Laura Hazen

Laura works passionately and thoughtfully with businesses and individuals to maximize the benefit of their legal rights and to understand their legal obligations. She accomplishes this task by providing day-to-day advice, drafting customized policies and procedures and implementing those policies through employee trainings. She believes that clear guidelines—for managers as well as employees—is the best path to a productive workforce and litigation avoidance.

When litigation is necessary, Laura is an undaunted advocate for her clients in the courtroom. Laura litigates employment issues in federal courts and before administrative bodies as well as traditional civil matters in state and federal court, such as breach of contract, non-competition and trade secret litigation, landlord tenant disputes, construction defect cases and other business disputes.

Laura spends a substantial amount of time working with youth serving organizations including early childhood education centers, child care facilities, camps, community organizations and single skill building trainings. As a result of her board service in this area and her extensive experience representing youth serving organizations, Laura provides customized solutions and real world solutions to licensing issues and in response to county investigations.

Laura has received numerous awards for her work.

AWARDS

  • Laura Hazen was selected by her peers as published in Best Lawyers as "Women in the Law: Top Peer Nominated Lawyer" 2019-2020.

  • Laura Hazen was selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2015-2023 in the practice area of Employment Law – Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment.

  • Laura Hazen was selected by 5280 Magazine as one of the Top Lawyers 2017-2023 in the practice area of Labor and Employment: Defense.

  • Top Women Lawyers, Law Week Colorado 2012

    • Recognized as one of 7 Top Women Lawyers in Colorado

  • Super Lawyers (an honor limited to five percent of the lawyers in Colorado)

    • Top 50 Women Colorado Super Lawyers (2013-2015, 2017,2020, 2023)

    • Colorado Super Lawyer (2010, 2012-2022)

    • Rising Star (2009)

  • Martindale-Hubbell Rating of AV-Preeminent® and as having “High Ethical Standing”

    • Awarded the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards

  • Colorado Lawyers Committee - Laura Hazen was nominated for Task Force of the Year Award (Public Benefits Investigators Task Force).

  • Denver Business Journal Forty Under Forty, 2009

    • Recognizing forty outstanding local professionals under age 40 for their business success and community contributions

  • YMCA

    • Volunteer of the Year, 2007

    • Eagle Club, 2013 (award recognizing her work to raise money for the families served by the Denver Metro YMCA)

  • Colorado Bar Foundation Fellow (2017 to present)

    • An honor bestowed upon no more than five percent of Colorado lawyers for “outstanding dedication to the welfare of the community, the traditions of the profession and the maintenance and advancement of the objectives of the Colorado Bar Association.”

  • Children's Trust Fund Colorado

    • Appointed by Governor to serve two 3 year terms. The Colorado Children's Trust Fund (CCTF) was established in 1989 by the General Assembly of the state of Colorado through House Bill 1216. The purpose of the Trust Fund is to prevent the abuse and neglect of Colorado’s children. Confirmed by the Colorado Senate in April 2013.

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

Ms. Hazen regularly writes for and speaks to various trade organizations and associations including the Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado. Below is a sampling of Ms. Hazen's published articles and groups to whom she's presented:

  • The Practitioner's Guide to Colorado Employment Law, review and revise Chapter 20, "Workplace Violence," 2014-Present

  • Regular column for the Early Childhood Education Association, trade organization newsletter on issues of human resource and talent management and child care/early childhood education administration, October 2007-2015

  • Denver Business Journal, "Employment Issues Overlooked When Buying A Business," January 2011

  • "Preventing and Responding to Allegations of Abuse and Neglect Against Early Childhood Educators," Laura J. Hazen, 2012

  • The Colorado Lawyer, "Dress Codes and Appearance Policies: What Not to Wear at Work," October 2010

  • The Advisor, (Colorado Human Resource Association), "What is an Employer to Do? Piercing,Blogging and Tattoos 'Oh, My!'," December 2009

  • Members' Newsletter (Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado). Example: "Keeping Licensing Visits Short and Sweet: Avoidable Mistakes," June 2009

  • Hospitality News, (Colorado Restaurant Association). "'I Quit!' and Other Reasonable Reactions to Managing Problem Employees," November 2007
    presented to the American Bar Association

  • The Advisor, (Colorado Human Resource Association), "'We're like a Family,' and Other Lies Small Business Owners Tell Themselves about Discrimination and Harassment Claims," October 2006

  • The Docket, (Colorado Bar Association), "Lookin' for Love in all the Wrong Places," (legal issues surrounding intraoffice dating), December 2004

Laura has lectured before the following organizations on one or more occasions:

  • Organizations Serving the Legal Community

    • American Bar Association

    • Association of Legal Administrators

    • Colorado Association of Legal Administrators

    • Colorado Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section

    • Colorado Women's Bar Association

    • Faculty of Federal Advocates

    • Legal Marketing Association’s Rocky Mountain Chapter

    • Lorman Education Services

    • Professional Legal Management Week

    • State Capital Law Firm Group

    • Sterling Education Services, Inc.

    • University of Denver, Lawyering Process Program

  • Youth Serving Organizations

    • Arapahoe Early Childhood Council

    • Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado

    • Head State Association

    • Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference

    • Sungate Kids Child Abuse Conference

  • Associations and Entities serving human resources professionals

    • Colorado Human Resource Association

    • Colorado Restaurant Association

    • DOGER (Oil and Gas HR Professionals)

    • Hospitality Human Resource Association

    • ISPP Small Business Toolkit

    • Society for Human Resource Management

    • University of Denver, Masters program focusing on Human Resources

EDUCATION & TRAINING

  • University of Colorado at Denver (M.S. Business Management, 2009)

  • Bard Center for Entrepreneurship (Alumni, 2006)

  • Northeastern University School of Law (J.D., 1997)

  • Cornell College (B.S.S. in English, Women's Studies and Art, cum laude, 1994)

  • National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Building Trial Skills (Boulder, 2007)

  • Certified to present "Stewards of Children" evidence based training designed to prevent child sexual abuse for Darkness to Light (2013)

  • Completed Gavin deBecker's Advanced Threat Assessement Academy training, designed to assist professionals in their prediction, assessment and response to potentially violent incidents (2013)

  • Certified to present the iloveuguys Foundation "Standard Response Protocol" and "Standard Reunification Method" trainings designed to help schools and other organizations respond to emergencies such as first person shooters (2013)

COURT ADMISSIONS

Admitted to practice in Colorado and Massachusetts and before the U.S. District Courts of the Districts of Colorado and Massachusetts. Additionally, she is admitted to practice in the First and Tenth Circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

AFFILIATIONS

  • The Alliance of Professional Women, Member (2006-2009), Roundtable Chair (2006-2007)

  • Bard Center for Entrepreneurship, Alumni, Lecturer.

  • Child Fatality Review Board (Tri-County), County level multi-disciplinary review team (2015-Present).

  • Children's Trust Fund, Governor-Appointed Member, two terms (2013-Present).

  • Colorado Bar Association, Member (2003-Present)

  • Colorado Early Education Association, Board Member (2008-Present).

  • Colorado Department Human Services, Child Abuse Prevention Steering Committee, Member (2016-Present).

  • Colorado Human Resource Association, Member, Speaker for two 3-year terms, Author (2006-2012).

  • Colorado Lawyers Committee, Board Member (2014-Present), Public Benefit Investigations Task Force, Chair (2009-2010).

  • Colorado Restaurant Association, Mile High Chapter, Board Member (2008-2009), Speaker, Author, Education Committee (2007-2009).

  • Colorado Women's Bar Association, Member, Speaker, Membership and Policy Committee Member (Leave Survey).

  • Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Graduate of Chamber 100 (Class 2006-2007).

  • Diversity in the Legal Profession, (joint committee of the Denver Bar Association and the Colorado Bar Association), Chair (2011-2012).

  • DU Lawyering Process Program, Judge, Mock Arguments (2007, 2008).

  • Early Childhood Education Association of Colorado, Board Member (2008-Present), Head of Marketing Committee, Speaker, Author.

  • Early Head Start Governance Council, Region VIII, Board Member, Co-Chair (2016-Present).

  • Hospitality Human Resource Association, Speaker (2008-2010).

  • Ireland Stapleton Community Action Committee, Co-Founder, Member (2004-2006).

  • Ireland Stapleton Employment Law Series, Co-Founder, Speaker (2008-2013).

  • Legal Aid Foundation Associates Campaign, Ireland Stapleton Co-Chair (2005-2007).

  • Legal Aid Foundation Board of Trustees, Young Lawyer Honorary Trustee (2007-2009), LAF Association Campaign Co-Chair (2007-2009), Firm Campaign Committee (2009-Present).

  • Prevent Child Abuse Colorado, Advisory Board, Member (2013-2015).

  • Small Business Toolkit© Series, Founder, Facilitator, Speaker (2005-2007).

  • SunGate Kids, Children’s advocacy center Board Member (2013-2015).

  • The Society for Human Resource Management, Member, Speaker (2005-Present).

  • YMCA Metro Denver, Board of Advisors, Chair (2009-Present), Board Member (2006-2009), Member Martin Luther King Event Planning Committee (2008), Volunteer of the Year (2007), Special Events Committee Chair (2008-2009).

SIGNIFICANT PRO BONO SERVICE

  • Pro Bono Attorney, Colorado Legal Services (claims before the Department of Labor)

  • Chair, Colorado Lawyers Committee Public Benefit Investigations Task Force (2009-Present, Inactive Committee)

  • Pro Bono Attorney, Metro Volunteer Lawyers