Stephen J. Harhai, Esq.
Since establishing the firm in 1976, Steve has concentrated exclusively on family law. He recognized early in his practice that many of Colorado’s laws did not serve families and children well. That realization led to a 10 year effort during which he contributed to redrafting the majority of the statutes relating to divorce while serving as the Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association. That commitment led to his appointment by the Governor of Colorado to Chair the Colorado Child Support Commission from 1990 through 1995 and as legal adviser to the Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood. Steve has also been appointed by the Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court to serve on family law projects, including a comprehensive review of the divorce process in Colorado with the goal of creating a more efficient and responsive system. He is particularly proud of his work on the statute that permits divorces to be granted without appearing in court. That legislation has saved divorce clients literally millions of dollars in fees and is consistent with our philosophy of avoiding unnecessary expense wherever possible.
Steve has taken an active role in incorporating technology into our practice for more than 20 years. He has developed spreadsheet models used for the analysis of complex financial issues and designed the electronic case file system that powers our paperless office.
Steve is recognized as one of the best family law attorneys in the country. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Martindale-Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The Superlawyers ratings placed him in the top 50 lawyers in Colorado. He is a fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and was honored as Fellow of the Year. He is past President of the Colorado Chapter of the Academy. TEN LEADERS includes him in the top ten divorce lawyers in Denver. He has been honored by election as Chair of the National Association of Counsel for Children, Chair of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, and has served on the Board of Governors of the state bar and as a trustee of the Denver Bar Association. At the national level, Steve has chaired the Admissions Procedures Committee of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, chaired the Website Committee and has chaired the Technology Committee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. Steve has been awarded the Chair’s Cup, the highest honor of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association.
Steve has a particular interest in working with complex financial matters, including business and professional practice valuations, analysis of trusts, and creative strategies for dividing large marital estates.
Steve lectures regularly for lawyer groups from Puerto Rico to Hawaii and most points in between on family law and technology topics, including presentations to national meetings of the American Bar Association, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Steve received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
Steve is an avid runner, reader and snowboarder. He qualified and medaled in the NASTAR National Championships in snowboard in 2009 and 2010.
Selected Published Cases:
In re C.T.G., 179 P.3d 231 (Colo. App. 2007)
In re Marriage of Nimmo, 811 P.2d 1002 (Colo. 1995)
In re Marriage of Murphy, 776 P.2d 1171 (Colo. App. 1989)
In re R.C., 775 P.2d 27 (Colo. 1989)
In re Marriage of Pierce, 720 P.2d 591 (Colo. App. 1985)
In re Marriage of Fjeldheim, 676 P.2d 1234 (Colo. App. 1983)
In re Marriage of Rappe, 650 P.2d 1352 (Colo. App. 1982)
Patricia A. Cooper, Esq.
Of Counsel
Trish Cooper is a magna cum laude graduate of Bryn Mawr College, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology and received honors for her thesis on language-delayed children. Trish’s legal career began in Washington, D.C. as a paralegal at the renowned law firm Covington & Burling. At Covington & Burling, Trish was selected for the coveted Neighborhood Legal Services Program, where she represented indigent, disabled and elderly clients before federal and state agencies. Trish received her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law where, among other accomplishments, she was the Notes Development Editor of the Virginia Journal of Social Policy and the Law.
Upon graduating law school, Trish became a prosecutor with the prestigious Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York City, where she specialized in complex felonies. She later relocated to Colorado and completed a two-year tenure as an Assistant Attorney General at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office before entering private practice and devoting her practice exclusively to family law. Trish has been Of Counsel to the firm since 2008. Prior to that, she was a shareholder and founding member of Cook, Cooper & Moses, LLC, a boutique domestic relations firm.
Trish lectures on diverse family law topics for CLE Colorado and Half Moon Seminars, and she has been published in Divorce Edition magazine. Trish is a Co-Editor of family law articles for The Colorado Lawyer and enjoys working with authors in developing and honing family law articles covering a broad range of family law issues. Trish is the Treasurer of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, and she has served on the Section’s Executive Council since 2008.
Trish is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and in 2010, 2011, and 2012, she was named a top attorney in the area of family law by Colorado Super Lawyers. Only five percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers after a rigorous, multiphase selection process including peer evaluations and third party research whereby each Super Lawyers candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Trish was also named a Best Lawyer 2012 by Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
Trish’s family law practice emphasizes complex financial and custody cases. Trish’s experience in the criminal, civil, and domestic arenas provides a unique perspective and broad skill set for understanding and addressing the many facets of domestic relations cases. Trish endeavors to find creative solutions tailored to the needs of each client, whether that entails alternative dispute resolution, skilled negotiation, or trial.
Trish is the proud parent of two young children, who keep her hopping and remind her of the important things in life. In her spare time, Trish enjoys traveling, cooking, skiing, gardening, biking, and tackling New York Times crossword puzzles.
Published Cases:
In re Marriage of Brandt, 11SA248 (Colo. 2012)
Feigin v. Alexa Group, 19 P.3d 23 (Colo. 2001)
Westmark Asset Management Corp. v. Joseph, 37 P.3d 516 (Colo. App. 2001)
Stanley G. Lipkin, Esq.
Of Counsel
Stan received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver School of Law and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1974. Stan has been in private practice in Colorado for the last thirty six years, and prior to joining the Law Office of Stephen J. Harhai, maintained his own offices in both Denver and Breckenridge.
Stan also had an earlier career as an experimental psychologist having served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Carnegie-Mellon University from 1966-1971. His education includes an undergraduate degree at Penn State University and Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Massachusetts.
Stan limits his practice to family law and is a Past-Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association; a Past-President of the Metropolitan Denver Interdisciplinary Child Custody Committee; served as Secretary for the Colorado Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum Committee for the 1998-99 year, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and has served in every office of the Colorado Chapter including Chapter President 2006-07.
Stan has been listed for family law in Best Lawyers in America from 2007 to the present. He is also listed as a Super Lawyer by 5280 Magazine, and has been awarded the highest rating (AV) by the Martindale-Hubbell lawyer directory. He has received recognition for serving pro-bono clients in divorce courts.
In addition to representing parties and children in family law matters, Stan has received mediation training from CDR Associates. Stan lectures regularly for lawyer groups throughout Colorado on family law issues. He also serves as a mentor for law students at the University of Denver and for young lawyers in Denver.
In order to keep a balanced lifestyle, Stan takes part in outside activities such as travel, skiing, fly fishing, cooking, and wine education where he has been qualified as a Certified Executive Sommelier.
With his background in psychology and mediation, Stan brings those perspectives and skills to the emotional issues of divorce and to issues related to children while he also is experienced in the complex financial issues of divorce.
Published Cases:
In re Marriage of Brandt, 11SA248 (Colo. 2012)
In re Marriage of Quam, 813 P.2d 833 (Colo. App. 1991)
In re Marriage of Van Genderen, 720 P.2d 593 (Colo. App. 1985)
