Davis Award
The Richard Marden Davis Award
Presented annually to a Denver attorney under 40, the Richard Marden Davis Award recognizes a combination of legal excellence and civic, cultural, educational, and charitable leadership. It is presented in partnership with the Denver Bar Association and the Davis Family.
Dick Davis was not only a skilled and charismatic lawyer; he also carved out ample time for community service. He served as president of the Denver Bar Association in 1959 and he played key leadership roles in the Colorado Public Expenditures Council, Museum of Natural History, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, Denver Rotary Club, Denver Art Museum, and other organizations. The award was created in memory of Dick Davis, not only to recognize successful and committed young lawyers but also to inspire other young attorneys to follow in his footsteps.
RECIPIENTSPrevious Davis Award Recipients
The inaugural Davis Award was presented in 1993 to then–Judge Celeste Quinones. Every subsequent year, the award has been presented to a young attorney with an outstanding record of professional and community service. Previous recipients have upheld the tradition of leadership that the award represents. The list includes judges, governors, public prosecutors, general counsel, and private practitioners.
2023Noah Patterson
Colorado Attorney General’s Office
2022John T. Lee
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Colorado Attorney General’s Office
2021Jason St. Julien
Lead Counsel of Community Trust, Airbnb, Inc.
2020Richard Murray
Shareholder, Polsinelli PC
2019Theresa Benz
Partner, Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP
2018Hetal J. Doshi
Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division
2017Stephanie Donner
CEO, Chief Legal & People Officer, Inspire Clean Energy, LLC
2018Cristal Torres DeHerrera
Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, Denver International Airport
2015Qusair Mohamedbhai
Partner, Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC
2014Denise Hoffman White
Managing Partner, Hoffman Nies Dave LLP
2013Shannon Stevenson
Colorado Solicitor General, Colorado Attorney General’s Office
2012Franz Hardy
Partner, Gordon & Rees LLP
2011Stacy Carpenter
Shareholder, Polsinelli PC
2010Mark Clouatre
Partner, Nelson Mullins
2009Monica M. Marquez
Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
2008Mari Newman
Founding Member, Newman McNulty, LLC
2007Michael Carrigan
Partner, Holland & Hart LLP
2006Kristin Bronson
Executive Director, Colorado Lawyers Committee
2005Kenzo S. Kawanabe
Partner, Olson Grimsley Kawanabe Hinchcliff & Murray LLC
2004Tim Macdonald
Legal Director, ACLU of Colorado
2003Todd Fredrickson
Partner, Fisher & Phillips LLP
2002Chris Little
Retired
2001Richard Gabriel
Justice, Colorado Supreme Court
2000Gilbert Roman
Chief Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
1999Paul Chan
General Counsel, University of Maine System
1998Natalie Hanlon-Leh
Chief Deputy Attorney General, Colorado
1997David Powell
Partner, Garnett Powell Maximon Barlow
1996Allan Hale
Of Counsel, Kelly Law Partners, LLC
1995Kathleen Odle
Senior Counsel, Sherman & Howard LLC
1994A. William “Bill” Ritter, Jr.
Former Colorado Governor
1993Celeste Quinones
Former Judge, City and County of Denver
Nominations for the 2024 Davis Award are Now Closed.
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