Board

Metro Volunteer Lawyers’ Board oversees the organization’s operations. The Board is comprised of volunteer attorney members from the Denver Bar Association, Douglas/Elbert Bar Association, Adams/Broomfield Bar Association, and First Judicial District Bar Association. 

 

Chair 2023-2024

Jerremy Ramp is a partner with the firm Cooper Ramp Cage Bucar Lewis LLC, where his practice focuses on family law. Jerremy grew up in Indiana but has been in Denver since graduating from Notre Dame Law School in 2003. Jerremy serves on the board of Metro Volunteer Lawyers, the Family Law Section Executive Council, and the Family Law Section Legislative Committee. He has been named as a Colorado Super Lawyer, 5280 Top Lawyers and to the Best Lawyers in America. After college, Jerremy spent a fascinating and rewarding year in Jerusalem doing archaeological work and volunteering at a hospital, and he spent his second year of law school in London studying international law. In his free time, Jerremy enjoys house projects, playing in the mountains, and most of all, tries—often unsuccessfully—to keep up with his three little kids. Jerremy spends his free time building and fixing things, driving kids around, playing in the mountains, and most of all, trying—often unsuccessfully—to keep up with his three kids.
Designee from the Denver Bar Association

 

Vice Chair 2023-2024

Martin Champagne Martin J. Champagne, Jr. has tried numerous cases before judges and juries involving multi-million-dollar commercial disputes, contract disputes and various negligence claims. He has served as trial counsel for the trial division of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Companies and has been trial counsel for numerous Fortune 500 companies and municipalities. Martin was awarded a juris doctor, with honors, by the University of Florida College of Law in 2001. He also holds a B.A. in English from Keene State College in Keene, N.H. He currently practices business litigation and appeals in Colorado and Florida.

Growing up in a family of modest means, he recalls the Lions Club delivering food and presents to his family one Christmas Eve when he was 9-years-old. The generosity of a group of strangers left an indelible impression on him. Since becoming a lawyer, he has volunteered as a guardian ad-litem for neglected children, regularly accepted pro bono cases on behalf of those in need and helped people with their legal problems at monthly legal aid clinics. He believes Metro Volunteer Lawyers serves a critical need in the community.
Martin lives in Denver with a very big German Shepard.
Designee from  the Denver Bar Association

 

 

 

Board Members

Patricia Rosales-Chavez Semi-retired.  Active 1985-2017.  Graduated from University of Northern Colorado with a double major in Communications: Law and Public Policy/Mass Media and Political Science.  Obtained JD from University of Colorado.  Practiced primarily in the public sector.  Began legal career with Colorado Legal Services, representing underserved population, including senior citizens and worked for the Office of Legislative Legal Services serving the Colorado General Assembly, The Colorado Parole Board as an Administrative Law Judge regarding parole revocations and as a member of the Board, The Colorado Attorney General’s Office, Pueblo and Adams County Attorney’s Offices and Weld and Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office.  Worked as an advocate for consumers of  mental health services and their families and other support groups.
Designee from the Adams/Broomfield Bar Association

 

Conor Hagerty is a Senior Assistant County Attorney with the Adams County Attorney’s Office, where he focuses on dependency and neglect cases. Conor is a proud Colorado native and a graduate of the University of Colorado-Boulder.  After graduating from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, LA Conor returned to his native Colorado and immediately began his career as a trial attorney.  Conor has extensive and varied experience as a trial attorney, having worked in criminal prosecution, criminal defense, family law, and juvenile law. When not in the courtroom Conor can be found cheering on his beloved CU Buffaloes in Folsom Field, on one of the legendary mogul runs of Mary Jane, or playing with his wife and three year old daughter in one of Colorado’s beautiful parks.

Designee from the Adams/Broomfield Bar Association

 

The Honorable Michal Lord-Blegen has served as a magistrate in the 17th Judicial District since 2020. Her current docket includes domestic relations, juvenile delinquency, truancy and child support. Since transferring to Adams County Combined Courts, her docket has included warrant reviews, small claims, protection orders, and first appearances. Before coming to 17th she served as a magistrate in Denver District Court for four years where her docket consisted of post-decree family law cases.

Magistrate Lord-Blegen began her legal career in 2010 as a solo practitioner dealing with criminal and family law matters. In 2012, she was one of the founding partners of a firm that focused on family law and mediation. She was appointed as a Child and Family Investigator on nearly 300 cases. Magistrate Lord-Blegen has been an expert witness in school choice matters and in educator dismissal cases.

Prior to practicing law, Magistrate Lord-Blegen served as an educator for nearly 20 years. She was a teacher at Compton High School in Los Angeles CA, an elementary school principal in Aurora CO, and a charter school board member in Denver.

Designee from the Adams/Broomfield Bar Association

Emily Koekkoek is an associate at Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC. She focuses her practice entirely on family law litigation and mediation. After earning a Bachelor of Arts from the McGill University, Emily attended the University of Oregon for Law School and earned a Juris Doctor along with a certificate in Environment and Natural Resources Law. She has completed the 40 Hour Mediation Certification course and has presented at the annual Colorado Family Law Institute.

Emily is a member of the Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, the Colorado Bar Association and its family law section, and the Denver Bar Association. Emily has been named a “One to Watch” on Best Lawyers in 2021 and 2022. Emily is dedicated to giving back to the community through her service with Metro Volunteer Lawyers and Project Safeguard. Emily is honored to join the MVL board and expand her role as a volunteer for the organization.
Designee from the Arapahoe Bar Association

 

Dawn Rodgers is a solo practitioner at Rodgers Law, LLC. Her practice includes family law, CFI, PCDM, mediation, and juvenile matters in the Denver metro area. She was born and raised in Colorado. She earned her B.A. in Sociology with a criminal justice concentration from Colorado State University in 2005. She completed her JD at the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2008. She is a past president of the Douglas Elbert Bar Association. She is currently on the Arapahoe County Bar Association Board’s Events Committee. She is a member of the Douglas Elbert Bar Association, Arapahoe County Bar Association, and the Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee. She believes all people should have equal access to the legal system and donates her time to the Arapahoe County Bar Association’s pro se clinic on an as needed basis. She also occasionally accepts limited pro bono work on a case by case basis. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains hiking and biking.

Designee from the Arapahoe Bar Association

 

Erin K. Williams was born in Denver, Colorado and has worked in U.S. immigration for more than 20 years. As a wife, mother of four, and a solo immigration and estate planning practitioner with a small team, Erin seeks to educate and empower her clients in all of their endeavors. Earning her bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University and law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Erin has owned her firm, Landmark Immigration & Estates Law, since January 2020. She gives back through her legal work, board memberships, and community involvement including Metro Volunteer Lawyers and legal night at Centro San Juan Diego. Erin is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, CBA Immigration Law Section, the Arapahoe County Bar Association and American Immigration Lawyers Association. Erin enjoys traveling and experiencing all life has to offer with her family and friends.

Designee from the Arapahoe Bar Association

 

Ashley Balicki is a compassionate yet aggressive advocate who has focused her practice on exclusively family law matters and appeals. Ashley represents clients in relationship transitions of all types, including contested and uncontested divorce, child custody, child support, modification actions, contempt proceedings, relocations, protection orders, parenting time issues, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and paternity. Ashley also has extensive experience pursuing appeals for her family law clients and is well-versed in all aspects of the appellate process. Ashley has received numerous awards including being selected by her peers as a Super Lawyer Rising Star.

Ashley prioritizes the needs and goals of her clients and believes in the importance of thorough preparation and responsive communication. With training in mediation and Collaborative Law (“no court divorce”), Ashley emphasizes making every effort to resolve family conflict without costly and devastating ligation. However, Ashley is an experienced litigator who also understands that in some circumstances litigation is the best course of action for achieving an outcome in the client’s best interest. Ashley frequently assists clients in matters involving complex custody matters, jurisdictional issues, and high net worth divorces. Ashley’s practice philosophy is to represent her clients in a way which vigorously protects their interests while doing everything possible to minimize the emotional toll and financial hardship which often comes with divorce. As a mother of two, Ashley is also sensitive to conducting family law litigation in a way which preserves the safety and well-being of the children.

Ashley received her undergraduate and law degree from Indiana University and continues to cheer on her Indiana Hoosiers in basketball. Ashley is licensed in Colorado, Indiana, and Illinois. Ashley lives in Highlands Ranch with her husband, Mark, and their two sons. During her free time Ashley likes to cook, read, and travel.

Designee from the Denver Bar Association

Kyle W. Brenton is an Assistant United States Attorney in the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.  In that capacity, Mr. Brenton represents the United States in criminal and civil appeals before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Before joining the Department of Justice, Kyle was Of Counsel at Childs McCune LLC, where he led that firm’s appellate practice, and prior to that he was a senior associate at Davis Graham & Stubbs, LLP.  Kyle graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, after which he clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel on the Tenth Circuit.  
Designee from the Denver Bar Association

Noah Patterson is a First Assistant Attorney General at the Colorado Department of Law. His practice focuses on tax litigation and general counsel work. Noah graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2010, after which he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Diana Terry on the Colorado Court of Appeals. Noah is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association, and is dedicated to furthering access to justice efforts in Colorado. As part of those efforts, Noah has worked as a volunteer attorney in MVL’s post-decree clinic since 2014. He is thrilled to serve on MVL’s board and support MVL’s great work.
Designee from the Denver Bar Association

Zachary Roeling 

Solution-oriented and child-focused, Zachary S. Roeling (Zac) brings a track record of problem-solving to the practice of Colorado family law, whether the issue is financial or concerning children. He represents clients in legal issues both complex and simple related to legal separation and divorce, custody, spousal and child support, post-Decree modifications of prior orders, including child relocation and removal disputes, same-sex divorce, civil unions and other LGBTQ+ relationship issues, unmarried partner disputes and premarital and marital agreements. He is as equally comfortable in court as he is settling cases in the spirit of compromise without resorting to judges. 

Mr. Roeling is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the National LGBT Bar Association, the Colorado LGBT Bar Association and the Denver Bar Association. Fluent in both English and French, his experience includes complex dissolution matters regarding trusts, business valuations, and complicated custody issues. He is adept at distilling nuanced issues into simple language everyone can understand. He neither picks fights nor backs down from them when warranted.

Zac, a Colorado native, holds a BA in English Literature and French from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He graduated with a Dean's Scholarship and the Katherine Jacob Lamont Scholarship in the Humanities. He then graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law with his Juris Doctor as a recipient of the Robert B. Yegge Memorial Scholarship.

Zac’s first experience in a legal work environment was as a law student at Colorado Legal Services, where he gained a deep understanding of the need for pro bono services and for attorneys to support their communities’ underserved populations. He is thrilled to be a part of an organization like MVL. As a classically trained pianist and former English teacher to middle-school and elementary students in France, in his spare time you will find him buried in a novel, at the keyboard or planning his next trip overseas with his partner.
Designee from the Denver Bar Association

Ben King - W. Benjamin King is a Colorado native and third-generation trial attorney. Mr. King attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, Leeds School of Business. where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing. Subsequently, he received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Miami’s School of Law in Florida and is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of Colorado.   Mr. King began his legal career with a prestigious Denver family law firm where he specialized in litigating highly-contested divorces and child custody cases.  Additionally, he also has experience in appellate work and has prevailed on issues in both the Colorado Court of Appeals and Colorado Supreme Court. Mr. King’s  practice now focuses on construction related matters, including construction defect claims, general insurance defense, personal injury, and family law.  
 
Mr. King has authored multiple legal publications and is a member of: the American Bar Association (ABA), Colorado Bar Association (CBA), Denver Bar Association, Arapahoe County Bar Association,  Colorado Bar Young Lawyers Division, Faculty of Federal Advocates, Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee (MDIC), the Douglas-Elbert County Bar Association (DEBA), and acts as the DEBA Representative to the Metro Volunteer Lawyers (MVL) Board of Governors.
 
Mr. King is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys volunteering when he is not exploring the Colorado mountain ranges and spending time with his family.
Designee from the Douglas/Elbert Bar Association

Ric Morgan has a long history with Access to Justice programs and was the founding co-chair of the 18th Judicial District’s Access to Justice Committee.   Since 2003 he has owned a solo law practice in rural Elbert County, and has coordinated local access to justice projects, including free legal clinics in four area counties, and pro bono support to victims of domestic violence.  In 2011 he helped establish the 18th Judicial District's Veterans Treatment Court which had its first graduates in 2015.  In 2013, he founded the Virtual Pro Se Clinic (VPC) program, which is a public-private collaboration delivering free monthly legal clinics to local libraries in 46 Colorado Counties.   He also provides pro bono legal counsel for various local non-profit organizations, including farmers & ranchers organizations, veterans groups, municipal districts, local citizens groups, and governmental bodies.    

Ric is a 2003 graduate of Denver University Law School, with an MS from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, and a BS from Colorado State University. 
Designee from the Douglas/Elbert Bar Association

Aaron Suazo Aaron is dedicated to helping his clients and their families, whether it is through a divorce, fighting criminal charges or helping them navigate through parenting disputes and other issues.  Aaron is a tireless worker who works closely with his clients to help bring a favorable resolution their problems.   

Aaron brings a long history of courtroom and negotiation experience to Suazo Law LLC. He began his legal career as an intern at the Denver District Attorney’s Office while attending law school at the University of Colorado. Preceding his formal study of law, Aaron served in the United States Marine Corps for 12 years. He began his military career as a military policeman and was later sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he learned to speak the Korean language. He then worked as an interrogator in the military intelligence field for the rest of his Marine Corps career.  

Immediately after graduating from Law School, Aaron worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Frank Plaut in the Jefferson County District Court. While with Judge Plaut, he was able to see firsthand the inner workings of the court and how domestic relations and criminal law was practiced.  After his clerkship, Aaron returned to the Denver District Attorney’s Office where he was eventually promoted to the position of a Senior Deputy District Attorney before joining moving into private practice. During his stretch with the Denver District Attorney’s Office, Aaron was assigned to several specialized units, including the High Impact Drug Trafficking Area where he focused on prosecuting criminals involved in multi-state drug trafficking organizations and was appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney.  

Aaron was also assigned to the Family Violence Unit where he gained valuable experience dealing with issues concerning families. While in the Family Violence Unit, Aaron prosecuted individuals charged with domestic violence crimes such as sexual assaults on their spouses or significant others, sexual assault on children and other crimes involving child victims, and all forms of domestic violence.  

Aaron has tried countless jury trials, ranging from simple assaults to complex multi-defendant homicides.  

Aaron moved to private practice was eventually became a partner at a major domestic relations law firm in the Denver metro area.  While there, Aaron handled both domestic relations and criminal cases.  Aaron’s background as a prosecutor with extensive litigation experience helped prepare him to handle both domestic relations and criminal cases.  Indeed, his experience prosecuting domestic violence crimes has given him a unique perspective on domestic violence as it relates to dissolutions of marriage and child custody issues.   
Designee from the Douglas/Elbert Bar Association

Stephen Cook is the managing partner at Smith & Cook, LLC, a general litigation firm with an emphasis in Criminal Defense, Family Law, Probate and General Civil Litigation. Stephen and his firm currently volunteer with Metro Volunteer Lawyers hosting the Family Law and Guidance Program in the 1st JD, with the Legal Clinic for the Women in Crisis Center through Family Tree, Inc. and he is the Continuing Legal Education Chairperson for the 1st JD Bar Association. Stephen is also an assistant coach for the D'Evelyn High School Mock Trial Team. Graduating law school from Valparaiso University in 1996 and Indiana University with a bachelor of science in Marketing in 1993, Stephen has called Colorado home since 1996. He is married with 3 children and in his spare time enjoys golfing, fly fishing and reading history. 
Designee from the First Judicial District Bar Association

Andrew “Andy” Hart. Andy got involved with Metro Volunteer Lawyers after obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2007. Andy was then employed with Metro Volunteers Lawyers as the Family Law Court Program Coordinator for two years before going off into private practice. He has served on the Board of Directors since 2012. In his spare time, Andy spends time with his family exploring Colorado and all it has to offer - hiking, backpacking, cycling, and skiing all over the state. When not engaged in outdoor pursuits, Andy enjoys spending time with friends, family, a good book, and rabidly cheering on the University of Oregon Ducks. Andy remains grateful for the opportunity to have worked for an organization that helps so many people who lack the resources to hire an attorney, and continues to support their efforts as a volunteer. At a young age, he learned that the practice of law is an honorable profession full of good, dedicated people. Andy is partner at the family law firm of Radeff & Hart.
Designee from the First Judicial District Bar Association

Kevin E. McReynolds is a litigator focusing on criminal law and constitutional issues. Kevin began his career as a civil litigator at a national firm in Los Angeles and moved to Colorado after clerking for Judge George Schiavelli in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In Denver, Kevin worked for a six-attorney firm where his practice focused on civil litigation and business transactions for clients in the energy, telecommunications, technology, and entertainment industries. While in private practice, Kevin took a pro bono immigration matter and successfully challenged his client’s deportation in the 10th Circuit. This prompted him to leave private practice to focus on appellate litigation and criminal law, first with the Colorado Attorney General and now in his current role with the Office of the First Judicial District Attorney. Kevin has argued more than seventy cases before Colorado’s appellate courts and regularly teaches on topics relating to appellate practice and criminal law.

Kevin is deeply involved in the local legal community where, among other roles, he has served on the Presidents’ Diversity Council, as President of the Denver Bar Association, and as Chair of the Waterman Fund.
Designee from the First Judicial District Bar Association

Kama McConaughy Sarkissian focuses her practice in all areas of family law. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian has an extensive background in complex litigation, settlement negotiations, and appeals, having represented clients throughout the state of Colorado. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian is licensed to practice law in Colorado, where she has lived since 1979. She attended Cherry Creek High School. Thereafter, she graduated in 1993 from the University of Colorado, Boulder, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian attended Tulane School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she earned her Juris Doctorate, cum laude. During law school, Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian was an associate editor of The Tulane International and Comparative Law Journal. Upon graduating law school in 1997, Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian returned to Colorado and began practicing family law. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian is experienced in representing clients in all areas of family law, from financially complex divorce cases to high profile custody matters. While she strives to develop creative settlement solutions for her clients, she has the litigation experience necessary to successfully represent her clients in court when settlement is not possible. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, CBA Family Law Section, and the Arapahoe County Bar Association. Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee (MDIC), the Douglas-Elbert County Bar Association.   Ms. Sarkissian is the Arapahoe County Bar Association Representative to the Metro Volunteer Lawyers (MVL) Board of Governors. Ms. McConaughy Sarkissian is trained in Collaborative Law and is a member of the Denver Source for Collaborative Divorce.  She is married with three hockey playing children. In her free time, she enjoys watching ice hockey, skiing, and spending time with her family. 
Member at Large

Leo Milan is a recovering retiree with the Colorado Department of Law. As a Senior Assistant Attorney General II within the Healthcare Unit, he represents a number of health care boards. Previously, he represented the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Division of Aeronautics and its Board of Directors in litigation and in an advisory capacity. During his previous tenure with the Attorney General’s Office and in conjunction with Metro Volunteer Lawyers, he supervised the pro bono volunteer program which served both Adams and Arapahoe Counties. Prior to his appointment at the Colorado Department of Law, Leo was actively involved in Missions for Ministries, building houses in Juarez, Mexico for the poorest of poor. More recently, he has been involved with the Habitat for Humanity and has participated in local builds. He often offers his time for judging and mentoring high school students in a variety of civic and legal opportunities.

Leo is presently on the MVL Advisory Board as a Member at Large. He hopes to use his legal and business background to assist in creating the awareness necessary to attract new interest in program participation from the legal community. Although the MVL programs are incredible already, this additional community outreach may provide even more legal guidance to a severely underserved population. Leo is the recipient of the Denver Bar Association and the DBA Access to Justice Commission award as a 2022 Pro Bono Star. 
Member at Large

 

Alena Prokop is a partner at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP. Her practice focuses on the design, administration, and tax attributes of all types of executive compensation arrangements and equity compensation plans, as well as on the executive compensation issues arising out of mergers, acquisitions, and public offerings. Before joining DGS, Alena practiced in the Executive Compensation Group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Alena is a member of the 2021 General Counsel Mentor Program and the Women of M&A Network. She is a graduate of the 2019 Leadership 20 class, a leadership development program for emerging leaders within ACG Denver’s professional business community. Since 2022, she was named among the “Ones to Watch” in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions Law by Best Lawyers. Alena received her J.D.-equivalent degree from the Charles University School of Law in Prague, Czech Republic, and her LL.M. in Corporate Law from New York University School of Law. Alena balances her transactional practice with various pro bono projects and currently serves as the pro bono partner for DGS’ transactions department. Alena enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with her husband and their two little boys.
Member at Large