Claire Rumler
Member Spotlight
July 2026
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Claire Rumler is a Denver native, a Navy veteran, and a civil servant. After spending nearly 10 years serving her country as a judge advocate, she joined the federal civil service and returned to her hometown to continue serving her community. Currently, she serves as vice chair of the CBA’s Rule of Law Task Force.
Hometown: Denver
Law School: University of Miami School of Law
Lives in: Lakewood
Works at: Western Area Power Administration Office of General Counsel
Practice Areas: Land rights, federal tort claims, ethics, employment litigation, and procurement
Pronouns: She/ella
Why did you become a lawyer?
I always wanted to help people, but after growing up in a household where both my parents were lawyers, it was the last thing I wanted to do. After undergrad, I was living in a remote village in Chilean Patagonia and trying to figure out how I could build a career in human rights. My parents called one day and made the case for law school, saying that even if I didn’t practice, the degree would open a lot of doors to the public service world. Turns out, they were right.
What do you think is the most essential professional skill?
Listening. You cannot be an effective adviser if you don’t listen to—and understand—what your client needs.
What advice do you have for new lawyers?
Offload your ego. Nine times out of ten, you’re not going to be the smartest person in the room, and that’s okay—learn from the people around you, and never be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll look it up and get back to you.”
What’s your current passion project?
A nonprofit called the Escuelitas Foundation that I founded with my best friend. We partner with other nonprofits, including the ACLU, to provide free Know Your Rights training to bars and restaurants across Denver.
What’s your most prized possession?
A challenge coin that my command master chief gave me early in my Navy career when I was serving as a defense counsel in Norfolk, Virginia. He only gave them out to officers who did right by his sailors. I keep it on my nightstand.
What’s your favorite travel memory?
My first time in Tunis, Tunisia. I was on assignment with two other JAGs as the team lead. We were wandering around the souk, completely lost and jetlagged, trying to find somewhere to eat. One of the locals, a Tunisian man who was operating one of the stalls, started talking to us and ended up guiding us around the city for the day. He even gave me a hijab and helped me cover my hair. I went back to Tunisia three more times that year and always went to see him when I was in Tunis.
What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Spending Christmas in Finland.
What’s your TV guilty pleasure?
Below Deck on Bravo.
At a party, where are you most likely to be found?
Petting the dog!
What’s one thing you tried that you’ll never do again?
Fried scorpion in Thailand . . . never again.
Book you are currently reading:
For personal growth: White Tears, Brown Scars: How White Feminism Betrays Women of Color, by Ruby Hamad. For fun: Ruin and Rising, by Leigh Bardugo.
Where do you go when you need fresh inspiration?
I talk to the women in my life. I’m very fortunate to have a community of strong, fierce, intelligent, kind, passionate women who lift me up, celebrate my accomplishments, and straighten my crown when I need it. They inspire me every day.
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