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.

Trish Cooper, Esq.

Of Counsel

Trish Cooper is a magna cum laude graduate of Bryn Mawr College, and she obtained her law degree at the University of Virginia School of Law in 1995. Trish started her legal career as a prosecutor in New York City. Upon moving to Colorado, she became an Assistant Attorney General with the Colorado Attorney General's Office. Shortly thereafter, Trish entered private, and she has worked exclusively in the family law arena ever since. Prior to joining the Law Office of Stephen J. Harhai, of counsel, Trish was a founding partner of the boutique domestic relations firm Cook, Cooper & Moses, LLC. Trish has been published in Divorce Edition magazine, and she has lectured on family law topics for CLE Colorado. She was recently elected to serve a two year term on the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Colorado Bar. In addition, Trish is a Co-Editor of family law articles for the Colorado Lawyer, and she has spent the past several months planning and developing a family law Special Issue, which is slated for publication in the fall of 2008. Trish's professional associations also include the Denver Bar Association, the Douglas-Elbert Bar Association, the Arapahoe County Bar Association, and the Metropolitan Denver Interdisciplinary Council. From 2002 through 2006, Trish served as the co-director of the Douglas County domestic relations legal clinic.

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.