About the ATJC
Established in 2003, the Colorado Access to Justice Commission (ATJC) is made up of twenty voting members appointed by organizations committed to the integrity and accessibility of our civil justice system.
Commissioners are appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Bar Association, Colorado Legal Services, COLTAF, the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado, the Governor, Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, and the President of the Colorado Senate.
Commissioners may serve up to three staggered three-year terms while emeritus Commissioners have been chosen to continue working on the Commission after they have served their three terms. In addition, several ex-officio members serve on the Commission.
Much of the Commission’s work is carried out by its committees. Each committee is chaired by an Access to Justice Commissioner and is comprised of Commissioners and community partners who share our mission. These committee members are dedicated public servants who generously dedicate countless hours to their committee work, in an effort to reduce access to civil justice barriers for all Coloradans.
Since 2003, the Commission has relied almost entirely on volunteers to accomplish its mission, with some limited staff assistance from its appointing entities. In 2020, the Commission successfully secured funding to hire a full-time Executive Director in 2021. The Commission's funding partners include the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation, and a generous, anonymous donor. This marks a milestone for the ATJC as the addition of at least one full-time staff member is nationally considered one of the hallmarks of maximizing the success of access to justice commissions.
Our Mission
We develop, coordinate and implement policy initiatives to expand access to and enhance the quality of justice in civil legal matters for persons who encounter barriers in gaining access to Colorado's civil justice system.
The importance of our work is more clear than ever.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated systemic inequities that in turn increased the need for legal assistance. And the increased recognition of racial inequities in our legal, political, and economic systems now calls for meaningful redress.
Commission Leadership
Officers
Dick Gast
Commission Chair
8970 164 Lane
Salida, CO 81201
(970) 691-7925
Nominated by Colorado Bar Association
Term Ends 12/31/23
Reenie Terjak
Commission Vice-Chair
Director of Advocacy, Colorado Legal Services
1905 Sherman St., Ste. 400, Denver, CO 80203
211 W. Magnolia St., Ft. Collins, CO 80521
(970) 493-2891 x 265
Nominated by Colorado Legal Services
Term Ends 12/31/22
Richard M. Murray
Commission Secretary
Polsinelli, P.C.
1401 Lawrence Street, Ste. 2300
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 583-8242
Nominated by Colorado Senate
Term Ends 12/31/21
Our Commissioners
Jonathan D. Asher
Executive Director, Colorado Legal Services
1905 Sherman St., Suite 400
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 866-9399
Ex- Officio
Frederick J. Baumann
Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie
1200 17th Street, Suite 3000
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 628-9542
fbaumann@lewisroca.com
Emeritus
Hon. Susan Blanco
8th Judicial District
201 La Porte Ave., Suite 100
Fort Collins, CO 80521
(970)-494-3720
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2022
Beth Crane
Crane & Tejada
575 E. College Drive
Durango, CO 81301
bcrane@craneandtejada.com
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2022
Hon. Adam J. Espinosa
Denver County Court
520 W. Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80204
(720) 337-0831
Appointed by Colorado Supreme Court
Term Ends 12/31/2022
Kimberly S. Gent
The Harris Law Firm
1125 17th Street, Ste. 450
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 515-5000
Appointed by
Term Ends 12/
Hon. Melissa Hart
Colorado Supreme Court
2 East 14th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203
(720) 625-5430
Ex- Officio
Wessley Hassler
Hassler Law Firm
616 W Abriendo Ave
Pueblo, CO 81004
(719) 544-2929
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2023
Brittany Kauffman
Senior Director
Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System
University of Denver, John Moye Hall
2060 South Gaylord Way
Denver, CO 80208
(303) 871-6619
Appointed by Governor
Term Ends 12/31/2023
Elizabeth Espinosa Krupa
Law Office of Elizabeth Espinosa Krupa
150 East 10th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 832-6353
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2023
Hon. Lino Lipinsky
Colorado Court of Appeals
2 East 14th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203
(720) 625-5220
lino.lipinsky@judicial.state.co.us
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/23
Jason Lynch
General Counsel, Foundry Group
700 Front St., Ste. 104
Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 642-4085
lynch@foundrygroup.com
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2022
Tim Macdonald
Arnold & Porter
1144 Fifteenth St., Suite 3100
Denver CO 80202
(303) 863-2334
Appointed by Legal Aid Foundation
Term Ends 12/31/23
Jackie Marro
SCAO Access to Justice Coordinator
1300 Broadway, Suite 1200
Denver, CO 80203
(720) 625-5970
jacqueline.marro@judicial.state.co.us
Sarah M. Mercer
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Shreck
401 Seventeenth St.
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 233-1139
Appointed by Colorado House of Reps.
Term Ends 11/17/23
Hon. Kristen Mix
U.S. District Court - District of Colorado
Arraj Courthouse A401
901 19th St.
Denver, CO 80294
Appointed by Colorado Supreme Court
Term Ends 12/31/22
Diana Poole
Executive Director, Legal Aid Foundation & COLTAF
1120 Lincoln Street #701
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 863-9544
diana@legalaidfoundation.org
Ex-Officio
Kathleen Schoen
Director, Local Bar Relations & Access to Justice
Colorado Bar Association
1290 Broadway, Ste. 1700
Denver, CO 80203
Ex-Officio
Lauren Schmidt
Executive Director
Outward Bound
Appointed by the CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2021
Hon. Timothy Schutz
4th Judicial District
P.O. Box 2980
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 452-5358
Appointed by Colorado Supreme Court
Term Ends 12/31/2023
David W. Stark
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP
1144 15th St. Suite 3400
Denver, CO 80203
(303)607-3753
Appointed by Colorado Supreme Court
Term Ends 12/31/2023
Hon. Daniel Taubman
Senior Judge
Colorado Court of Appeals
2 East 14th Avenue
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 837-3788
daniel.taubman@judicial.state.co.us
Emeritus
Samuel D. Walker
Interim Director
Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System
Appointed by COLTAF
Term Ends 12/31/2023
Penny Wagner
SCAO Self-Represented Litigant Coordinator
1300 Broadway, Suite 1200
Denver, CO 80203
(720) 625-5612
Appointed by CBA
Term Ends 12/31/2022
John S. Zakhem
Jackson Kelly, PLLC
1099 18th Street, Ste. 2150
Denver, CO 80202
Emeritus
Executive Director
The Colorado Access to Justice Commission is excited to announce that it has named Elisa Marie Overall, esq. as its first Executive Director.
March 24, 2021
Elisa Overall
Access to Justice Commission
1290 Broadway, Ste. 1790
Denver, CO 80203
elisa@coloradoaccesstojustice.org