Elizabeth Jane Meier Howard

Originally from Kankakee, Illinois, I migrated out to Colorado to attend the University of Denver. While there, I majored in psychology, minored in legal studies, and fell in love with the mountains. After receiving my undergraduate degree, I moved to Boston, Massachusetts where I began law school. I completed my first year of law school at New England School of Law; however, I wanted to make Colorado my permanent home and transferred to the University Of Denver Sturm College Of Law, where I completed my final two years of law school. I graduated number eight in my class and received several Am Jur awards for receiving the top grade in a given class, including my family law class. My passion for family law began when I served as an Interviewer Advocate at the Domestic Violence Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. I spent my Saturday evenings at Boston Medical Center interviewing women regarding their experiences with domestic violence. As I sat with these women and listened to them describe their personal situations, I discovered that these women faced many difficult legal battles pertaining to their rights in the case of a separation or divorce and their rights to child custody and child support. I felt very fortunate to talk with these women about services available to them and to advise them regarding some of their legal options. The Domestic Violence Institute used the information I helped gather to improve the services available to domestic violence survivors. Following my work with the Domestic Violence Institute, I wanted to continue my work with domestic violence survivors and did so at the Cook County State's Attorney's office, in the Domestic Violence Division. After moving to Colorado, I also interned in the Family Violence Unit of the Denver District Attorney's Office. During my time at these offices, I worked on several cases involving crimes of violence that had occurred within the family environment. My exposure to these issues helped me to build an understanding of the many dynamics involved in family law cases and the skills necessary to exude a compassionate and positive attitude when interacting with clients. In addition to my experiences working with domestic violence cases, during my second year of law school, I was a Student Attorney in the Criminal Representation Clinic and developed practical courtroom experience appearing on behalf of clients at arraignments and motions hearings. Following law school, I clerked for the Honorable Russell E. Carparelli of the Colorado Court of Appeals. There, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of complex legal issues. My time at the Court of Appeals was an invaluable training experience. I am confident that the writing, research, and analytical skills I developed at the Court of Appeals will be an asset when working with my family law clients. I extend all of my effort into each task I set out to complete and I look forward to extending this work ethic into each case that comes my way. in 2012, the Colorado Lawyers Committee selected a team of lawyers for their dedication to a pro bono project. Elizabeth was among those selected for her work and contributions to the volunteer effort. I spend my free time with my family, which currently includes my wonderful husband and English Bulldog puppy. I also enjoy cooking, traveling to new places, and long distance running.