James G. Benjamin

DBA Board of Trustee Position: Trustee; member from 2010 to 2013 and member of the executive committee of the DBA 

Employment: Manager of Benjamin, Bain & Howard, LLC 

Free-time hobbies: Tennis, skiing, and travel  

Favorite restaurant in Denver: Junz, in Parker 

What would you do if you didn’t practice law? FBI agent 

Last good book you read:“ The Associate” by John Grisham 

Inspiration for practice of law: My uncle, William Atha Mason; in his own words, “a country lawyer” in Rifle, Colorado, and destined to be included among “Six of the Greatest” in a future issue of The Colorado Lawyer.

 Vance O. Knapp

DBA Board of Trustee Position: Trustee 

Employment: I am a member (partner) in the Labor and Employment practice group at Sherman & Howard LLC 

Free-time hobbies: I love to cook, swim, circuit train, and travel 

Favorite restaurant in Denver:  There are so many: Locanda del Borgo, Izakaya Den, Jack-n-Grill, Snooze, Carmine’s on Penn 

What would you do if you didn’t practice law? Pan Asian chef in San Francisco or D.C. 

Last good book you read: Who has time to read books? I surf the Internet. 

Inspiration for practice of law: Thurgood Marshall, as a practicing attorney, specifically the cases of Sweatt v. Painter and Brown v. Board of Education. 

 Meshach Rhoades

DBA Board of Trustee Position: Trustee

Employment: Senior Attorney at Qwest Communications

Free-time hobbies:  Backpacking, cycling, skiing, softball, basketball, soccer, and volunteer work.

Favorite restaurant in Denver: It is a tie between Sushi Sasa and La Casita.

What would you do if you didn’t practice law? I would be a college basketball coach or a National Park Service ranger.

Last good book you read:  “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett

Inspiration for practice of law: My dad and my uncle, who had polio and is a former Wheelchair Olympic athlete, worked on implementing ADA legislation citywide when I was a child. I had an aunt who worked in Denver District Court and I frequently tagged along with her to work. I spent hours watching the judges and listening to the lawyers. I would be lying if I said I understood what was going on exactly, but I did understand the power lawyers had to help and make meaningful change.