Shared memories of Larry Manzanares

I remember Larry Manzanares from my days as a law student. He taught Secured Transactions, and was well liked by all. Later, as a fledgling attorney, I had my first trial ever before him, and I think he knew that. He ran a fair trial, and a nice courtroom. My client, who was convicted of two counts of the four, may not agree. Later, I flew to the top of Pike's Peak with him piloting the plane with Bob Dormer. For a guy whom many thought of as a spaceman, he was a fine pilot. Seeing Pike's Peak at 9 a.m. from 15,000 feet was a spectacular event.

Larry had a good sense of humor, and spent a lot of time helping others. He told jokes about his time on the bench, like the time a defendant in a domestic violence trial defended himself while wearing a t-shirt with the words "F*** you, B****, and Larry decided that the better tactic was to ignore the contempt and get it to the jury as quickly as possible. Colorado is worse because of his absence.

—Kevin Massaro, Harris Law Firm

I appeared before Judge Manzanaras the day he was appointed as the City Attorney, and he was as equable, insightful and undistracted from the bench as ever. But it was his presence in a settlement conference years ago that made me admire him, where a defendant had hit rock bottom financially, and a lender wanted to be paid. I thought little would be accomplished at the conference. But not only was the judge able to navigate to a decent solution, but his kindness and understanding was a balm to the parties, especially the debtor, who was feeling no small amount of guilt. Judge Manzanaras had a rare aplomb.

—Casey Frank, Attorney & Counselor

Years ago, I had the good fortune to have Larry as one of my adjunct professors at the University of Denver College of Law. He was tough, but always fair. One of my favorite stories about Larry happened several years ago when I had the opportunity to chat with him after one of his presentations at a Colorado Women's Bar Association conference. When asked how he handled certain litigants in his courtroom, he flashed that great smile and said that he had written the words "do not argue with an idiot" on a sticky note and placed it in front of him on the bench. Good advice for sure! Upon returning to my office, I wrote those words on a sticky note and placed it near my phone. Over the years, those words have served me well! Although it saddens me to look at that note today, I remember his smile and the great man behind it. My condolences to the family. May you take comfort in knowing that his spirit lives on in you.

—Barbara Ezyk, RN, JD

I met Larry when he was appointed to the Denver County Court bench — we tried to do stories on new judges for "The Docket." At the end of the interview, he said perhaps I shouldn't mention the hole in his ear from "his Deadhead days." Later, I heard his Deadhead days weren't behind him.

At a reception once, I overheard him talking about biking. "I love to bike," I said. Immediately, I was signed up to go on a "training ride" the next Saturday, at 6 a.m. starting in Morrison. He, Todd Frederickson and some others in the Colorado Hispanic Bar had recruited five kids from North High, had gotten them bikes, and were training them to do "Ride the Rockies." I was barely on my bike when I saw the last of these skinny, energetic kids go over the first of two passes. Larry came back and checked on me and finally told me about a shortcut to the finish line. Whew. The ride was great fun and the young people were proud of themselves. What Larry and the others gave them was priceless; I have to think they'll remember it the rest of their lives. Every time I saw Larry, he was kind, helpful, resoureful and funny. An important light has gone out in the legal community. Someone I saw today said, "I think of him everyday." I think many will for a long time to come. My deepest sympathy to all his family, his multitude of friends and his colleagues in so many areas.

—Diane Hartman, former Communications Director for the Colorado & Denver Bar Associations

I worked with Judge Manzanares for many years on the DBA Bench-Bar Retreat Committee in connection with at least five retreats. He was always very helpful with ideas for the program and generous with his time. He often moderated panel discussions or provided introductions at the retreat itself (whenever one of the speakers had attended a highly regarded law school, i.e Harvard, Yale, etc., he would comment that he believed that it was still an accredited law school). He allowed the committee to use his chambers for years as the meeting place, which had the extra benefit of insuring his presence at the meetings (although there was one time when he forgot about it and wasn't there — we used his chambers anyway!).

I was sad when I heard he had left the bench for the selfish reason that we would not have him as the committee liaison anymore, but happy for him to have the opportunity to become the City Attorney. He always had interesting stories to share about his experiences as a judge, and I looked forward to hearing his viewpoints at the meetings. The legal community has suffered a great loss with his passing, and I express my sympathies to his family and friends who have suffered an even greater loss.

—Jeffrey A. Esses, Attorney at Law

Larry was my professor, mentor and good friend. I remember Larry wearing cowboy boots and pacing back and forth in the lecture hall, and once in a while he would pause and kick his boot heels together once or twice and then continue on with his pacing. I smile everytime I think about the noise those boots made, Larry will be missed.

—Teresa Casillas, Nesbitt & Associates

Larry and I were in the Arraj Inns of Court together. He was the backbone of my pupilege group. When asked the biggest difference he'd observed after leaving the bench to become City Attorney, he said: "I went from being called 'Your Honor,' to being called 'Laaaarrry.'" He was a very fair judge who loved to teach and loved the law. It won't be the same without him.

—Brad Shefrin, Pryor Johnson Carney Karr Nixon

I will remember Judge Manzanares as an intelligent and capable teacher, attorney and judge, not for the sordid details that did not need to be published everywhere. My condolences to friends and family.

—Pat McEahern, McEahern Law Firm, P.C.