Officers
Sarah McEahern (Chairperson) was born and raised in Colorado. She works as a trial attorney at Zaner Harden Law, LLP, focusing her practice in plaintiffs' personal injury and insurance bad faith. She also has experience in consumer protection, spending three years bringing class actions, arbitrations, and individual cases on behalf of consumers. Sarah graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle, WA and returned to Denver to enjoy the sunshine and be closer to family. When she isn't practicing law, she enjoys yoga, traveling, karaoke, and cooking.
Dana Dobbins (Chair-Elect) is currently serving a two-year term as a law clerk for Magistrate Judge Hon. N. Reid Neureiter in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Prior to her clerkship, she was a commercial litigation associate in Husch Blackwell LLP's Denver office. She is originally from Tucson, Arizona and went to law school at Boston University, so she is thrilled to have the best of both worlds in living in Denver. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching live music, and being outdoors.
Elisabeth Hutchinson (Immediate Past Chair) is a senior associate at Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP. Liz concentrates her practice in privacy and data security litigation, handling matters at every phase from pretrial counsel to appeals. Liz not only regularly counsels clients in pre-litigation strategy, but also frequently pulls upon her six years of experience working with federal and state appellate judges to develop litigation strategy, brief pleadings and motions, and prepare oral arguments. She brings the unique perspective of an experienced appellate clerk to every phase of litigation for her clients. For the last three years, Liz has been named by Best Lawyers as “One to Watch” for class action defense and commercial litigation. Liz attended the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and earned her Bachelor of Arts with honors at the University of California at Davis. During undergrad, she was also a member of the NCAA Division I Women's Rowing Team. In her free time, Liz can be found at yoga or adventuring in the mountains with her husband, John, and son, Caleb.
Jessica Dowty (Treasurer) is an Associate Attorney in the Tax Credits group at Kutak Rock where she primarily represents investors and syndicators in affordable housing development projects. She is originally from Kansas City and comes from a very large, blended family with 12 kids. She received her undergraduate degree in Finance and Marketing from NYU Stern School of Business, and her J.D. and LL.M in Taxation from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. In her free time, Jessica can be found hiking with her husband and two dogs, skiing when she gets the chance, travelling and exploring new places, cheering on KC sports (Go Chiefs!), and spending time with her family and friends.
Marika Rietsema Ball (Secretary) practices in corporate, securities, and business transactions, as well as trusts & estates law at Jones & Keller, P.C. Marika is a 2018 graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She also serves as the Chair-Elect of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness’ YLD, Co-Treasurer of the Colorado Pledge to Diversity, and as a member of the Planning Committee for the Colorado Diverse Attorney Community Circle program. If she wasn’t a lawyer, Marika would be a lighthouse keeper. Her favorite hobbies are hiking, knitting, and hanging out with her husband, Mike, and her dog George.
Board Members
Courtney Kelley is an attorney at Fairfield and Woods, P.C. Courtney specializes in trust and estate litigation, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship law. She lives in Denver with her husband and two kids.
Andrew Bedell is an associate attorney at FWI Legal in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, practicing Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation. Although born in Boulder, he received his undergraduate degree from Colorado State and his J.D. from Creighton University.
Andrew loves to get outside whenever possible, especially to ski or mountain bike. He is also an avid golfer, but based on his average score, he should probably stick with practicing law.
Gurney Pearsall is an attorney at Pearsall Law Firm, P.C., where he handles appeals and personal injury cases as a plaintiffs' attorney. He also serves as a military officer in the US Army Reserves JAG Corps as a legal assistance attorney. Gurney graduated from the University of Colorado School of Law. Outside of the office, he enjoys piano and photography.
Jessica Isabel Cordero is a first-generation Hispanic legal graduate from the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law and a premier Millennial Crisis Coach. After building a successful practice at an international law firm, she discovered her passion for helping professionals navigate moral and ethical challenges, manage stress, and overcome communication barriers to build better and more sustainable practices. She also utilizes her expertise to help students at her alma mater as a Career Consultant. Lastly, she is a Board Member at the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association Foundation and a strong advocate for C-PTSD and LGBTQ+ communities.
Josh Mangiagli grew up in Denver and graduated from Denver East High School before going to college at the University of Vermont where he studied political science. After college, he moved to New Orleans to teach middle school social studies, and met his wife, Hilary. Josh and Hilary have two kids - Theo and Lark. In 2018, Josh graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He is now an attorney at Alderman Bernstein where his practice focuses on eminent domain law, real estate litigation, and real estate transactions.
Katharine Lum (MVL Representative) is a senior associate with Lass Moses Ramp & Cooper, LLC. Her practice focuses on family law at both the trial and appellate level. Katy is a member of the Family Law Section Executive Council, where she co-chairs the Diversity and Inclusivity Committee. She is an active volunteer with Metro Volunteer Lawyers and previously served as a DBA representative to the CBA Board of Governors. Prior to joining Lass Moses Ramp & Cooper, Katy was a law clerk for former Colorado Supreme Court justice Gregory Hobbs. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. In her free time, Katy enjoys hiking, climbing, baking, and playing the cello.
Matt Cecil is a trial lawyer at Sutton Booker, P.C., representing defendants in a variety of civil litigation and insurance disputes. He came to Colorado via the Midwest, where he began his legal practice and was born and raised. Outside of work, Matt enjoys hiking, triathlon, cooking with his wife, and relaxing with their dogs.”
Ryan Stevens is of counsel at Eisenstein Law, LLC where he represents injured individuals as a plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyer. Ryan is a proud CSU Ram who later attended law school at Western Michigan University. When he's not working, Ryan can be found out and about enjoying all Colorado has to offer.
Law Student Liaisons
Nicole León
Keila Garcia