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Practicing Law Institute, Vail, Colorado, January 1, 1999 - January 31, 1999
• Presentation, Lead Defense Counsel, Moot Court, Jones v. Clinton, American Inns of Court, Thompson G. Marsh Inn, February 1, 1998 - February 28, 1998
• Faculty, Avoiding Malpractice - The Nine Commandments of Avoiding Legal Malpractice, LEX LEGIS, December 1, 1997 - December 31, 1997
• Faculty, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 1995 - 1996
• Trial Advocacy for the Occasional Litigator, National Business Institute
• Faculty, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Western Regional Session, 1994 - 1995
• Adjunct Professor, University of Denver College of Law, 1985 - 1987
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Counties of Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Pitkin, Routt and Weld
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Southwest Colorado
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Ninth Judicial District
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Fourteenth Judicial District
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Texas Trial Lawyers Bar Association
• Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Dartmouth College Bar Association
• Presentation, National Ski Patrol
• Presentation, Jackson's Hole Ski Patrol
• Presentation, Winter Park Volunteer Ski Patrol

Videos

Photos

Address

1900 Grant Street
Suite 1050
Denver, CO 80203-4349

Phones

303-861-1042
800-221-5526

Faxes

303-861-0506

Emails

Contact Us

Offers Free Initial Consultation

Yes

Websites

http://www.chalatlaw.com
http://www.coloradolaw-blog.com (Colorado Law Updates and Info)

Articles

The Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention (Co-Author), 22 Trial Lawyer 183-198, 1999

Liability of Skier for Injury to Another Skier, 46 Proof of Fact 1, (West's), 1998

Liability of Ski Area Operator for Skiing Accident, 45 Am Jur Proof of Facts 3d 115 (West's), 1998

Colorado Ski Law, 27 Colo. Lawyer, No.2, at 5-18, February, 1998

Closing Argument, The Art and the Law, Clark Boardman Calahan Cum. Supp., Section 331 Jury-Function, p. 53, 1995

"Expert Testimony and the Dancing Ballerina", 7 The Expert Witness Journal No. 2, February, 1995

"$2,150,000 Verdict - General Negligence - Skiing Accident", 9 National Jury Verdict Reporter Issue 12, November, 1994

"The Constitutional Foundations of Modern American Tort Law,", 16 The Colorado Lawyer 970, September, 1987

"Michigan's Ski Law,", 63 Mich. B. J. 355, May, 1984

Ski Safety News (1989-Present)

Development of Standard of Care in Colorado's Ski Law, The Colorado Lawyer, March, 1986

Ski Law in Colorado: The Timorous No Longer Stay at Home, (Co-Author with Eric Samler and Christopher P. Koupal), 31 The Colorado Lawyer 211, February, 2002

Restitution in Criminal Actions: Considerations for Civil Trial Lawyers, Trial Talk, (Co-Author with Linda J. Chalat), Colorado Trial Lawyers Assn., Oct/Nov., 2001

Ski Law for Beginners, Intermediates, and Experts, (Co-Author with Linda J. Chalat), TRIAL MAGAZINE, Journal of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Aug., 2001

Liability of Skier for Injury to Another Skier, 46 PROOF OF FACT 1, 1998

Liability of Ski Area Operator for Skiing Accident, 45 PROOF OF FACT 115, 1998

Colorado Ski Law, 27 THE COLORADO LAWYERq, February, 1998

CLOSING ARGUMENT, THE ART AND THE LAW, §331 Jury-Function, (Co-Author with Jacob A. Stein), Clark Boardman Calahan, 1995

The Constitutional foundations of Modern American Tort Law, 16 THE COLORADO LAWYER 970, September, 1987

The Development of the Standard of Care in Colorado Ski Cases, 15 THE COLORADO LAWYER 373, March, 1986

Ski Collision and Ski Equipment Cases, 34 TRIAL TALK 303, October, 1985

From Wright to Sunday and Beyond, 4 THE UTAH LAW REVIEW 885, 1985

Michigan's Ski Law, 63 THE MICHIGAN BAR JOURNAL 355, May, 1984

Continuing Changes in Colorado's Ski Law, 13 THE COLORADO LAWYER 407, March, 1984

Colorado Ski Act Update, 10 THE COLORADO LAWYER 1611, July, 1981

Ski Tips for Attorneys, 9 THE COLORADO LAWYER 452, March, 1980

"$1.5 Million settlement in Utah skier collision case, Kotun v. Howe, , Utah Association for Justice, August, 2008

Expert Testimony the Dancing Ballerina, 7 THE EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL NO. 2, February, 1995

$2,150,000 Verdict - General Negligence - Skiing Accident, 9 NATIONAL JURY VERDICT REPORTER 12, November, 1994

Summary Judgment based on the Colorado Ski Act, 43 TRIAL TALK 32-33, July/August, 1994

Structured Settlement Reached in Skier/Skier Collision, 40 TRIAL TALK 169-170, June, 1991

Judge Arraj Clarifies Comparative Negligence Statute, Case report: Wong v. Sharp, (Co-Author with Stephen C. Kaufman), 39 TRIAL TALK 154, June, 1990

Two Skiers' Collision on Slopes = $242,000 - 20% Comparative Negligence, .S. District Court for Colorado 37 TRIAL TALK 120-121, April, 1988

"Report of the Judicial Poll Committee," The Proclamation, First Judicial District Bar Association Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 3, September, 1986

Instructions for the Ski Instruction Case, 35 TRIAL TALK 18, April, 1986

"In the Wake of Tragedy the Time Has Come for Safety", Rocky Mountain News, December 20, 1985

$143,380 Verdict in Ski Injury Case, 33 TRIAL TALK 30, July, 1984

Ski Safety Act—Presumption of Skier's Negligence Held Unconstitutional, 32 TRIAL TALK 25, November, 1983

The Changing Role of the Ski Patroller, THE NATIONAL PATROLLER (The National Ski Patrol System, Inc.), Winter, 1982

Law and Computers, 29 TRIAL TALK 27, July, 1980

Representative Cases

• Hoar v. Great Eastern, 506 S.E. 2d 777 (VA. 1998)
• Ulissey v. Shvartsman, 61 F. 3d 805 (10th Circuit 1995)
• Wong v. Sharp, 734 F. Supp. 943 (D. Colo. 1990)
• People v. Watson, 833 P. 2d 50 (Colo. 1992)
• Hudson v. Boxer, 632 F. Supp. 1569 (D. Colo. 1986)