James H. Chalat

Managing Partner

Location:

Denver, Colorado

Phone:

303-861-1042
800-221-5526

Fax:

303-861-0506

E-mail:

E-mail Me

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.

Areas of Practice

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

Litigation Percentage

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certified Legal Specialties

Civil Trial Lawyer, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988

Bar Admissions

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

Education

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

Published Works

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

Representative Clients

National Federation of the Blind, Colorado Center
Colorado Center on Deafness
Former Olympic Athletes and Professional Skiers

References

The Hon. Wiley Y. Daniel, District Court Judge, United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The Hon. Sandra I. Rothenberg, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Dr. Ved P. Nanda, Vice Provost for Internationalization, Evans University Professor Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law University of Denver Sturm Coll
Dr. Thomas D. Russell, Professor of Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Classes/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

Honors and Awards

Recipient, Pro Bono Award, Denver Bar Association
Thursday Night Bar Volunteer, Pro Bono Award, 1985
Colorado "Super Lawyer" , 2006
Colorado "Super Lawyer", 2007
Colorado "Super Lawyer", 2008
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers: Rated "A/V", Martindale-Hubble
Alfred C. Harrell Award, in recognition of Professionalism service and excellence, 1999 - 2000

Professional Associations and Memberships

National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Member and Diplomate, 1980 - Present
American Association for Justice, Sustaining Member, 1982 - Present
National Board of Trial Advocacy, Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, 1988 - Present
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, President, 2004 - 2005
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, Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel, 1991 - 1996
Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Directors, 2000 - 2004
American Association of Justice, President's Circle, 1980 - Present
National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Instructor & Diplomate

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