Attorney Profiles

James H. Chalat
Denver, Colorado

Partner
phone	(303) 502-5007 (866) 701-7292
fax	(303) 861-0506
email	Email Me

Jim Chalat, a Colorado lawyer since 1977, is senior attorney of Chalat Hatten Law Offices, Denver Colorado. Mr. Chalat specializes in Personal Injury, Ski Cases, Legal Malpractice Law, Medical Malpractice Law, and Military Medical Malpractice. He is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a nationally esteemed organization, and is a sustaining member of American Trial Lawyers Association and Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Chalat has published numerous professional articles, including the definitive articles on U.S. ski law and Colorado ski law. He is also a popular speaker for Continuing Legal Education, speaking on ski litigation, attorney ethics and malpractice, and general trial tactics.

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

Certification/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, 1977
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Law Review: Administrative Law Review, Assistant Editor; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1974
B.G.S.
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 adn 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

Representative Cases:: Hoar v. Great Eastern, 506 S.E. 2d 777 (VA. 1998); Ulissey v. Shvartsman, 61 F. 3d 805 (10th Circuit 1995); Wong v. Sharp, 734 F. Supp. 943 (D. Colo. 1990); People v. Watson, 833 P. 2d 50 (Colo. 1992); Hudson v. Boxer, 632 F. Supp. 1569 (D. Colo. 1986)

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 Taught:: 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

Professional Associations and Memberships:: National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1980 - Present; Member and Diplomate; Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1982 - Present; Sustaining Member; National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988 - Present; Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer; Colorado Supreme Court Grievance Committee; Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel; Jefferson County Juvenile Review Board; Member; Thompson G. Marsh Inn of Court; Member/Master; American Inns of Court; Member/Master; 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

Pro Bono Activities:: Pro Bono Program, Denver Bar Association