Attorney Profiles

Firm Attorneys:

J. Scott Lasater
Janet Belcher Martin
Nicole J. Essig
Stacy Spurlock
Ryan Williams
Laurence M. Schneider
Monica L. C. Lester
Deana H. Douglas
Melissa Ogburn
Christopher Shannon
Daniel Coombe

J. Scott Lasater

Focus of Practice

Scott was licensed to practice law in Colorado in 1986 and established the law firm in 1993. Scott is a trial attorney, and has extensive litigation experience in state and federal courts. Scott has litigated cases in every county in the state of Colorado and has tried jury trials in over half of the counties in Colorado.

Scott has extensive federal court experience and has tried a diverse range of federal cases, including discrimination and retaliation cases for the Town of Parker and the Town of Parker Police Department, and recently, the successful defense of a contentious trade mark infringement suit filed against a large manufacturer of juvenile care products headquartered in California. Scott has appeared before virtually all of the United States District Court Judges and Magistrate Judges, and he has argued in front of the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Colorado Supreme Court and the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Scott has litigated dozens of employment and employment discrimination cases, and has successfully defended very favorable trial court outcomes on appeal. As an example, Scott successfully defended ATC/Vancom, a licensee of the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in an employment discrimination suit, and successfully defended the case on appeal, which was reported in a published opinion by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Scott’s cases have been cited in a variety of employment law publications, and Scott has attended conferences of the National Law Employment Institute in cities such as San Francisco, California.

Scott has litigated and tried cases for many public entities, towns, cities and counties across the state. Scott and his firm have represented the Town of Vail in dozens of litigations, and Scott has successfully tried discrimination cases for the Town. Scott has represented law enforcement agencies all across the state, including the police departments for the Town of Vail, Town of Parker, Town of Craig, Town of Dacono and the Mesa and Moffat County Sheriff's departments.

Scott and his law firm represent and have represented some of the world's largest companies, including many global insurers, such as the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group and The Hartford. The firm is the on the preferred panel counsel list of numerous insurance companies. Scott has also represented some of Colorado’s largest and most successful companies, including a variety construction companies, contractors and joint ventures and product manufacturers. Scott and his law firm have over the years managed hundreds of millions of dollars in exposure to their clients.

In addition to municipalities, insurers and corporations, Scott has an active practice representing individuals who have been harmed, in cases ranging from discrimination to breach of contract to automobile accident injuries. Scott and his law firm recently successfully settled a large pregnancy discrimination suit against Liberty Media, one of the worlds largest providers of cable TV programming, recently settled a case the firm filed against the Marriott Hotel for negligent security, a case where the law firm's clients were brutally attacked in a guest room and recently settled a tragic medical malpractice action that resulted in the unnecessary death of a cardiac patient. In the past few years Scott and his firm have collected several million dollars just for residents of Highlands Ranch, in Douglas County, Colorado.

Scott has years of experience in litigating brain injury, spinal injury and death claims. Scott has also represented health care providers and attorneys in professional liability actions, corporations forming joint ventures and involved in intellectual property disputes, product liability claims involving a range of products from insecticide and asbestos to hot-tubs, and has represented several construction companies and subcontractors, including those involved in the fire protection industry.

Scott and his wife Gail are both Colorado natives, met 25 years ago at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and they have lived in Highlands Ranch since 1987. They have three amazing children.

Education

Janet Belcher Martin

Janet was licensed to practice law in 1989 and began her legal career by clerking for the Texas Court of Appeals for the Second Judicial District. Following her clerkship, she immediately began a very active civil litigation practice in Texas. Janet’s seventeen year legal career includes being licensed in both Texas and Colorado and she has been a resident of and practicing in Colorado for many years. Janet became a partner in the firm in 2004.

Janet has litigated a wide range of cases and handles complex product liability, construction defect and injury claims for the firm. Janet heads the construction defect section of the law firm, and manages tens of millions of dollars in exposure to the law firm’s clients. Janet represents general contractors and architects and a large mix of subcontractors, from framers to roofers to graders. Janet also represents fortune 500 companies and individuals involved in complex litigation.

Janet recently tried a complex commercial injury case involving numerous local and out of state medical experts and specialists to a Denver jury. Without calling a single retained medical expert, Janet and her partner Scott Lasater obtained a defense verdict. The plaintiff had demanded a settlement during trial of two million dollars. Janet obtained a cost judgment against the plaintiff of over twenty thousand dollars.

Janet manages the firm’s associates and supervises the handling of over half of the firm’s litigation. Janet actively litigates large, complex product liability suits and commercial injury matters of all types. Janet has extensive experience in the state and federal courts throughout Colorado and Texas.

In addition to Janet’s trial experience, she has extensive appellate experience, and is experienced with alternative dispute resolutions and arbitrations. She has also served as a mediator on various types of civil litigation.

Janet lives with her husband and children in Littleton, Colorado.

Nicole J. Essig

Nicole has been a licensed attorney since 1996, when she began her legal career as an attorney law clerk for the Honorables Ralph A. Walker, Donald L. Smith and Clarence E. Horton of the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Nicole has established herself as an appellate specialist having written hundreds of appellate opinions for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Nicole has successfully argued, in front of the Colorado Court of Appeals, a complex UCC case representing one of the largest corporations in the world, and has successfully had District Court decisions affirmed in both federal and state courts.

Additionally, Nicole has substantial prior experience in an insurance defense firm. Nicole has been involved in hundreds of litigation matters and handles complex state court litigation. Nicole has defended civil cases and obtained defense verdicts in jurisdictions including the City and County of Denver. Nicole and her daughter live in Highlands Ranch.

Stacy Spurlock

Stacy has served as a legal intern with the 18th Judicial District working in Littleton County Court and has substantial experience in insurance law. She has handled a wide range of auto accident litigation and related issues under the No-Fault Act, breach of contract cases, landlord-tenant disputes, fraudulent conveyances and product liability. Stacy has tried cases to juries and judges in both county and district court.

Stacy was named Student Attorney of the Year for the University of Denver College of Law Student Law Office. She was a member of the ABA trial team for two years and actively involved in moot court.

Ryan Williams

Ryan began is legal career by clerking for the Hon. JoAnn L. Vogt of the Colorado Court of Appeals, where he researched and wrote on a broad range of legal topics, including commercial and real estate disputes, insurance law, and corporate, shareholder and fiduciary responsibilities.

Following his clerkship, Ryan has represented clients in real estate litigation, construction defect matters, bankruptcy litigation, employment litigation, and commercial disputes in both federal and state courts. He has successfully tried numerous trials to the Court, and has extensive appellate experience, having argued in front of both the Colorado Court of Appeals and Colorado Supreme Court. Ryan has also counseled business clients on a range of issues, including corporate dissolutions and intellectual property licensing agreements. At Lasater & Martin, Ryan continues to practice in the areas of construction defect, commercial litigation and injury defense.

Ryan and his wife Cortney have lived in Highlands Ranch since 2002, and have two children. The Williams enjoy hiking and backpacking, mountain biking and skiing.

Laurence M. Schneider

Focus of Practice

Larry began his career working as a law clerk for Gelt, Paddison & Zinn, a prominent tax and estate planning law firm in Denver, Colorado, where he worked as the primary discovery contact for a multinational tax lawsuit. Larry then began working with The Ross-Shannon Law Firm and handled a wide range of tort litigation cases including auto accidents, premises liability cases, breach of contract cases, product liability cases, landlord-tenant disputes, and has successfully pierced the corporate veil several times when proceeding against corporations. Larry then worked for Farmers Insurance Exchange where he defended a multitude of civil cases.

Larry has been published in the Colorado and has taught continuing education classes. While in law school Larry competed in appellate argument competitions and was a quarter finalist.

Larry and his wife Jacki met in law school. Jacki is a practicing family law attorney. Larry has two children. For fun Larry enjoys attending football games (Go Broncos and Buffs!), wine tastings, attending cultural events, traveling and playing with his children.

Education

Monica L. C. Lester

Monica has been licensed to practice law in state and federal courts in Colorado since 2000. Monica’s practice is concentrated in the area of civil litigation and general business law. Monica has litigated a wide range of cases including construction defect, personal injury and products liability. Monica represents a large mix of subcontractors, from excavators to framers. Monica also represents individuals, closely held corporations and multinational corporations. Monica has tried cases to juries and judges in both county and district court.

Monica worked while in law school as a law clerk for several respected trial attorneys. Monica also completed an internship in the legal department of a multinational space system corporation.
Monica next went to work as an associate in a commercial litigation firm. Monica was primarily responsible for legal briefing on several complex commercial litigation cases. In 2002, Monica’s practice shifted to insurance defense. However, Monica continued to work on a variety of corporate matters and represented a homeowners’ association until the summer of 2007 when she joined Lasater & Martin, P.C. At Lasater & Martin, P.C. Monica continues to practice in the areas of construction defect, commercial litigation and personal injury defense.

Monica and her husband have lived in Highlands Ranch since 2002. They have two children.

Deana H. Douglas

While in law school, Deana was the President of the Student Bar Association, authored a case note for the law review, served as Articles Editor for the Land and Water Law Review, and won first place in the school's client counseling competition.

After being admitted to the bar in 2000, Deana went to work as an associate for a large insurance defense firm in Denver. There, she represented clients in a variety of cases including medical malpractice, automobile liability, and product liability. Deana began her employment with Lasater & Martin, P.C., in September, 2001. At Lasater & Martin, Deana has continued to work in a variety of civil litigation practice areas, including construction defects and municipal law. Deana is a member of both the Wyoming and Colorado bar associations.

Melissa Ogburn

Focus of Practice

Melissa Ogburn will focus on construction defect, product liability and complex litigation. Melissa is also experienced in analyzing insurance coverage issues and preparing insurance coverage opinions. Melissa comes to the firm with several years of experience in complex litigation including coverage issues, construction defect, bad faith, employment litigation and product liability.

Melissa received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the New Mexico State University, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver, College of Law. She is admitted to practice law in Colorado and is a member of the American, Colorado and Denver Bar Associations.

Firm Attorneys:

Melissa Ogburn Focus of Practice

Focus of Practice

Christopher Shannon

Melissa Ogburn

Focus of Practice