Best Family Lawyer in Denver
Brian Petz
Family Lawyer
Brian Petz is a senior associate at Baker Law Group, LLC, with roughly a decade of experience in adult guardianship, conservatorship law, and Elder law. As the chair of the Probate and Estate Planning Department, Mr. Petz plays a crucial role.
in advocating for and protecting the well-being and interests of vulnerable individuals. His vast experience encompasses representing various clients and helping them navigate the legal intricacies of establishing guardianships and conservatorships.
Mr. Petz has a robust record of successfully assisting clients in the administration and litigation of guardianship and conservatorship matters. He is committed to providing exceptional legal guidance, ensuring the rights and best interests of those under guardianship or conservatorship are upheld and respected.
An active member of the Colorado and Arapahoe County Bar Associations, Mr. Petz is also a part of the Elder Law and Trust & Estate Sections of the Colorado Bar Association. His involvement in various organizations reflects his dedication to serving and advocating for Colorado’s senior population, highlighting his expertise and compassion in guardianship and conservatorship cases.
Brian Petz earned his B.S. from Florida State University and his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School. Currently residing in Thornton with his family, Mr. Petz is originally from Clearwater, Florida. When away from his professional responsibilities, he enjoys hiking and playing hockey.
Gary Polidori, Esq.
Family Lawyer
Gary Polidori has been practicing law since 1967. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America and has an AV rating with the Bar Registry of Preeminent Lawyers . Gary is a frequent lecturer to the legal community on family law issues, and is active in both local and national family law organizations. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and is a past president of the Colorado chapter. In addition, he is a past member of the Board of Governors and the Executive Council of the Colorado Bar Association , and past president of the 1st Judicial District Bar Association.
Mr. Polidori has been listed in several publications honoring his achievements. 5280 Denver’s Magazine, called Gary one of Denver’s top divorce lawyers, and Divorce in Denver Magazine named Gary as one of the top ten lawyers in Denver. Mr. Polidori was the recipient of the 1st Judicial District Bar Association Award of Merit in 2008. Mr. Polidori was also listed as the Denver Area Family Lawyer of the Year for 2010 by Best Lawyers in America.
Alicia Martin
Family Lawyer
Alicia made the move from Shreveport, Louisiana to the Rocky Mountain State of Colorado in 1991. She has found a home working in family law since 2008. She finds great satisfaction in her role of helping clients navigate the often-chaotic transition of divorce, which is one of the most challenging times in a person’s life. Alicia is led by a strong altruistic drive to serve others, and she makes sure everyone she works with is cared for from the very start of working with Jones Law Firm, PC.
Alicia attended the University of Houston and Red Rocks Community College with a focus on psychology.
What you might not know: When she is not serving clients, Alicia enjoys mixing electronic music and learning about the mysteries of ancient history. She can also be found writing blogs and attending live music. Although she has lived in Colorado most of her life, she has never been camping!
Laura E. Shapiro
Family Lawyer
Laura Shapiro is one of the top female Denver divorce lawyers in Colorado. She has over 40 years of experience in litigation and has been practicing family law exclusively since 1987.
While raising her daughter as a single parent, Laura Shapiro established Shapiro Family Law in 1991, and we’ve been exclusively focused on Family law ever since.
Laura is familiar with both sides of the divorce process and is passionate about helping people resolve their family matters in a way that allows them to move forward with their lives successfully.
Dmitriy obtained his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Ohio University. There, he joined the student senate and began investigating how he could personally help the local community and students. He went on to attend law school at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. During his time there, Dmitriy was a member of the American Association for Justice Mock Trial Team, was on the Dean’s List, and received the CALI Award for Business and Financial Concepts for Lawyers. During his time in law school, he also worked pro bono, representing individuals in the Capital University Law School Litigation Clinic who could not afford an attorney at no charge.
Nicholas Tootalian
Family Lawyer
Nick and his wife moved from Michigan to Colorado in 2011 for Nick to attend the Sturm College of Law of The University of Denver. Nick began practicing with a focus on criminal law and shifted his focus to family law in 2014. Nick has experience in numerous practice areas that provides clients unique insight and guidance to issues peripheral to their family law matter.
Nick approaches every matter with compassion. While litigation is Nick’s interest his passions are in people. When you hire an attorney for any matter, particularly one that directly affects your family, you are putting what is most important to you in the hands of someone who is initially a stranger. Nick’s goal in every case is to earn your trust so that you feel confident. Nick will earn your trust through his compassion, his accessibility, and his experience.
Nick is a skilled negotiator and will do so aggressively in pursuit of the outcome you are seeking. However, Nick will always be straightforward with you about your case and the likelihood of success. Nick is exceptionally confident in a courtroom and anticipates that, because of his representation, you will feel confident as well should you decide to take your matter to a hearing or trial.
Nick values integrity and trust and believes that above all else, these are values necessary to succeed in any endeavor. Nick hopes that this sentiment shines through to each individual he encounters.
Richard A. Harris
Family Lawyer
Attorney Rich Harris, Managing Partner of The Harris Law Firm, has a true passion for family law and uses his experience and knowledge to help others navigate Colorado’s legal system. Rich is widely respected throughout Denver’s legal and business communities for his decades of service and commitment to justice. Rich has been recognized by numerous leading legal organizations including Best Lawyers in America® in 2025 and repeated selection to the Super Lawyers® List for family law. Membership in Super Lawyers is only afforded to the top 5% of lawyers in the United States in specific legal fields. It represents an affirmation from some of the most widely-recognized legal professionals and is a great honor among attorneys.
Rich has also been honored by The Denver Post as a Top Lawyer of Colorado. He has also consistently maintained an Avvo Rating of 10.0 out of 10.0, a score determined by peer nomination and high client satisfaction ratings. This serves as further evidence of the quality of his professional service.
In addition to being a force in the courtroom, Attorney Harris is a well-known legal writer and speaker who frequently shares his insights and experience. He is a co-author of the Colorado Family Law Deskbook, has been featured on local news broadcasts, and has authored numerous articles and presentations across a broad range of family law topics.
Jason A. Márquez
Family Lawyer
Mr. Márquez has practiced law since 2008, almost exclusively in the fields of family law and criminal defense.
After practicing law for nearly ten years at a firm where he was also an owner for several years, he started Márquez Law to redirect his focus on practicing law and not the bottom line.
Mr. Márquez brings a unique set of skills to Colorado family law with an extensive background in the corporate world where he provided operational, technical, management, finance, and legal support to several corporations. His background makes him perfectly suited to work with challenging issues including:
High Conflict
Complex Financials/High Stakes
Domestic Violence
Substance Abuse
Mr. Márquez acquired a BA from Westmont College where he double majored in Economics & Business and Physics. He went on to acquire an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver with an emphasis in change management. He acquired his Juris Doctorate from the Denver University Sturm College of Law in 2007 where he was awarded the Outstanding Student Attorney Award and Student Leadership Award.
Erika Gebhardt
Family Lawyer
Erika Alese Gebhardt is an attorney licensed in Colorado, who offers clients efficient and effective representation and tailors her services to the unique needs of each individual client. Erika’s practice focuses exclusively on family law, where she both litigates and serves as a child-expert. Erika provides services to all counties in the Denver Metro area, as well as some of the front range and mountain regions. Erika’s clients have the added benefit of her litigation experience in the areas of employment law and complex commercial litigation. Her previous experience in these areas provides her with a unique perspective and skill set, which enable her to successfully navigate more complicated issues that may arise in cases involving business interests and trusts.
Erika has a wide breadth of experience in family law matters, to include unique parenting time issues, non-traditional families, and high net worth families and individuals. Erika has extensive training and experience with LGBTQ+ issues, domestic violence, and children with sensory issues/autism. Erika works closely with her clients to ensure that their case is handled and resolved in a manner that enables them to transition smoothly beyond the legal system. Erika also works with the firm’s post-decree Estate Planning department, to ensure that the assets clients receive in their dissolution of marriage are protected, even posthumously.
What Is Family Law?
Family law is a branch of law that deals with legal issues involving family relationships. It encompasses a wide range of matters related to marriage, divorce, child custody, adoption, and other family dynamics. Here’s an overview of what family law covers:
Key Areas of Family Law
Marriage and Civil Unions
- Marriage Laws: Includes legal requirements for getting married, such as age, consent, and procedures.
- Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships: Addresses the rights and obligations of partners who choose alternatives to traditional marriage.
Divorce and Separation
- Divorce Proceedings: Covers the legal process for dissolving a marriage, including the filing requirements, grounds for divorce, and the division of assets.
- Legal Separation: Involves agreements for living apart without officially divorcing, which can include financial arrangements and custody agreements.
Child Custody and Support
- Custody Arrangements: Establishes the legal and physical custody of children, determining where they will live and how decisions about their welfare will be made.
- Child Support: Determines the financial contributions each parent must make for the upbringing of their children.
Adoption and Surrogacy
- Adoption Laws: Governs the process of legally adopting a child, including background checks, consent requirements, and the rights of biological parents.
- Surrogacy: Involves the legal agreements between intended parents and surrogates, as well as the rights and responsibilities of each party.
Domestic Violence and Protection Orders
- Protection from Abuse: Provides legal protections for victims of domestic violence, including restraining orders and enforcement measures.
- Child Protection: Includes laws aimed at protecting children from abuse or neglect within the family.
Property Division and Alimony
- Division of Assets: Determines how marital property and debts are divided during a divorce.
- Spousal Support (Alimony): Addresses financial support paid by one spouse to the other post-divorce.
Paternity and Parental Rights
- Establishing Paternity: Legal processes to determine the father of a child, which can affect custody, visitation, and child support.
- Parental Rights and Responsibilities: Includes issues related to parental decision-making, visitation rights, and obligations towards the child.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
- Prenuptial Agreements: Legal contracts signed before marriage that outline how assets will be divided in case of divorce.
- Postnuptial Agreements: Similar to prenuptial agreements, but signed after the marriage has already taken place.
The Role of Family Courts
Family law cases are typically handled in specialized family courts, which aim to resolve disputes while prioritizing the welfare of children and fairness to all parties involved.
Importance of Family Law
Family law exists to provide legal structure and protections in some of the most personal and emotionally charged areas of life. It helps ensure that family disputes are handled fairly and that vulnerable members of the family, particularly children, are protected.
In summary, family law governs the legal aspects of family relationships, providing mechanisms to resolve conflicts and protect the rights of individuals within the family unit.