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Chalat Hatten & Koupal PC


The Attorneys of Chalat Hatten & Koupal PC


James H. Chalat
Chalat Hatten & Koupal PC
1900 Grant Street
Suite 1050
Denver, CO 80203-4310
 
 
Communication Center  
Phone: (303) 502-5007
(866) 701-7292
E-mail: lchalat@chalatlaw.com
Fax: (303) 861-0506
Web site: http://www.colorado-medical-malpractice.com
http://www.chalathatten.com
http://www.colorado-truckaccidents.com


Position Areas of Practice Litigation Percentage
Bar Admissions Education Honors
Published Works Affiliations References
Representative Clients Representative Cases

Jim Chalat, a Colorado lawyer since 1977, is senior attorney of Chalat Hatten Law Offices, Denver Colorado. Mr. Chalat specializes in Personal Injury, Ski Cases, Legal Malpractice Law, Medical Malpractice Law, and Military Medical Malpractice. He is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a nationally esteemed organization, and is a sustaining member of American Trial Lawyers Association and Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Chalat has published numerous professional articles, including the definitive articles on U.S. ski law and Colorado ski law. He is also a popular speaker for Continuing Legal Education, speaking on ski litigation, attorney ethics and malpractice, and general trial tactics.

Colorado Auto Accidents
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Misdiagnoses 
Disfigurement

Current Employment Position(s):
Partner
Areas Of Practice:
Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
Legal Malpractice
Medical Malpractice
Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
Products Liability Law
Professional Malpractice Law
Litigation Percentage:
100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certifications/Specialties:
Civil Trial Lawyer, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1977
Michigan, 1983
U.S. Federal Courts, 1977
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1981
U.S. Supreme Court, 1981
Education:
University of Denver College of Law, Denver, Colorado, 1977
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Law Review: Assistant Editor, Administrative Law Review

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 1974
B.G.S.
Honors: With Distinction

Published Works:
The Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention (Co-Author), 22 Trial Lawyer 183-198, 1999
 
Liability of Skier for Injury to Another Skier, 46 Proof of Fact 1, (West's), 1998
 
Liability of Ski Area Operator for Skiing Accident, 45 Am Jur Proof of Facts 3d 115 (West's), 1998
 
Colorado Ski Law, 27 Colo. Lawyer, No.2, at 5-18, February, 1998
 
Closing Argument, The Art and the Law, Clark Boardman Calahan Cum. Supp., Section 331 Jury-Function, p. 53, 1995
 
"Expert Testimony adn the Dancing Ballerina", 7 The Expert Witness Journal No. 2, February, 1995
 
"$2,150,000 Verdict - General Negligence - Skiing Accident", 9 National Jury Verdict Reporter Issue 12, November, 1994
 
"The Constitutional Foundations of Modern American Tort Law,", 16 The Colorado Lawyer 970, September, 1987
 
"Michigan's Ski Law,", 63 Mich. B. J. 355, May, 1984
 
Ski Safety News (1989-Present)
 
Development of Standard of Care in Colorado's Ski Law, The Colorado Lawyer, March, 1986
Representative Cases:
Hoar v. Great Eastern, 506 S.E. 2d 777 (VA. 1998)
 
Ulissey v. Shvartsman, 61 F. 3d 805 (10th Circuit 1995)
 
Wong v. Sharp, 734 F. Supp. 943 (D. Colo. 1990)
 
People v. Watson, 833 P. 2d 50 (Colo. 1992)
 
Hudson v. Boxer, 632 F. Supp. 1569 (D. Colo. 1986)
Representative Clients:
National Federation of the Blind, Colorado Center
Colorado Center on Deafness
Former Olympic Athletes and Professional Skiers
References:
The Hon. Wiley Y. Daniel, District Court Judge, United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The Hon. Sandra I. Rothenberg, Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
Dr. Ved P. Nanda, Vice Provost for Internationalization, Evans University Professor Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law University of Denver Sturm Coll
Dr. Thomas D. Russell, Professor of Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Survey of Ski Law in United States, Recreation & Adventure Program Law & Liability, 2006
 
Ski Law in the United States: A Practical Guide to Ski Accident Litigation, Recreation & Adventure Program Law & Liability, 2005
 
Ski Law in the United States, Law Education Institute, 2005
 
How to Try a Medical Malpractice Case in Colorado, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2004
 
Faculty, Avalanche Liability Law & Ski Law in the United States, A Practical Guideline to Ski Accident litigation for non-U.S. Attorneys, XXXI SKILEX 2004, Obergurgl/Solden Austria, 2004
 
Civil Litigation Update, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2003
 
Faculty, "Preventing Legal Malpractice",, Colorado Bar Assoc. CLE, 2001
 
Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention, Ethics 2001 Conference, 2001
 
Faculty, Recreation Tort Law, Colorado Tort Law Update,, CLE in Colorado, 2000
 
Faculty, Current Topics in Legal Ethics, Colorado CLE Seminar, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, 2000 - Present
 
Faculty, Current Topics in Legal Ethics, Colorado Continuing Legal Education Seminar, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, September 1, 1999 - September 30, 1999
 
The Nine Commandments of Malpractice Prevention, National Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Practicing Law Institute, Vail, Colorado, January 1, 1999 - January 31, 1999
 
Presentation, Lead Defense Counsel, Moot Court, Jones v. Clinton, American Inns of Court, Thompson G. Marsh Inn, February 1, 1998 - February 28, 1998
 
Faculty, Avoiding Malpractice - The Nine Commandments of Avoiding Legal Malpractice, LEX LEGIS, December 1, 1997 - December 31, 1997
 
Faculty, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 1995 - 1996
 
Trial Advocacy for the Occasional Litigator, National Business Institute
 
Faculty, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Western Regional Session, 1994 - 1995
 
Adjunct Professor, University of Denver College of Law, 1985 - 1987
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Counties of Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Pitkin, Routt and Weld
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Southwest Colorado
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Ninth Judicial District
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Fourteenth Judicial District
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Texas Trial Lawyers Bar Association
 
Presentation, Ski Law, Accredited by the Colorado Supreme Court Board of Continuing Legal Education, Dartmouth College Bar Association
 
Presentation, National Ski Patrol
 
Presentation, Jackson's Hole Ski Patrol
 
Presentation, Winter Park Volunteer Ski Patrol
Honors and Awards:
Recipient, Pro Bono Award, Denver Bar Association
 
Thursday Night Bar Volunteer, Pro Bono Award, 1985
Professional Associations and Memberships:
National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1980 - Present
Member and Diplomate
 
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1982 - Present
Sustaining Member
 
National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1988 - Present
Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer
 
Colorado Supreme Court Grievance Committee
Special Assistant Disciplinary Counsel
 
Jefferson County Juvenile Review Board
Member
 
Thompson G. Marsh Inn of Court
Member/Master
 
American Inns of Court
Member/Master
 
Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
Eagle Member
 
American Bar Association
Member
 
Colorado Bar Association
Member
 
Denver Bar Association
Member
 
Michigan Bar Association
Member
 
First Judicial District Nominating Committee
Appointee
Pro Bono Activities:
Pro Bono Program, Denver Bar Association
Birth Information:
April 9, 1953, Livermore, California, United States of America

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