Attorneys

Law Office of Stephen J. Harhai
inquiries@harhai.com

Stephen J. Harhai, Esq.
Since establishing his Denver law firm in 1976, Steve has concentrated exclusively on family law. He recognized early in his practice that many of Colorado's laws did not serve families and children well. That realization led to a 10 year effort during which he contributed to redrafting the majority of the statutes relating to divorce while serving as the Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association. That commitment led to his appointment by the Governor of Colorado to Chair the Colorado Child Support Commission from 1990 through 1995 and as legal adviser to the Task Force on Responsible Fatherhood. Steve has also been appointed by the Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court to serve on family law projects, including a comprehensive review of the divorce process in Colorado with a view to creating a more efficient and responsive system.

Steve is recognized as one of the best family law attorneys in the country. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The Superlawyers ratings placed him in the top 50 lawyers in Colorado. He is a fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and was honored as Fellow of the Year. He is past President of the Colorado Chapter of the Academy. He has been honored by election as Chair of the National Association of Counsel for Children, Chair of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association, and has served on the Board of Governors of the state bar and as a trustee of the Denver Bar Association. At the national level, Steve has chaired the Admissions Procedures Committee of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, chaired the Website Committee and has chaired the Technology Committee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. Steve has been awarded the Chair's Cup, the highest honor of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association.

Steve has a particular interest in working with complex financial matters, including business and professional practice valuations, analysis of trusts, and creative strategies for dividing large marital estates.

Steve lectures regularly for lawyer groups around the country on family law and technology topics, including presentations to national meetings of the American Bar Association, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Steve received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sara A. Evanczyk, Esq. (f.k.a. Sara A. Willhite, Esq.)

Sara practices out of both our Breckenridge and Denver offices.

Sara practices solely in the area of matrimonial law and is a member of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2001, and earned her B.S. in Public Administration and Environmental Affairs with a minor in Economics from Indiana University at Bloomington.

Sara was initially drawn to the area of family law by her desire to protect children’s interests during difficult transitional periods in their family structure. Her studies and interest in trust and estate, tax and business law, together with technology skills, give her a solid insight into the financial aspects of the dissolution process and she enjoys developing creative and effective solutions for her clients.

Sara aims to achieve results that successfully balance the important financial, and emotional issues in each case. She concentrates on finding solutions that allow her clients to achieve resolution and move forward as quickly as possible while protecting their interests. She understands how difficult this transition can be and works hard to minimize the trauma of the legal process so her clients can concentrate on the new beginnings that resolution can bring.

Sara lectures to attorneys, accountants and mental health professionals on family law and technology issues, including the Denver Bar Association, the Interdisciplinary Committee on Child Custody, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Colorado Office of the Child's Representative.

Stanley G. Lipkin, Esq.

Of Counsel

Stan received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver School of Law and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 1974. Stan has been in private practice in Colorado for the last thirty years, and prior to joining the Law Office of Stephen J. Harhai, maintained his own offices in both Denver and Breckenridge.

Stan also had an earlier career as an experimental psychologist having served as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Carnegie-Mellon University from 1966-1971. His education includes an undergraduate degree at Penn State University and Master's and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Massachusetts.

Stan limits his practice to family law and is a Past-Chairman of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association; a Past-President of the Metropolitan Denver Interdisciplinary Child Custody Committee; served as Secretary for the Colorado Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum Committee for the 1998-99 year, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, currently serving as Vice-President of the Colorado Chapter.

In addition to representing parties and children in family law matters, Stan has received mediation training from CDR Associates, and conducts mediation as a portion of his practice.

Stan lectures regularly for lawyer groups throughout Colorado on family law issues.