Officers

Mari Newman - Chair

Mari Newman is a Partner at Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP, where her practice emphasizes Civil Rights and Employment Law. Ms. Newman was named as the Colorado Legal Initiatives Project’s 2007 Barrister of the year; a co-recipient of the Southern Center for Human Rights’ 2007 Fredrick Douglas Human Rights Award for her representation of persons detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and was a co-recipient of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association’s 2003 Case of the year award.  Ms. Newman has authored several publications on constitutional and civil rights issues. Ms. Newman chairs the Civil Rights Committee of the Colorado Bar Association, serves as a Mayoral Appointee to Mayor Hickenlooper’s Gay and Lesbian Advisory Commission, and served under Mayor Webb from 1997-2003. She is also an active member of various non-profit organizations. She is frequently asked to testify before the Colorado State Legislature and Denver City Council, to present at CLEs, and to speak to students of all ages regarding civil rights and employment law issues. Ms. Newman is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Cruz and Northeastern University School of Law, and has been admitted to practice law in the U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, District of Colorado; Colorado; and California.

Sara Rich - Vice Chair

Sara Rich received her law degree from Indiana University at Indianapolis in 2005 and is in private practice with Killmer, Lane & Newman, LLP in Denver, Colorado.  Ms. Rich is a civil rights attorney, focusing on employment law, and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Colorado Bar Associations Civil Right’s Committee and Secretary of the Plaintiffs Employment Lawyers Association.  Ms. Rich was also a speaker at the 2007 Colorado Women’s Bar Association Annual Convention where she discussed her firm’s representation five Yemeni nationals who are being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the procedural history of habeas corpus petitions and relevant court rulings and legislation.  For her work in this regard, Ms. Rich has been named as a co-recipient of the Southern Center for Human Rights’ 2007 Fredrick Douglas Human Rights Award for her representation of persons detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.  Ms. Rich is admitted to practice in Colorado, U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit and U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.