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Areas of Concentration

  • General Business and Business Litigation
  • Real Estate/Construction Transactions and Litigation
  • Complex Civil Litigation
  • Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation

Mr. Coates represents commercial entities and individuals in a variety of transaction and litigation matters in state, federal, and appellate courts. Current engagements include representing companies in entity organization, general business matters, operations issues, employment matters (including EEOC and discrimination issues), HIPAA and other regulatory compliance obligations in the healthcare industry, professional service agreements, insurance coverage, lease negotiations and disputes, contract negotiations, and special projects in probate and domestic relations cases. Mr. Coates’ experience in commercial matters includes extensive litigation experience in complex civil litigation, including breach of contract and business tort disputes in a variety of industry settings. These industries include real estate, coal purchasing and transportation, title insurance, healthcare, construction, banking and lending, and disability and casualty insurance.

Mr. Coates also represents clients in real estate and construction transaction and litigation matters, including land acquisitions, land planning, real estate development, leasing disputes, construction contracts, and construction defects. Clients include developers, general contractors, real estate agents, brokers, and title companies on various issues related to real property.

In the area of personal injury litigation, Mr. Coates maintains a significant plaintiff practice, representing individuals who have been injured in automobile accidents, trucking accidents, aviation accidents, premise liability claims, professional liability, insurance bad faith claims, product liability cases, industrial accidents, and wrongful death matters. He also has served as insurance company appointed defense counsel for many individuals and business entities in the complete range of negligence, premises liability, and business tort litigation.

Mr. Coates has an “AV” rating in the Directory of Lawyers in the United States, published by Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

Education

  • J.D., 1978, University of Colorado, Boulder
  • B.A., 1975, University of Colorado, Boulder

Professional Experience

  • 1994 – present, Partner, Dill Dill Carr Stonbraker & Hutchings, PC
  • 1989 – 1994, Shareholder, Breit Best Richman & Bosch, PC
  • 1987 – 1989, Shareholder, Loser Davies Magoon & Fitzgerald, PC
  • 1982 – 1988, Chief Trial Deputy District Attorney, Adams County
  • 1979 – 1982, Deputy District Attorney, Adams County

Representative Transaction Engagements

Represented individuals and entities in complex real property and construction related disputes involving easements, foreclosures, lending, construction defects, pollution, and title insurance matters.

Represents mid-size construction companies in contract, employment, insurance, and litigation matters.

Represented lenders and entities as insurance company retained counsel in defense of complex fraud, breach of contract, and business tort cases.

Represented developer in the Legacy Ridge Golf Community in Westminster, Colorado in all real estate development matters, from planning through build out.

Represents premier eye physician and surgery practices, including representation in general business, contract negotiations, employment, and regulatory compliance matters.

Represents business entities and persons as retained insurance counsel in personal injury and wrongful death cases involving premise liability, automobile accidents, trucking accidents, crane accidents, construction defects, and equipment failures and defects.

Represented individuals in a myriad of personal injury and wrongful death matters in circumstances involving automobiles, aviation, construction, trucking, skiing, and premise liability accidents.

Represented entities as local counsel on lending and real estate matters in complex mergers, acquisitions, and lending transactions.

Represents coal purchasing entity in general business, coal contract negotiations, and coal contract administration matters, including serving as principal draftsman for contracts involving more than $1 billion in coal purchases.

Represented coal supplier in breach of contract and commercial fraud case involving approximately ten years of litigation and a dispute over hundreds of millions of dollars.

Trial to verdict of more than 100 civil and criminal trials.

Serves as Counsel for the Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons in Colorado.

Serves on the Board of Directors and provides volunteer legal services to North Metro Community Services for the Developmentally Disabled since 1994.

Reported Cases

Southwestern Public Service Co. v. Thunder Basin Coal Co. and TUCO INC. v. Thunder Basin Coal Co., Supreme Court of Wyoming (represented TUCO INC.)

Leyden v. Citicorp Industrial Corp., Colorado Supreme Court (represented Defendant)

Shepard’s McGraw-Hill, Inc. v. Legalsoft Corp., U.S. District Court, D. Colorado, (represented Defendant)

Roberts v. Newman et al., Colorado Court of Appeals (representing Defendant)

Ameriquest Mortgage Co. v. Land Title Ins. Corp., Colorado Court of Appeals (represented Plaintiff)

Lauck v. E-470 Public Highway Authority, Colorado Court of Appeals (represented Defendant)