Curriculum Vitae

Donald J. Kaufman

• Attorney at Law, 2008 – Present

Colorado Mountain College

• Professor of Law, 2013 – Present

Capacio

• International Corporate Law, 2016 – Present

Defiance Stringband

• Guitar, Bass, Banjo, and Vocals, 2008 – Present

Kaufman & Kaufman, L.L.C.

• Founder.Manager.Partner, 1996 – 2008

Alpine Intercontinental Petrochemical Association, L.L.C.

• Senior Vice President, 1996 – Present

Colorado State Patrol (Retired)

• Instructor of Trial Technique, 1996 – 2000

Six Lazy K Cattle Ranch (Silt, Colorado)

• Rancher, 1991 – 1994

Colorado Democratic Party

• Political Activist, 1990

Aspen Finishes (Aspen, Colorado)

• Painter, 1989

Ritz Carlton (Aspen, Colorado)

• Heavy Construction, 1989

Camp Winadu (Pittsfield, Massachusetts)

• Camp Counselor, 1988

University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado)

• Student Services, 1987 – 1991

Glenwood Springs Hot Pool and Spa (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)

• Guest Services and Life Guard, 1983 – 1989

Glenwood Springs Weekly Newspaper (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)

• Newspaper Delivery, 1976 – 1983

Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School (Lansing, Michigan)

• Juris Doctor, September 16, 1995

University of Colorado (Boulder, Colorado)

• Bachelor of Arts in History, May 15, 1992

Glenwood Springs High School (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)

• College Preparatory, May 30, 1987

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS

• Admitted to Practice in the Courts in the State of Colorado by the Colorado Supreme Court on May 23, 1996.
• Admitted to Practice in front of the United States District Court of Colorado on June 20, 1996.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Owner of the Law Firm of Donald J. Kaufman, Attorney at Law, 2008 – Present
• Partner in the Law Firm of Kaufman & Kaufman, L.L.C., 1996 – 2008
• Instructor at the Colorado State Patrol Academy, Camp George West (Golden, Colorado) teaching courtroom technique, 1996 – 2000
• Vice President of Alpine Intercontinental Petrochemical Alliance, L.L.C. dealing with natural gas issues, 1996 – Present
• Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, Garfield Legal Services recipient from the Ninth Judicial Bar Association, 1997
• Organ Donor Candidate, 1984 and continuing. National Bone Marrow Donor Program, 1999 and continuing. This is a notice of my living will and intent and consent to donate. In the event of doubt, harvest if you can read these words.
• Manager and member of the successful “Dalessandri for Sheriff” political campaign, 1997
• Vice President of the Workers’ Compensation Education Authority (WCEA). This is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the rights of injured workers, 1998 – Present
• Vice Chair of the Garfield County Democratic Party, 1998 – 2003
• Chairperson of the Victims Assistance Law Enforcement Board (VALE BOARD) which distributes monies paid by perpetrators of crimes to the victims of crimes and to defensive and pro-active enforcement measures to prevent future crimes, 1997 – 2005
• Member of the Ninth Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission, Romer Appointee, 1998
• Department of Administrative Hearings, Workers’ Compensation Focus Group Member. Atencio appointee, 1999 – 2000
• Supreme Court appointee to the Committee on Admissions by Waiver to the Colorado Bar Association.
• Chairperson of the Dissent presentation given to the Board of Governors presented on January 8, 2000 at the University of Denver College of Law.
• Vice President of the Ninth Judicial District Bar Association, 2000. President of the Ninth Judicial District Bar Association, 2001. Created the first Comprehensive “Attorney Register” of all the 239 attorneys Bar, together with their names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail/web sites, and practice areas. This Register was distributed to the attorneys in the bar, free of charge. Created the First Bar web site. This web site allowed all of the members of the bar to communicate collectively and for the Bench to issue notices.
• “Locals’ Choice” Award presented by the Glenwood Post Independent for “Best Honest Attorney”, 2001
• Ninth Judicial District Representative to the Board of Governors, 2002
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Garfield Legal Services, Inc., a charitable pro-bono organization dedicated to empowering those in need of access to the civil justice system, 2000 – 2004
• Member of the Board of Directors of Alpine Legal Services, 2004 – Present
• Claimant Counsel Representative, Gary Pon Invitee, to Pinnacol Forum with Injured Worker Attorneys and Legislative Strategy Panel, 2002-2006
• Member of the Board of Directors of Encuentro Latino, 2002
• FindLaw Advisory Board, 2002
• Acknowledged by Dr. Predrag Petrovic, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Clinical Neurophysiology, PET – Cognitive Neurophysiology, Karolinska Institute, “Cognitive mechansims in pain processing.” Page 64, Stockholm, Sweden, 2002, presented In San Juan, Puerto Rico, December 18, 2002.
• Chairperson of the Garfield County Democratic Party, February 4, 2003- February 12, 2005. Founded and engineered the County Party website.
• Colorado Protective Services, July 2003. Diplomatic/Executive/Presidential Security.
• Honored by Rosa Parks and Morris Dees as a founding member named on Wall of Tolerance as a contributor to the National Campaign for Tolerance.
• Glenwood Springs Post Independent/Garfield County Human Services Commission Humanitarian Service Honoree for outstanding service to the citizens of Garfield County, Colorado, 2003.
• Department of Administrative Hearings Translator Focus Group. Williams Appointee, 2004 – 2006
• Sworn Spanish/English Court Translator, February 10, 2005, David Lopez v. Jorge Miranda, W.C. 4-631-190, Glenwood Springs, Colorado
• City of Glenwood Springs, Alcohol Beverage Hearing Board. February 13, 2005 – 2008
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2007
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2008
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2009
• Garfield County Humanitarian Service Award – Volunteer Service of the Year, 2011
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2014
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2016
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2017
• Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2018
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2018
• City of Glenwood Springs, Garfield County Post Independent “Best Lawyer” Gold Medal Winner Locals Choice Award, 2019
• Top Lawyers of Colorado, Published in the Denver Post 2022.
• AVVO 10 Rating 2024
• U.S. News & World Report Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2024.

PRESENTATIONS

Hansen Construction, Inc. and Colorado Compensation Insurance Authority, v. Gliberto Estrada and The Industrial Claim Appeals Office of the State of Colorado. Colorado Court of Appeals Unpublished Opinion, January 8, 1998, No.97CA1054, W.C. 4-281-397. Successfully Argued the case at the trial level and drew the appellate argument to protect the rights of Undocumented Workers, and to ensure that they were not excluded from Insurance Coverage, after premiums had been paid because of Federal Immigration Status.

County Sheriff’s Association of Colorado. Seminar on Workers’ Compensation and safety the Law Enforcement Workplace, held in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, August 3, 1999. Colorado Fire and Burglary Association. Seminar on Workers’ Compensation and Safety the Security Workplace, held in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. June 2, 2000

Host and presenter of a Ninth Judicial District and WCEA Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar.” Topic presented: Medical Privacy Issues in Litigation. February 2, 2001. Author of “Advice to Safeguard Your Clients Medical Records.” Presented at the Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar on February 2, 2001.

“Workers’ Compensation Pitfalls for Employers” Seminar presented to the Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce and Pinnacol Assurance. February 27, 2002

“Advice to Attorneys; How to: Advise Employer Clients of Workers’ Compensation” Seminar presented to the Ninth JudicialDistrict Bar Association. April 5, 2002

“DESICION DE CORTE SUPREMA PERMITE A EMPLEADORES NO PAGAR A TRABAJADORES ILEGALES” Publishedin “Mundo Latino” Periodico Hispano Semanal April 10, 2002.

“Firm of Kaufman & Kaufman makes law a family and humanitarian practice” Glenwood Post, September 14-15, 1996.

“In all fairness” Aspen Times, Scott Condon, January 20-21, 2001. “Trio of local attorneys caught in the act of doing good deeds” Glenwood Independent. April 7, 1998.

Qualified and testified as an expert witness in the field of workers’ compensation; The State of Colorado vs. Dennis Foushi, W.C. 3-100-849.

The State of Colorado vs. Daniel Nye W.C. 2-662-553. (June 22, 1998)

“Abogados se decican a impartir justicia” La Mision, Junio 2002.

Glenwood Post Independent, Independent Voices. January 10, 2003.

Glenwood Post Independent, Judge orders business owner to pay back wages to undocumented worker. September 23, 2004.

Recognized by the Glenwood Springs, Colorado Mayor and City Council for service to the Victims and Witness Assistance and Law Enforcement Board, February 2005.

Glenwood Post Independent, Voter registration deadline arrives. October 4, 2004.

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association Workers’ Compensation Convention Speaker, August 11, 2005. CLE Certified

WCEA Ouray Western Slope Meeting Workers Compensation Presenter, September 23, 2005 CLE Certified.

Authored the language and successfully argued Ballot Initiative in front of the State of Colorado Supreme Court, in an original proceeding, (Title Setting Board) May 25, 2006. (Title 2005-2006 #125) “Damages for Mineral Extraction” FINAL LANGUAGE OF PROPOSAL Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado: Article XVM of the constitution of the State of Colorado is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read: Section 13. Paying Fair Value. A Mineral EXTRACTOR SHALL PAY THE FAIR VALUE OF DAMAGES BROUGHT ABOUTIN THE DEVELOPMENT, PURSUIT, OR EXTRACTION OF A MINERAL INCLUDING OIL AND GAS. “

WCEA Montrose Western Slope Meeting Workers Compensation Presenter, November 14, 2008 CLE Certified.

Glenwood Springs Chamber of Commerce “Medical Marijuana in the Workplace” March 18, 2010

Attacked the The “speculative state sanctioned human trafficking futures market.”

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO

Civil Action No. 08-cv-00461-DME-CBS:

MARIO FACUNDO BORREGO BRIONES, JESUS ALBERTO MARINES CARREON, RAUL RIOS SOLIS, PABLO PACHECO DEL REAL, ANTONIO RODARTE GARAMENDI, ERNESTO ALVAREZ SALINAS, JUAN GABRIELALEJANDRO RAMIREZ, MANUEL MIJANGOS, JOSE LUIS RUBIO CHAVARRIA, JOSE ESUS VALTIERRA MONTOYA, NICOLAS HERNANDEZ HERNANDEZ, JULIAN FERIA ACOSTA, ROBERTO CARLOS BERNALCHAVEZ, JESUS GERARDO CUETO LOPEZ, AURELIO CARILLO HERNANDEZ, MARTIN OLIVA PONCE, GABRIEL MARTINEZ PONCE,ANTONIO CARILLO HERNANDEZ, SILVANO GARCIA VEGA, CHRISTIAN, OSUNA RAMOS, LEOPOLDO ZARCA GONZALEZ, LUIS MATA LOPEZ, JOSE PAZ AGUIRRE HERNANDEZ, PEDRO VARGAS LEDESMA, ANGEL GEOVANNI DURAN NAVARRO, PABLO SANCHEZ REYES, RICARDO ROJOCOVARRUBIAS, JORGE ROJO CoVARRUBIAS, JUAN SARABIA MENDEZ,PABLO LUNA TORRES, MARTIN ALEJANDRE HERNANDEZ, JUAN GERARDO ALVARADO GATICA, MIGUEL ANGEL BELTRAN ACEVEDO, JOSE DE JESUS GALVAN, MARTIN BARRON VERA, DAVID GUDINO CHAVARRIA, GERMAN MARTINEZ HERNANDEZ, JOEL AGUILAR TORRES, ARMANDO ORTIZ RUBIO, CALIXTRO OVANDO LIMA, RODOLFO DELGADO RODRIGUEZ,RAMON RODRIGUEZ ARAGUZ, ARTEMIO GARCIA MELO, ANTONIO MONCADA RICO, MIGUEL ANGEL CASTANDEDA MARTINEZ, ORACIO RAMIREZ MARTINEZ, LINDOLFO MARTINEZ CASTRO, RAMIRO AVALOSCAMACHO, MARTIN JAIME DURAN MARIN, DANIEL HECTOR DAVILA MARTINEZ, ANSELMO BARRIOS VALDEZ, LUIS ALBERTO DAMIAN ARROYO, FRANCISCO NEGRETE CAMACHO, JUAN LUCIANO ORTIZ DUARTE, DANIEL MORENO VERA, JORGE FLORES BALTAZAR, MARION ARMANDO FLORESBALTAZAR, EDGAR ESTEBAN RODRIGUEZ HERNANDEZ, PABLO CESAR AGUILAR DIAZ, ALEJANDRO ZUNIGA, SANTIAGO MENDOZA RAMIREZ, FEDERICO GONZALEZ CHANTACA, FERMIN RIVERA GUZMAN, MIGUEL ANGEL GUZMAN ESCOGIDO, RODRIGO HERNANDEZ CAHUICH, VICTORDANIEL BARRIOS RANGEL, DAVID ARENAS MUNIZ, RICARDO GONZALEZ MIRANDA, and MIDWEST DRYWALL COMPANY, INC.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

JNS CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC, JOHN HERZER, LENO & COMPANY, LLC, LENO ASEUDO, also known as Leno Acevedo, Defendants.

1:08-cv-00461

04/06/2009 Victory

MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS

• American Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• Federal Bar Association
• American Trial Lawyers Association
• Inter-American Bar Association, 2002
• Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
• Workers’ Compensation Education Authority
• Garfield County Legal Services, Inc., 2000-2004
• Alpine Legal Services, Inc., 2004 – 2012
• Ninth Judicial District Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Section
• Department of Administrative Hearings Workers’ Compensation Focus Group
• Garfield County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Inc., 1998-2004
• Garfield County Democratic Party
• Democratic Party Central Committee Colorado
• National Rifle Association – Life Member
• Valley View Hospital Association, 1998-2004
• FindLaw Advisory Board, 2002
• Club Rotario de Roaring Fork
• Club 20
• Last Minute String Band
• Defiance Stringband

PERSONAL INTEREST

My beautiful wife and amazing family, Colorado and the United States of America, the practice of law, politics, Spanish and Chinese languages and culture, mountain climbing, piano and guitar, running, hunting and fishing, local and international travel, kayaking, history and philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, skiing, snowboarding and reading.

NATIONS VISITED

North America: The United States of America (including Alaska and Hawaii) Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico

South America: Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands

Europe: Spain, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden, Gibraltar, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Romania, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, Vatican City, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Greece, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Belgium, Netherlands, Slovenia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Russia

Asia: Siberia, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Cambodia, Taiwan a.k.a. Republic of China, Peoples Republic of China, Japan

Africa: Morocco, Algeria

Middle East: Israel, Turkey

Defiance Stringband

West of Aspen, north of Vail

Glenwood Springs, Colorado