ELIZABETH PIERCE-DURANCE, ESQ.
30 Benchmark Road, Suite 207
P.O. Box 4154, Avon, CO 81620
(970) 845-2259 (tel)
(970) 845-7779 (fax)
epd@piercedurancelaw.com
www.piercedurancelaw.com
EDUCATION
Boston University School of Law: Boston, Massachusetts, 1983-1985. J.D. 1986. Honors: G. Joseph Tauro Scholar. Licensed to practice law at Indiana Bar, May 1987; Colorado Bar, April 1998.
Northwestern University School of Law: Chicago, Illinois, 1985-1986. Honors: Harold D. Shapiro prize in international economic relations.
Notre Dame School of Law: London, England, 1984. Summer law program studying international and comparative law.
University of Auckland: Auckland, New Zealand, 1991-1992. Earned Certificates of Proficiency in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics (Stage II), and Quantitative Analysis.
University of Arkansas: Fayetteville, Arkansas. B.A. earned 1979.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Elizabeth Pierce-Durance, LLC, Eagle County, Colorado, June 2007- present. Private practice, emphasizing family law, collaborative divorce, and mediation. Town Prosecutor and police adviser for the Town of Avon. Trained mediator; administrator 5th Judicial District Eagle County small-claims court mediation program. Certified in collaborative law, levels I and II, including communication techniques and dispute resolution. Child and Family Investigator, Parent Coordinator, Decision-Maker per Colorado statute.
John W. Dunn and Associates, LLC, Eagle County, Colorado, 2003-2007. Associate in general practice law firm. Assistant Town Attorney for the Town of Avon, Planning and Zoning Commission adviser, and Town Prosecutor. Emphasized family law, litigation, land use, and landlord-tenant matters. Drafted wills and contracts.
Goodman & Wallace, LLC, Eagle County, Colorado, 2002-2003. Contract associate for general practice law firm. Involved in domestic relations, D&N, civil theft, contracts, and criminal law matters.
Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Eagle County, Colorado, 2002. Temporary replacement for misdemeanor deputy called to duty in Iraq. Attended five-day Trial Techniques course, Denver, put on by Colorado District Attorneys' Council and taught in part by Gov. Bill Ritter.
Northwest Colorado Legal Services Project, Leadville, Colorado, 2002-present. Represent pro bono clients in various legal disputes; conduct free legal advice clinics.
New Zealand Treasury, Wellington, New Zealand. Policy analyst. Conducted legal research on the question of children’s rights and parent responsibilities for the development of child welfare policies. Researched and wrote extensively on economic issues such as the relationship between tax and welfare settings on divorce and marriage rates, and on the inter-generational effects of welfare dependency and single parenthood.
New Zealand Bankers' Association, Auckland, New Zealand. Policy analyst. Analyzed statutory basis for and economic implications of regulatory costs, as well as technical guidelines for legal compliance obligations. Regularly prepared submissions on proposed regulation, serviced two standing committees, and wrote public commentary.
New Zealand Center for Independent Studies, Auckland, New Zealand. Public relations and general manager . Developed and promoted public policy analysis through seminars and articles for this public policy research institute, and assisted with publications, fund-raising, and event coordination.
National Business Review, Auckland, New Zealand. As a financial journalist, wrote extensively about investment, finance, economics, and public policy for New Zealand publications. Promoted to editor of The NBR Weekly Magazine. Reporter with the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. Stringer for The Far Eastern Economic Review, Reuters News Service, Asian Finance, Asian Business, Management, and Money Management.
Michigan City News-Dispatch, Michigan City, Indiana. Business editor for morning daily. Areas of coverage included utilities regulation, steel mills, businesses, and banks. Winner of multiple statewide story competitions.
Sonnenshein Carlin Nath & Rosenthal, Chicago, Illinois. Summer clerk for corporate law firm, researching legal issues for corporate, property, and litigation departments.
Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. Worked as legislative assistant for GOP Congressman James Coyne, Pennsylvania, assisting with correspondence, casework, and limited legal research; and for then-Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton, in the Arkansas-Washington liaison office.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Indiana Bar in 1987
Colorado Bar since 1998
Colorado Bar Foundation
Colorado Bar Association
Colorado Bar Association, Family Law Section Executive Council
Continental Divide Bar Association (“CDBA”)
5th Judicial District Inter-disciplinary Committee, co-chair
Colorado Collaborative Law Practice Group
Peak-to-Peak Collaborative Law Practice Group
International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
Association of Family and Conciliation Courts ("AFCC")
SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS
Trial techniques, Colorado District Attorneys’ Council (August 2002)
Mediation (40 hours), Colorado Bar Association (August 2007)
Collaborative Law, Levels I and II, Colorado Collaborative Law Practice Group (2007)
Parenting-Coordination and Decision-Making (2010)