Our water lawyers have secured decrees for complicated augmentation plans for the Denver Technological Center and other Southeast Denver Metropolitan area special districts. They represented the Douglas County Water Resource Authority in implementing a conjunctive use project that enjoys unprecedented West Slope/East Slope/Denver Water Board/State Engineer cooperation, to augment the water supplies of water districts and metropolitan districts in Douglas County. They also represent the Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority, which presently provides water and wastewater services to a significant part of the population of Arapahoe County.

Attorneys serving Water Law

• Frank McNulty

As counsel to special districts, our firm has been involved in developments ranging from approximately 5 acres to developments in excess of 25,000 acres.  Our bond attorneys have been responsible for hundreds of securities transactions connected with the formation and/or financing of counties, municipalities, special districts, and other political subdivisions. In these transactions, the firm has represented issuers, underwriters, developers, letter of credit providers, investors, and others.

Our representation of special districts also includes litigation of matters such as annexations, elections, land use appeals, tax protests, condemnation, utility rates, employment issues, construction and contract disputes, licensing, environmental insurance, and public financing disputes.

Special districts and municipalities require special expertise. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work for you.

Attorneys serving Special Districts and Business Improvement Districts

• Grimshaw, Thomas T. (of counsel)
• Dalton, Matthew R.
• Kaplan, Arnold R.
• Kron, Norman F.
• Hunsaker, James M.
• Dykstra, Russell W.
• Edstrom, David A.
• Berkowitz, Larry W.

Municipal and Governmental Law Related Areas

• Finance/Bond Transactions
• TABOR
• Special District Organization
• Special District Management
• Special Assets Restructuring
• Special Districts Restructuring

Contact Information

 On January 1, 2008, Larry W. Berkowitz left his 29 year appointment as City Attorney for Littleton and returned to private practice.  Mr. Berkowitz has had a part-time presence at Grimshaw & Harring since 1995, and we welcome his knowledge and expertise full-time in the areas of municipal and governmental law, land use and zoning, business, finance and bond transactions, liquor licensing and assisted living housing.

With a University of Colorado magna cum laude degree in Journalism, Mr. Berkowitz earned his JD at CU in 1973. In 1984, after working with the City of Littleton’s District Attorney, he accepted the City Council’s appointment as City Attorney. In the 29 years since, he helped acquire much of Littleton’s parks and open space, brought the RTD Light Rail to the south corridor, and secured settlement of the Lowery Landfill insurance cases, saving Littleton large fines imposed by the Colorado Department of Health.

In addition to serving as City Attorney, Larry has served as the Colorado State Chair of the International Municipal Lawyers Association for 30 years; is a 20 year member of the Colorado Municipal League holding positions on its Policy Committee, Liquor and Beer Codes Study Committee, Amendment 1 Ad hoc Committee and its City Attorneys Section; was Treasurer, VP and President of the Metro Denver Water Authority; is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, Metropolitan City Attorneys Association and National Association of Public Pension Attorneys; is a member of the Colorado, Denver, Arapahoe County, and American Bar Associations, and is licensed in the U.S. District Court (Colorado), Court of Appeals, Supreme Court, 10th Circuit and U.S. Tax Court.

Practice Areas

• Municipal and Governmental Law
• Business Law
• Finance and Bond Transactions
• Liquor Licensing
• Assisted Living Housing
• Land Use – Zoning

Education

• University of Colorado (B.S. in journalism, magna cum laude, 1970; J.D., 1973)

Memberships

• Colorado, Denver, Arapahoe County, and American Bar Associations
• National Association of Bond Lawyers
• International Municipal Lawyers Association, 1978-present
• National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, State Chairman
• Colorado Municipal League, City Attorneys Section, Chairman 1981, Liquor and Beer Codes Study Committee 1982-1984, Policy Committee, 1983-1986, 1992-present, Amendment 1 Ad hoc
  Committee
• Metropolitan City Attorneys Association
• Metropolitan Denver Water Authority, President, 1987-1991, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Treasurer 1985-1986, Vice President 1986-1987
• Metropolitan Water Providers Advisory Board and Executive Committee, 1984-1988
• Steering Committee, South Platte and Colorado River Storage Projects Participation Agreement, Two Forks, 1984-1988
• Nationwide Public Projects Coalition, Board of Governors, 1989-1991

As counsel to special districts, our firm has been involved in developments ranging from approximately 5 acres to developments in excess of 25,000 acres. Our bond attorneys have been responsible for hundreds of securities transactions connected with the formation and/or financing of counties, municipalities, special districts, and other political subdivisions. In these transactions, the firm has represented issuers, underwriters, developers, letter of credit providers, investors, and others.

Our representation of special districts also includes litigation of matters such as annexations, elections, land use appeals, tax protests, condemnation, utility rates, employment issues, construction and contract disputes, licensing, environmental insurance, and public financing disputes.

Special districts and municipalities require special expertise. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work for you.

Special District Areas of Law

• District Organization
• District Management
• Municipal and Government Law
• Special Districts Restructuring Group

Attorneys serving Special Districts and Business Improvement Districts

• Grimshaw, Thomas T. (of counsel)
• Dalton, Matthew R.
• Kron, Norman F.
• Hunsaker, James M.
• Dykstra, Russell W.
• Edstrom, David A.
• Berkowitz, Larry W.
• Arnold R. Kaplan

Grimshaw & Harring’s Special District Clients (2008)

Existing Special District Clients
Special Districts organized in the last five years

December 15, 2006

Todd R. Seelman was retained by a window manufacturer as special class action counsel in a Colorado state court action. Plaintiffs alleged construction/design defects impacting thousands of homes throughout the State of Colorado and alleged over $100 million in class-wide damages. After significant motion practice, Mr. Seelman was successful in defeating the class certification.

Newly Formed Special Districts and Business Improvement Districts

November 7, 2006, Election Day

• Appletree Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2 (El Paso County)
• Homestead Metropolitan District (Weld County)
• Norris Ranch Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2 (El Paso County)
• Platte River Village Metropolitan District (Weld County)
• Westcreek Metropolitan District Nos. 1 and 2 (Douglas County)
• Norris/Appletree Business Improvement District (El Paso County)
• South Broadway/Englewood Business Improvement District (Arapahoe County)
• Grand Elk Ranch General Improvement District (Grand County)
• Park Meadows Business Improvement District (Douglas County)
• West Colfax Business Improvement District (Jefferson County)

Oil and Gas Drilling Company Financing Completed

November 2006

In connection with the burgeoning oil and gas industry in Colorado, Paul J. Hanley assisted with the closing of a $30 million credit facility on behalf of a Denver based oil and gas drilling company. The $30 million credit facility was secured by a wide variety of collateral and assets, including a number of drilling rigs.

Thomas T. Grimshaw Recognized in Rocky Mountain News, Commentary

November 18, 2006

Thomas T. Grimshaw, one of the founding partners of Grimshaw & Harring, P.C. (formerly Caulkins, Cramer, Grimshaw & Harring), was honored by cohort Walter A. “Buz” Koelbel, Jr. as one of only a few business leaders who shared their collective visions 25 years ago in an effort to tackle Denver’s transportation needs. Over the years Buz and Tom, together with George Wallace, Larry Beardsley, John Madden, Ray Wells, Ray Bullock and Walt Imhoff, helped guide the newly completed and well-executed T-REX project. Of this core group, Mr. Grimshaw is one of five who remain involved today. We appreciate the salute to the group’s “quiet leadership” and its profound impact on the entire Denver business community over the past 25 years.

Series of Commercial Real Estate Acquisitions Completed

September 2006

Paul J. Hanley assisted a client with a series of six commercial real estate acquisitions throughout the country as part of an IRC Section 1031 exchange program. After selling a commercial property in California, the client proceeded to acquire six income producing commercial properties located in Colorado and other parts of the country. Mr. Hanley assisted with each of the acquisitions by forming a separate limited liability company for each of the acquisitions and by working with the client’s broker and opposing counsel to consummate the real estate acquisitions in a timely manner so as to qualify as like-kind exchanges under Section 1031.