Hon. James C. Klein (Ret.) is a fourth generation Colorado native who served on the Boulder District Court bench overseeing hundreds of civil trials and emotional, complex family law proceedings.

Before his appointment to the District Court Bench in Boulder, Judge Klein served as a Settlement Judge/Mediator on over 1,500 Workers’ Compensation cases for the Department of Labor, Division of Workers’ Compensation.

Judge Klein’s background includes private practice and representing the State of Colorado as a Colorado Assistant Attorney General working on a broad array of legal issues.

He brings a common sense, practical approach and a wealth of experience to mediations. He has been involved in litigation and understands first-hand how difficult and unfair the court process can be. Judge Klein believes that mediation should be affordable and accessible.

He conducts mediations in person and remotely by zoom.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• Served as a magistrate on general trial readiness issues as well as a “Settlement Judge/Mediator” on over 1,500 Workers’ Compensation cases pending before the Department of Labor, Division of Workers’ Compensation.
• As a rotating scheduling judge  in the 20th Judicial District, the District Court Judges were often asked to step in and assist the parties in reaching a mediated resolution of their disputes prior to trial.
• Judge Klein often assisted the parties to a mutual resolution of their disputes through mediation “from the bench,” particularly in matters where the parties appeared before the Court pro se, or when the parties were very close to resolving their case prior to trial.
• Judge Klein served as a Neutral at JAMS Denver, the premier dispute resolution company in the United States.  He resolved a large variety of cases across Colorado.
• Founder of Western Slope Mediation a Colorado Western Slope based alternative dispute resolution practice focused on civil and domestic/family law matters serving Denver, Boulder, Vail, Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Montrose, Delta and Durango.

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Member, Boulder County Bar Association
• Member, President of the Boulder Interdisciplinary Committee (IDC), a non-profit organization comprised of attorneys, mental health professionals, mediators, and community service organizations to:
  • Promote an understanding of the legal and psychological issues of parental responsibility and visitation/parenting time in the professional community
  • Promote an understanding between professions and professionals whose skills are utilized in the determination of parental responsibility issues
  • Provide educational forums for professionals who work in the area of parental responsibility
  • Highlight the concerns of the IDC with regard to children and parents in responsibility disputes with the wider community

Background and Education

• Private mediation practice focused primarily on civil/commercial and domestic matters in the Boulder and Denver area, 2012-present
• District Court Judge in the 20th Judicial District for the State of Colorado. Presided over matters of general civil jurisdiction including personal injury, construction defect, contract, probate and elder law, domestic/family law, and felony criminal matters, including a variety of high profile, cold case first and second degree murder trials.  Member of Colorado Multi-District Litigation Panel pursuant to Rule 42 and 42.1, C.R.C.P.
• Trial Judge in the Colorado Office of Administrative Courts in Workers’ Compensation matters pending before the Department of Labor, Division of Workers’ Compensation
• Pre-Hearings Administrative Law Judge, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Workers’ Compensation
• Private Practice focused on general civil litigation including personal injury, construction defect, contract law, domestic law, federal employment law, and discrimination law as well as misdemeanor criminal defense
• Assistant Attorney General in the Human Resources Section, Colorado Attorney General’s Office, State of Colorado, representing the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Divisions of Workers’ Compensation and Unemployment Insurance
• J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law
• Dedicated two years toward an M.A. in Public Policy Analysis, Department of Political Science, University of Colorado, Boulder prior to admission to law school
• B.A., Political Science, University of Colorado Boulder