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Under Oath

Lindsay J. Miller

Member Spotlight

October 2020

Profile

Hometown: Fort Collins
Law School: University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Live in: Castle Rock
Works at: Folkestad Fazekas Barrick & Patoile, P.C.
Practice Areas(s): Real estate litigation, with emphasis in landlord/tenant; general civil litigation
CBA Member Since: 2010

Lindsay Miller was appointed to the Colorado Lawyer advisory board in 2019 and is currently serving as the board’s secretary.

What inspired your enthusiasm for Colorado Lawyer?

I’ve always loved to read and write. I was an English major at the University of Northern Colorado and really enjoyed working in the Writing Lab as a tutor for my fellow students. When I became a lawyer, I needed an outlet to take a break from “IRAC” format and happily fell into writing articles for Colorado Lawyer. I have written four articles and loved the process so much that I made it my goal to become a board member and encourage others to contribute.

What’s your favorite law school memory?

My favorite memory is one specific day from civil procedure class, with our beloved Professor Ann C. Scales. It was early in our first year and on this day we were told what law school was “really about.” “Law school is all about redefining FUN!” said Prof. Scales loudly and with great flair, arms outstretched, resplendent in her bright red Converse. Prof. Scales was one of us and proudly avoided wearing any type of business attire to class, despite her super-impressive Harvard Law degree and actually coining the term “feminist jurisprudence.” It was rumored she attended law school with Scott Turow and was involved in some of the events he recounted in his book, One L. She was just so cool. She prematurely passed away a few years after we graduated, but I truly hope later classes at DU hear and learn about her. Her wit and humor truly made our 1L year bearable. It was then I realized—I could be my loud, funny, outgoing self and still be one heck of a lawyer.

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

A few years ago, I took a case that inspired the Colorado Lawyer article I wrote on workers’ compensation and what makes a claim “compensable.” At the time, my client had tragically lost his wife under circumstances that I believed rendered the wife’s employer liable. I ultimately prevailed at a hearing challenging the compensability of her death. Presenting her husband with a six-figure settlement check that would send their children to college and give the husband peace of mind in retirement was one of the proudest moments of my legal life. I’ll never forget it.

On your desk right now:

A lava lamp, Godzilla toy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg posable figurine (with “I dissent” finger and gavel), Wonder Woman action figure, clay monster made by my daughter Harper, and Paul Stanley doll (aka “Starchild” from the band KISS). Oh, and some business cards. Totally serious. They inspire me in different ways.

What sport do you love to play or watch?

I’m a die-hard Broncos fan and can be found watching the games every Sunday from August to February. (I’m a positive thinker!)

What’s your best advice for new lawyers?

Start every new case with courtesy; introduce yourself to opposing counsel. Approach this profession with the baseline understanding that we all have a job to do, we’re going to disagree, we’re going to fight hard for our clients, and it’s going to be mentally exhausting sometimes. But it’s not personal. Stay humble and work smart.

Who is your hero and why?

I have two: Wonder Woman, because she champions a world where love, peace, justice, and truth reign; and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, because she’s fearless, goes with her gut, believes strongly in equality—and just might be Wonder Woman.

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