Mediation and Arbitration for Consumer Law CLE Program

March 13 | noon - 1:30 p.m.

Zoom only

Program Description:

This program offers an in-depth discussion of the uses of alternative dispute resolution for consumer-business disputes. Learn from seasoned consumer and business attorneys and ADR professionals’ key considerations and needs of practitioners, and how to navigate this field. Panelists will discuss selection of an appropriate ADR provider for their dispute, issues best served by mediation and/or arbitration, and ensuring the ADR provider is informed about this unique legal context, including statutory and regulatory schemes and available remedies. This program will be built on our February 27 program, "Preparing for Mediation." Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how attorneys, mediators, and arbitrators can work together to better address consumer cases.

Speaker Bios:

Irvin Borenstein focuses primarily on creditors’ rights and debt collection. He has practiced law in Colorado since 1981. He was admitted to practice in New York the same year. He was also admitted to practice in Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Irvin represents creditors in consumer, commercial, and subrogation matters. He also represents individuals and entities in defense of claims brought under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, other state and federal consumer laws, and claims brought by regulatory agencies. He has been retained as an expert witness on attorney’s fee issues in multiple cases either as an endorsed witness, an advisory witness, or as a consultant. He has frequently lectured at CLE seminars on issues relating to attorney’s fees, the lawyer’s compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the legal process, and post judgment remedies.

Kathleen (Kate) Craigmile is a mediator and arbitrator at JAMS Denver. Prior to joining JAMS, Ms. Craigmile practiced law for 28 years primarily in the areas of commercial, employment and consumer litigation. She has extensive experience in federal court litigation, is a past president of the Board of Directors of Colorado’s Faculty of Federal Advocates, and is a current Co-Chair of the Pro Bono Mediation Panel for the United States District Court for the District of Colorado. After just two years at JAMS, she has been recognized as a 5280 Magazine Top Lawyer in the area of Alternate Dispute Resolution. Ms. Craigmile regularly mediates consumer claims. As an arbitrator, she has presided over and decided claims under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and other consumer protection laws. As an attorney, Ms. Craigmile regularly represented both plaintiffs and defendants in CCPA and other consumer-related cases.

Ms. Craigmile is a Denver native and a graduate of The Colorado College and University of Colorado School of Law.

Judge Edward Moss (retired) was a District Court Judge for Broomfield and Adams counties for 16 years before his retirement in 2020. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara after which he served in the U.S. Army as an armor platoon leader and armor company executive officer. Judge Moss received his legal training at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles and at the Georgetown Law Center in Washington, D.C.

He was a judicial intern at the U. S. Supreme Court and then served as a law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Sherman Finesilver in Denver. He was in private practice for more than 24 years, primarily in the areas of oil and gas, real estate, family law, and commercial litigation. Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Moss was named a Metro-Denver Volunteer Lawyer of the Year, a member of the Denver Bar Association Legal Fee Arbitration panel, and was the mayor of Westminster, Colorado. He is a long-time member of the Colorado Bar Association Ethics Committee (Chair, 2016-17). Judge Moss was on the faculty of the 2013 National College on Judicial Ethics in Chicago and the keynote speaker in 2015.

Judge Moss is a member of the Mediation Association of Colorado and an arbitration panel member of the American Arbitration Association. Currently, he is “of counsel” with the Denver law firm of Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. where his practice is limited to mediation, arbitration, and private judging. In 2024, Denver Metro Volunteer Lawyers named Judge Moss the 17th Judicial District’s top pro bono lawyer.

Sarah Klinikowski is an Alternative Dispute Resolution professional dedicated to providing education and access to mediation and arbitration services for businesses and consumers. With nine years of experience as a mediation and arbitration manager and trainer at Better Business Bureau serving Great West + Pacific, she is passionate about promoting the benefits of ADR and ensuring fair, accessible dispute resolution. Sarah holds an MA in Conflict Resolution from the University of Denver and is also a trained mediator. Before joining BBB, she worked in divorce mediation and volunteered as a small claims court mediator, gaining hands-on experience in facilitating resolution in a variety of disputes. In addition to her work in ADR, Sarah serves on the UCCS Women in Leadership advisory board and is a board member of Hawai‘i’s Conflict Resolution Alliance, furthering her commitment to leadership and the advancement of conflict resolution practices.

Jose L. Vasquez is the Supervising Attorney of the Consumer Law and Housing Units of the Denver office of Colorado Legal Services (CLS). In his 25 years with CLS, Mr. Vasquez has specialized in representation of clients in foreclosure defense, debt collection litigation and consumer bankruptcy. He started as a Staff Attorney and then became Staff Attorney for CLS’ Consumer Unit. In 2012, he took over management of CLS' Foreclosure Project team, now called the "Home Defense Project," consisting of CLS attorneys dedicated to providing foreclosure assistance to clients on a statewide basis. In November 2023, Mr. Vasquez’ supervisory role expanded to overseeing the Denver Housing Unit and its eviction defense team, dedicated to providing assistance and direct legal representation to tenants facing eviction actions, including via being present at eviction clinics at various courthouses. Prior to joining CLS, Mr. Vasquez was in private practice where he focused on consumer bankruptcy representation. He also served as Staff Attorney to a Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee in the Southern District of Ohio. Mr. Vasquez initially started his career in legal services, which he decided was his true calling and joined CLS in 1999.

Wesley Parks is an Assistant Attorney General at the Colorado Department of Law in the Revenue and Regulatory Law Section. He is general counsel for the Colorado State Board of Nursing and litigation team lead in licensure and enforcement actions involving nursing and related professions. Wesley is also an adjunct professor at the University of Denver – Sturm College of Law where he teaches negotiation, mediation, alternative dispute resolution, and mediation advocacy. Wesley is the immediate past chair of the Colorado Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.