The Colorado Civil Justice League names Evan Stephenson its 2011 "Lawyer of the Year"

DENVER:  The Colorado Civil Justice League (CCJL), a tort reform group that represents the Colorado business community, selected WTO associate Evan Stephenson as its 2011 "Lawyer of the Year." This award recognizes Evan's contributions to CCJL including his speaking, advocacy, and advisory roles for the organization.  As part of his work on CCJL's Legal Advisory Board, Evan established himself as an expert and sought-after presenter on the subject of Colorado's statutory law of damages caps. He published articles, spoke on the subject, and testified before the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee and the Judiciary Committee of the Colorado House of Representatives. He also participates in the organization's process for interviewing and vetting potential judicial appointees to the Colorado Supreme Court and Colorado Court of Appeals and formally recommending appropriate candidates to the Governor.

Evan's national litigation practice focuses on insurance, product liability, and personal injury trials and appeals. This year he played an integral role on the trial teams that obtained favorable results for Fortune 500 insurance companies in four separate cases. Also in 2011, Evan obtained a favorable decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in favor of a pro bono client in a federal habeas corpus appeal that reinstated the client's habeas petition after the trial court had incorrectly dismissed it.  In recognition of these accomplishments, Evan was selected as one of Law Week Colorado's Up-and-Coming Lawyers for 2011.