Katie’s practice focuses on complex litigation, with a special emphasis on construction-related disputes. Prior to law school and while earning her degree in Civil Engineering, Katie honed her skills and knowledge of construction working with Kiewit Construction on the TREX project in Denver, Colorado, and with Turner Construction on the 40-story One South Dearborn building in Chicago, Illinois. Katie spent a few years at an AmLaw Top 100 firm in New York City before coming home to Denver in 2011 and joining the firm.

At Brownstein, Katie has represented property owners, commercial developers, landlords, lenders, municipalities, general contractors, and subcontractors with construction and business litigation matters including: change order and delay claims, mechanic’s lien claims, construction defect claims, real estate sales disputes, and complex contract disputes. She has significant electronic discovery experience, including large-scale electronic document collection, review, and production. Katie litigates construction and real estate disputes in both state and federal courts and in private arbitrations. She also is well-versed in Colorado's Construction Defect Action Reform Act (CDARA). This dispute resolution experience enables Katie to advise clients about drafting and negotiating construction contracts—with the hope that a well-crafted contract will minimize the need for dispute resolution after the project kicks off.

Katie’s recent engagements in the construction and real estate litigation and dispute resolution area include:

• Litigating a delay and termination dispute between the owner of a large mixed-use development in Vail, Colorado, and a key project subcontractor; 
• Successfully assisting the seller of a 500-acre ranch in Snowmass, Colorado, in defending against breach of warranty claims regarding the structural integrity of the home on the property;
• Defending the lender in a complex mechanics’ lien dispute and quiet title action in a residential subdivision project in Summit County, Colorado;
• Representing a Nevada municipality in an indemnification action against its construction manager on a multi-million dollar public project;
• Advising a potential participant in a bid for a highway improvement project issued by CDOT;
• Representing a Colorado municipality in an inverse condemnation action;
• Assisting landlords in repossessing leased property and negotiating settlements with delinquent tenants; and
• Advising clients regarding and negotiating disputes under Colorado’s Construction Defect Action Reform Act (CDARA).

Katie also regularly advises clients regarding a number of commercial and intellectual property disputes. Recent matters include:

• Defending a declaratory judgment action regarding patent infringement; 
• Successfully obtaining dismissal of claims for copyright and trademark infringement against the manufacturer of a nail art kit;
• Representing the borrower in a breach of loan agreement;
• Conducting an internal investigation of a U.S. issuer with business operations abroad for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA);
• Representing an individual who is the president of the foreign subsidiary of a U.S. issuer in an internal FCPA investigation; and
• Defending a consultant in a dispute related to software design and implementation.

In addition to her litigation work for clients, Katie also participates in a wide variety of pro bono activities, including through the Metro Volunteer Lawyers and at legal nights at Mi Casa in Denver.