Dean Batchelder

Dean Batchelder is an experienced attorney who focuses his practice on commercial litigation and, since early 2023, he has been expanding his appellate practice and leading Burg Simpson’s appellate division. Mr. Batchelder is admitted to practice before the Colorado and Wyoming Supreme Courts, as well as several Federal Courts, and has argued cases before the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to joining Burg Simpson, Mr. Batchelder worked with a number of well-respected Denver law firms. Mr. Batchelder is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and early in his career, he served as Law Clerk for the Hon. A. Mead of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Notable Appellate Successes

• James Nelson, et al. v. US, 40 F.4th 1105 (10th Cir. 2022): Affirming award of nearly $2 million in attorney’s fees to a terribly injured client under the Equal Access to Justice Act in a FTCA action.
• Norton v. Ruebel, 2024 COA 108, — P.3d — (Colo. App. 2024): Reversing adverse summary judgment order in legal malpractice case to determine the scope of the asserted lien where clients had been unable to conduct any discovery of their attorney’s file.
• Doe v. Wellbridge Club Mgmt. LLC, 2022 COA 137, 525 P.3d 682 (Colo. App. 2022) (cert. denied Aug. 21, 2023): Reversing adverse summary judgment order premised on gym’s liability waiver, rejecting the district court’s holding that it barred claims for sexual assault.
• Todd Carrasco v. Copenna Corporation, 2023CA0945 (Colo. App. 2024) (unpublished opinion): Reversing adverse summary judgment order on client’s Premises Liability Act claim, rejecting the district court’s interpretation of the PLA and of the defendant’s duties.
• David Sudduth, et al. v. Jason Curtis, 2022COA0555 (Colo. App. 2023) (unpublished opinion): Affirming client’s damages award following jury and bench trials in a quiet title action with legal and equitable claims.
• In the Matter of Trust Created by International Typographical Union of North America, 2021CA0974 (Colo. App. 2023) (unpublished opinion): Affirming order dismissing claims, with prejudice, against small union for control over the significant funds it used to start a scholarship foundation.
• Brown v. Banner Health, 2023CA0020 (Colo. App. 2023) (unpublished opinion): Affirming district court’s order certifying a class of physicians in their claim for unpaid compensation.
• County of Jefferson v. Beverly Stickle, 2022SC0632 (Colo. 2024): authored amicus brief supporting successful appeal under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act, where the Supreme Court permitted an injured plaintiff’s suit to go forward overcoming the County’s statutory interpretation arguments regarding scope of immunity under the Act.
• Peggy Harvey v. Catholic Health Initiatives d/b/a Centura Health – St. Anthony and Centura Health Corp., 2020SC0261 (Colo. 2021): authored amicus brief supporting successful appeal, where the Supreme Court held that Colorado’s lien statute required a hospital to bill Medicare before it can file a lien against a patient whose primary health insurance provider is Medicare.