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Under Oath

Judge Juan G. Villaseñor

Member Spotlight

November 2020

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Profile

Hometown: Guadalajara, Mexico
Law School: Vanderbilt University
Live in: Fort Collins
Works at: Eighth Judicial District
Practice Areas(s): Civil, Criminal, Domestic Relations, and Juvenile
CBA Member Since: 2018

Juan G. Villaseñor is a district judge in the Eighth Judicial District, which serves Larimer and Jackson counties. He sits on the Colorado Lawyer advisory board.

What inspired your enthusiasm for Colorado Lawyer?

It’s a great publication that I’ve been reading for several years. Many times, its articles have been extremely helpful to my practice and, now, to my judicial duties. When board positions were announced, it was a no-brainer to join the Colorado Lawyer’s board to help shape its future and make the publication even better.

What is one of the most positive experiences you’ve had as a lawyer?

Serving as a federal-elections monitor for the US Department of Justice during the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. It was a fantastic experience visiting voting precincts in Denver and Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, talking to voters about their experience, and seeing their commitment and dedication to maintain a robust representative democracy.

What do you wish you had learned in law school?

Accounting, business valuation methods, and how to read profit-and-loss statements and balance sheets!

What are you passionate about?

Access to justice, procedural fairness, and equality.

Favorite spot in Colorado:

Anywhere in the Roosevelt National Forest, west of Fort Collins.

On your desk right now:

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America, by Richard Rothstein.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Becoming the first Latino district judge in Larimer County.

What is an unconventional lesson you’ve learned about the practice of law?

Never say that you won’t have to deal with [fill in the blank] type of law or practice. I’ve been surprised how often I’ve had to deal with areas of the law that I never expected to.

What is the most rewarding moment of your practice?

As a naturalized US citizen, my most rewarding time as a lawyer was representing the United States of America in court.

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