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Taft adds seven attorneys to Colorado Springs office
ColoradoBiz Staff //April 22, 2026//
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Taft has added seven attorneys to its Colorado Springs office, expanding its presence in the state.
In Brief:
- Taft adds seven attorneys to Colorado Springs office
- New hires led by partners Steve B. Smith and Jill Chalmers
- Firm’s Colorado operations up 30% since 2025 Sherman & Howard deal
- Practices include sports law, IP, employment law, and litigation
The group, led by partners Steve B. Smith and Jill Chalmers, joined the firm from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and brings experience in sports law, intellectual property, employment law and litigation.
The hires follow Taft’s 2025 combination with Sherman & Howard and contribute to a 30% increase in the firm’s Colorado operations since that deal.
“Joining Taft represents a major step forward for our entire team,” Smith said.
Chalmers said the move supports growth in intellectual property services. “I view IP protection as paramount, and moving to a firm that shares that belief was essential for me,” she said.
The new attorneys include partners Smith and Chalmers, of counsel Martha Kohlstrand, Deborah Menkins and Brent Rychener, and associates Julie Bellville and Annalisa Kolb. Their practices span areas including sports law, trademark and brand protection, class actions, employment law and data privacy.
The addition follows the arrival of a five-member intellectual property team in February and marks the second group to join the Colorado Springs office in recent months.
Taft has expanded through mergers and lateral hires in recent years, including combinations in 2025 that added offices across the Mountain West, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. The firm now has more than 1,250 attorneys across 25 offices.
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