J. Scott Lasater

J. Scott Lasater is one of the most experienced civil trial attorneys in Colorado, and one of only a very small handful of lawyers in Colorado who has tried 100 or more civil, district court, jury trials to verdict or directed verdict.

Scott has tried cases for over 25 years. In the last five years, Scott defended and tried 20 jury trials with aggregate jury demands totaling over 100 million dollars. Those cases resulted in 13 defense verdicts; three directed verdicts (cases that Scott asked the judge to throw out after the plaintiff’s evidence, and were thrown out); two verdicts that the judge threw out due to the opposing lawyer’s gross misconduct during trial; and in three cases where Scott’s clients admitted fault, and only argued about the compensation due the plaintiff, one resulted in an award that was exactly what was offered to settle the case before trial started, one resulted in a $66,000 verdict where Scott’s client offered $100,000 to settle over a year before trial (and the plaintiff asked the jury for over 10 million dollars) and one, a highly mismanaged case by the opposing counsel, resulted in a verdict just 26% of the plaintiffs last, take it or leave it demand for settlement.

Scott’s trial experience is vast, and he has tried cases involving death, catastrophic injury (burns, electrocutions, amputations, paralysis and severe incapacitating brain injury), product liability, fire and explosions, auto and trucking liability, employment discrimination, professional liability (including physicians, lawyers, dentists and veterinarians) and disputes over intellectual property. Scott’s success comes from his experience in courtrooms, with juries, and his relentless need to research, learn and understand the case better than anyone involved.

Scott’s clients and their insurers have gained huge confidence in Lasater & Martin’s courtroom and pre-trial results. Because of that, Scott and the law firm have been asked by other lawyers, judges, insurance professionals, church members and their friends, colleagues and neighbors to represent them when injured or wronged. Scott and his partner Janet have obtained millions of dollars in compensation and enforced contractual and other rights for these good people.

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Education

  • Juris Doctor: University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, 1986
  • Bachelor of Arts: Colorado State University, 1983
    Major: Economics

Bar Admission

  • State of Colorado
  • United States District Court
    District of Colorado
  • United States Court of Appeals
    10th Circuit

Professional Associations

  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI), platinum member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)

Special Distinctions

  • The International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi, Past President, Merit Award
  • University of the Pacific Gary V. Schaber Scholarship
  • Colorado State University, Department of Economics, Academic Achievement