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Russell Stewart's Resume/Civic Leadership

Writer's picture: Russell StewartRussell Stewart

Updated: Sep 17, 2022

I am posting here my resume with a description of my work with the Cherry Hills Village municipal government, Arapahoe County government, regional, state, bar, and charitable organizations.


I grew up on the pumpkin farm in Greenwood Village, where I raised cattle, corn, and alfalfa. I attended Curtis Elementary School, a three-room schoolhouse that is now the Curtis Center for the Arts. During summers in high school I drove tractors for South Suburban Park and Recreation District and mowed the banks of the High Line Canal.


10 Sandy Lake Road

303-607-3688

Russell.Stewart@faegredrinker.com


Community Leadership



City of Cherry Hills Village, Denver, CO 2006-

Mayor (2018 -)

City Council District 2 (2006 - 2015)

Mayor Pro Tem (2008-2015)

Quincy Farm Committee, Chair

Residential Design Standards Committee

City Center Citizens Committee

Development Code Revisions Committee

Citizens Undergrounding Utilities Committee

Citizens Panel, Police Chief Search

Citizens Committee for Sales Tax Modernization

Author of CHV Code of Ethics

Author of amendment to Charter requiring voter approval for sale of parks


Colorado Municipal League 2019-

Executive Board Member (elected by members from 270 municipalities)

Policy Committee

Budget and Audit Committee

Housing Committee, Construction Litigation reform

Drafted Roles and Responsibilities for CML Board Members

Conducted Board outreach to municipalities in 14 CML Board Districts, including

Akron, Evans, Thornton, Victor, Golden, La Junta, Monte Vista,

Pagosa Springs, Ouray, Meeker, Rockvale, and Trinidad


Metro Mayors Caucus 2019-

Executive Committee (appointed by Mayors)

CIRCLE Committee

H3C Committee

Habitat for Humanity


Arapahoe County Open Space and Trails Advisory Board 2016-

Chairman

District 1 Representative

Open Space Sales and Use Tax Reauthorization Committee

Recipient: Our Progress Takes Flight Stewardship Award


Arapahoe County Transportation Forum Executive Committee 2019-


Highline Canal Collaborative Forum Executive Committee 2022-


Region 9 Opioid Settlement Governance Committee 2022-


I-25/Belleview Interchange Project Executive Committee 2019-


Hampden Avenue Mobility and Safety Advisory Committee 2022-


Arapahoe County Mayors, Managers and Commissioners 2019-


Arapahoe County Metro Mayors Group 2019-


Cherry Hills Village Police Foundation 2021-

Drafted By-laws and Articles of Incorporation for the Foundation

First Donor to the Foundation


Denver Area Council of Boy Scouts 2008-

Trustee

Vice-President Community Relations

Executive Board

Frontier District Chairman

Troop 712 Committee Chair

Troop 712 Advancement Chair

Silver Beaver Award

Frontier District Award of Merit

James West Award

Cherry Hills Land Preserve 2015-2018

Executive Board and Executive Officer

Representative to the Highline Canal Working Group


Buell Mansion Owners Association 2004-

President

Architectural Committee


Legal Background and Focus


Retired Colorado civil litigation and appellate attorney with a focus on medical drug and device defense, First Amendment, eminent domain, and constitutional property rights. National coordinating defense counsel in mass vaccine and pharmaceutical tort cases responsible for all aspects of national litigation matters including trial, trial preparation, science and Daubert strategy, settlement negotiations, and selection, management, and coordination of regional and local counsel. Appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court to subcommittee IV of the Committee on Pattern Civil Jury Instructions. Expert in contract law, eminent domain, governmental immunity, 42 USC § 1983, and parliamentary procedure


Work Experience


Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Denver, CO 1988-2014


Partner

Chair Denver general litigation group

Chair Denver appellate practice group,

Chair, legal personal committee,

Chair, associate training and summer clerk programs

Represented clients in litigation matters ranging from commercial disputes to product liability and mass torts. Representative cases involving First Amendment, property rights or economic liberty include:

  • St. John’s Church in the Wilderness v. Scott, 194 P.3d 475 (Colo. App. 2008); after remand, 296 P.3d 273 (Colo. App. 2012), cert. denied,133 S.Ct. 2798 (abridgment of right to free exercise of religion)

  • City and County of Denver v. L.C. Fulenwider, et al., 88-CV-24566 (Denver) (represented landowners in condemnation proceedings taking property for the Denver International Airport)

  • Save the Scenic Santa Ritas v. United States Forest Service, 4:11-CV-00094 TUC (D. Ariz. 2011) (represented Northwest Mining Association resisting argument that the Federal Advisory Committee Act applies to NEPA review proceeding)

Conover McClearn & Heppenstall P.C. Denver, CO 1986-1987

Associate


United States Judge Richard P. Matsch, Denver, CO 1984-1986

Judicial Clerk


Professional Activities


Colorado Supreme Court 2010-present

Appointed Member, Committee on Pattern Civil Jury Instructions

Subcommittee IV Contracts and Fraud

International Association of Defense Counsel 2004-present

Trial Academy Faculty, Stanford Law School

State Membership Chair

Chair, Toxic and Hazardous Substances Litigation Subcommittee

Vice Chair, Class Actions and Multiparty Litigation Subcommittee


Faculty of Federal Advocates, Denver Colorado 2014-

Immediate Past President

President

President-elect

Secretary

Treasurer

Professional Honors

“The Best Lawyers in America” 2012-2014

Selected for Mass Tort Litigation and Product Liability Litigation


Publications

American Bar Association 2011

A Practitioner's Guide to Class Actions, Co-Editor

The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 40, No. 9

“Legal Trends and Best Practices in Class Arbitration”, Co-Author 2011

Defense Counsel Journal, Vol. 76, No. 4 2009

“CERCLA Contribution Claims and the Collateral Source Rule”


Legal Education Presentations


International Association of Defense Counsel Member Meetings 2007-2014


“Comcast v. Behrend, A Sea Change for Rule 23(b)(3)?”

“Arbitration of Federal Statutory Claims: The DOJ Weighs in on 'Effective Vindication’”

“Managing the Global Law Firm”

“The Summitville Mine, CERCLA Contribution and the Collateral Source Rule”

“Recent Experience with Express Preemption Defenses Following Bates v. Dow”


Bar Admissions (Inactive)


United State Supreme Court

Federal Circuit Courts: Fifth, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth

Federal District Courts: Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Texas

State District Courts: Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas


Education


University of Michigan, J.D. 1984

Colorado College, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa 1981


Interests

Tennis, gardening, skiing, travel

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Comments


Russell Stewart for Mayor 2022.

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