Annual Alumni Awards Banquet Videos

The History of William Lee Knous (1911)

2021

In 2021, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
Daniel A. Vigil ('82)

Distinguished Achievement—Public Sector
Jacki Cooper Melmed ('03)

Distinguished Achievement—Private Practice
Carolyn Fairless ('98)

Distinguished Achievement—Education
Whiting Dimock ('96)

Distinguished Achievement— Solo/Small Firm Practitioner
Tyrone Glover ('09)

Distinguished Achievement—Special Recognition for Outstanding Leadership in Civil Rights
Ryan Haygood ('01)

Richard Schaden Adopted Alumnus Award
John Echohawk

Sonny Flowers Award
Hon. Gary M. Jackson ('70)

2020

In 2020, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
Hon. Nathan Coats ('77), Colorado Supreme Court

Distinguished Achievement—Public Sector
Steve Zwick ('77), San Miguel County (retired)

Distinguished Achievement—Private Practice
Mindy Sooter ('03), WilmerHale

Distinguished Achievement— Solo/Small Firm Practitioner
W. Harold "Sonny" Flowers Jr. ('71), Hurth, Sisk & Blakemore LLP

Dean Edward C. King Making a Difference Award
Kristin Bronson ('97), City and County of Denver

Richard Schaden Adopted Alumnus Award
Gordon Gamm

2019

In 2019, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
William R. Gray ('66) and John A. Purvis ('67), Purvis Gray Thomson, LLP

Distinguished Achievement—Judiciary
The Honorable Kristen L. Mix ('85), United States District Court for the District of Colorado

Distinguished Achievement—Private Practice
Todd Fredrickson (’91), Fisher & Phillips LLP

Distinguished Achievement—Public Sector
Jim Coyle (’85), Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel for the Colorado Supreme Court (Retired)

Dean’s Choice—Richard Schaden Adopted Alumnus Award
Korey Wise

Dean’s Choice—Dean Edward C. King Making a Difference Award
Meshach Y. Rhoades ('04), Armstrong Teasdale LLP

2018

In 2018, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
Peter C. Dietze (’62), Dietze and Davis, P.C. (retired)

Distinguished Achievement—Recent Alumnus
Javed M. Abbas (’13), The Harris Law Firm P.C.

Distinguished Achievement—Corporate Counsel
Sonny Cave (’85), ON Semiconductor

Distinguished Achievement—Public Sector
Timothy Monahan (’87), Colorado Office of the Attorney General

Distinguished Achievement—Private Practice
Niki Frangos Tuttle (’84), Hogan Lovells

Dean’s Choice—Richard Schaden Adopted Alumna Award
Chief Justice Nancy E. Rice, Colorado Supreme Court

Dean’s Choice—Dean Edward C. King Making a Difference Award
Mekela Goehring (’02), Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network

2017

In 2017, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
The Honorable Bill Ritter Jr. ('81), former governor of Colorado and founder and director of the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University.
Distinguished Achievement - Solo/Small Practice
Gary B. Blum ('71), director and shareholder, Silver & DeBoskey, P.C.
Distinguished Achievement - Private Practice
Hugh Q. Gottschalk ('79), partner and president, Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP
Distinguished Achievement - In-House Counsel
Beverly E. Ledbetter ('72), vice president and general counsel, Brown University
Distinguished Achievement - Public Service
The Honorable Pat Steadman ('91), senator, Colorado General Assembly
Dean's Choice Award - Adopted Alumna
The Honorable Christine M. Arguello, judge, United States District Court, Colorado

2016

In 2016, we honored:

William Lee Knous Award
Norman Brownstein ('68) and Steven W. Farber ('68), Shareholders, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
Distinguished Achievement - Public Sector
The Honorable Cory Gardner ('01), United States Senator - Colorado
Distinguished Achievement - Judiciary
The Honorable Marcia S. Krieger ('79), Chief Judge, United States District Court, Colorado
Distinguished Achievement - Corporate Counsel
Michelle M. Lucero ('89), Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel, and Chief Flash Mob Officer, Children's Hospital Colorado
Richard Schaden "Adopted Alumni" Award
Paul and Norma, and David and Jed Barash, parents and brothers of Daniel Barash ('02)
Dean Edward C. King "Pay it Forward" Award
Fiona Arnold, Executive Director, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

2015

In 2015, we honored:

Betty Carter Arkell ('75), Partner, Holland & Hart LLP, for the William Lee Knous Award, Colorado Law's highest alumni honor

William R Buck (’83), General Counsel-Upstream Companies, Exxon Mobil Corporation, for Distinguished Achievement in Corporate Counsel
Michael L. Connor ('93), Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, for Distinguished Achievement in the Public Sector
David G. Palmer ('70), Denver Managing Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, for Distinguished Achievement in Private Practice
Brian L. Duffy ('91), Shareholder & Co-President, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, for Distinguished Achievement in Private Practice.

In addition, Dean Phil Weiser presented two Dean's Choice awards, recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to Colorado Law:

Roxanne Jensen ('85), Managing Director, Catapult Growth Partners, & Founder, EvolveLaw, for the Dean Edward C. King “Pay it Forward” Award
R. Stanton Dodge, Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, DISH Network, for the Richard Schaden “Adopted Alumnus” Award

2014

In 2014, we honored:

The Honorable Roy R. Romer (’52), former Governor of Colorado, for the William Lee Knous Award, Colorado Law's highest alumni honor

The Honorable Claudia J. Jordan (’80), Denver County Judge, Second Judicial District, for Distinguished Achievement in the Judiciary
Thomas M. Ray (’86), President & CEO, CoreSite, for Distinguished Achievement in Industry
Thomas W. Fredericks (’72), Partner, Fredericks Peebles & Morgan LLP, for Distinguished Achievement in Private Practice
Douglas J. Friednash, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP, and D. Scott Martinez, Denver City Attorney, for the Dean Edward C. King “Pay it Forward” Award
Ann Marks Getches for the Richard Schaden “Adopted Alumna” Award