Fraud Alert: Beware of Email EIN Verification Requests

Several business attorneys at HBC have recently fielded questions from our corporate clients about emails allegedly from the IRS relating to clients' federal tax identification (EIN) numbers.  These emails appear to originate from the IRS and request that recipients “validate” their EIN through an attached hyperlinked website. If you receive one of these emails, delete it and do not click on any links.  The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers by email regarding tax matters and any email that appears to be from the IRS requesting that a taxpayer click on a link or open an attached file is very likely to be fraudulent. 

One version of the suspect email reads as follows:

Dear business owners,

Due to the changes in the taxation policies that have been recently ratified, IRS informs that LLC, C-Corporations and S-Corporations have to validate their EIN in order to confirm their actual status. You have 14-day period in order to examine all the changes and make necessary amendments. We are sorry to cause inconvenience.

For the details please refer to: <>

Sincerely yours,
Margaret Myers
Internal Revenue Service Representative

Please feel free to contact our business attorneys if you have any questions about your federal tax identification number or any other matters related to the organization or operation of your business.

Bill Meyer, Baine Kerr, Brad Peterson, Kimberly Hult, Chris Ford, and Connie Eyster Named “Best Lawyers in America” for 2013

Six HBC lawyers, Bill Meyer, Baine Kerr, Brad Peterson, Kimberly Hult, Chris Ford, and Connie Eyster, have been named in the 2013 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.  Woodward White, Inc., publisher of the annual Best Lawyers list, surveys attorneys across the country to determine those to be included.  Bill was selected for his commercial litigation practice, Baine and Kimberly for plaintiff’s medical malpractice, Brad for his work in construction law, Chris for plaintiff’s personal injury and Connie for her trust and estates practice.

Baine Kerr To Be Honored at Equal Rights Advocates' 38th Annual Luncheon

Equal Rights Advocates is a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to protecting and expanding economic and educational access and opportunities for women and girls.  ERA will host its 38th annual luncheon on June 8, 2012, at the Union Square Hilton Hotel in San Francisco, CA, where it will honor HBC attorney Baine Kerr as one of two groundbreaking national Title IX litigators and present a video about the Title IX cases that Baine has undertaken at HBC.  More information is available in the press release put together by ERA announcing the luncheon.

Melissa Sullivan to Present at CBA Annual Legislative Update

Melissa Sullivan will present the Trust and Estate Section update at the Annual Legislative Update Luncheon organizaed by the Colorado Bar Association.  The Annual Legislative Update is intended for practitioners in the business, real estate, taxation and trust & estate areas of law in Colorado, and will take place at Fogo De Chao, 1513 Wynkoop Street in Denver, on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 11:30am.  More information and registration is available online at the Colorado Bar Association's website.

Tax Exempt Nonprofits: Remember the Form 990 Deadline of May 15, 2012!

Although nonprofit organizations that have received exemption from federal taxation, including exemption under Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3), are exempt from payment of federal income tax, most such organizations are still required to file an annual an exempt organization information return with the IRS each year.  Organizations with $50,000 or more in annual gross receipts normally file Form 990 or Form 990-EZ, and those with less than $50,000 in annual gross receipts normally file Form 990-N (also called the "e-Postcard").  The deadline for these filings is the 15th day of the 5th month after the close of the organization's tax year, which means that calendar-year organizations must file by Tuesday, May 15, 2012 (or seek an extension of time to file).  Failure to file information returns for three consecutive years can lead to revocation of the organization's tax exempt status.

If you need advice or assistance with legal issues relating to your nonprofit organization, feel free to contact HBC's business attorneys to discuss potential representation.  Please note that all information provided on our website is subject to our standard disclaimer.

Melissa Sullivan Co-Authors 2011 Colorado Trust and Estate Law Update

The 2011 Annual Survey of Colorado Law, published by the Colorado Bar Association and Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, Inc., features a chapter on Trust and Estate Law co-authored by HBC attorney Melissa Sullivan.  This annual compilation discusses 2011 updates to Colorado case law as well as statutory and regulatory developments, all organized by practice area.  Copies of the 2011 Annual Survey may be ordered from the Colorado Bar Association website. 

Connie Eyster elected to American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

Connie Tromble Eyster has recently been elected to the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), a nonprofit association of lawyers existing since 1949 whose members have demonstrated the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence and experience as trust and estate counselors.  Connie, who has been with Hutchinson Black and Cook since 2001, is a Martindale Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated attorney, and has been named the 2012 Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year for Denver, Colorado by Best Lawyers®.  Connie is active in the Trust and Estate Section of the Colorado Bar Association, currently serving as the Vice Chair of that section of the CBA.

Bill Meyer Signs Letter to UN Secretary-General In Support Of Syrian Lawyers

HBC Attorney Bill Meyer, as Chair of the International Legal Assistance Consortium, spoke along with fourteen of the world's major international organizations representing the legal profession in a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in support of the lawyers of Syria who have reportedly been harassed, imprisoned and abused for participating in peaceful dissent or representing Syrian citizens involved in protests.

The letter is intended to send a powerful message that there is cohesive international support for those peacefully working for reform in Syria, and that Syrian legal professionals who are silent or who support regime policies are on the wrong side of history.

An Internation Bar Association press release describing the letter is available here, and the full text of the letter may be dowloaded here.

Connie Eyster Voted Colorado Rising Star for 2012

Hutchinson Black and Cook partner, Connie Tromble Eyster, has, for the fourth year in a row, been honored among the state’s up-and coming attorneys by her selection as a Colorado Rising Star for 2012 by the publishers of Colorado Super Lawyers®.

Bill Meyer, Baine Kerr, and Brad Peterson Voted Colorado Super Lawyers® for 2012

Three Hutchinson Black and Cook lawyers, Bill Meyer (Business Litigation), Baine Kerr (Plaintiff Medical Malpractice), and Brad Peterson (Construction Litigation) have been voted 2012 Colorado Super Lawyers® by the publishers of Law & Politics magazine after a state-wide survey and independent review of the lawyers’ credentials.  HBC is very proud to have its lawyers recognized by their peers and to be named Colorado Super Lawyers®.

Melissa Sullivan, Angela Little and Justin Konrad Become Newest Members of HBC

HBC is happy to announce that as of January 1, 2012, Melissa Sullivan, Angela Little and Justin Konrad have accepted offers to become the newest Members of HBC.

Melissa Sullivan joined HBC as an associate in 2007. Her practice focuses primarily on estate planning and probate and trust administration, including representation of clients in connection with the preparation of their wills, trusts and other estate planning documents and concerns. She also assists individuals with preparation of marital agreements and families with administration of decedent's estates.  Prior to attending law school, Melissa received her Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She taught high school mathematics in South Carolina and Illinois, where she also worked with students learning English as a second language.

Angela Little joined HBC as an associate in 2007 after seven years of civil litigation experience at Smith Moore LLP in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Prior to relocating to Colorado, she handled trial and appellate matters in state and federal courts in the Southeast.  Angela's practice continues to focus on commercial litigation.  Before attending law school, Angela served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tutume, Botswana, where she taught O-level English language and literature from 1993 through 1995.

Justin Konrad joined HBC as an associate in 2007. Prior to joining the firm, Justin clerked for the Honorable David M. Ebel at the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. His practice is focused on the intellectual property aspects of business law, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, domain names and licensing agreements. Justin also focuses on entertainment law, addressing the legal issues of musicians, filmmakers, writers and others in the entertainment industries. In addition, Justin is experienced in general-counsel representation of emerging and growing businesses, emphasizing business formation, contracts and operations, mergers and acquisitions, and employment and consulting arrangements.  Justin is an avid backcountry and alpine skier and mountain biker, and has extensive experience as a recording engineer, record producer and professional guitarist.

The firm is delighted to welcome Melissa, Angela and Justin as Members.

Baine Kerr to Speak at Harvard Law School on "Litigating to Fight Discrimination"

HBC attorney and member Baine Kerr will be featured as a panelist at the sixth annual Harvard Women's Law Association Conference on February 3, 2011.  The theme of this year's HWLA Conference is "Mind the Gap: Achieving Actual Parity" and Baine will be speaking as a panelist at the "Litigating to Fight Discrimination" panel about his extensive experience in using litigation tools and techniques to combat discrimination.

For more information about the panel or the HWLA Conference generally, please visit the HWLA Conference website.

Bill Meyer's ILAC Mission to Libya Profiled in the Boulder Daily Camera

As chair of the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC), HBC attorney Bill Meyer spent eight days in November 2011 in Libya, investigating allegations of human rights abuses and discussing the provision of legal assistance to help the country establish democracy and the rule of law. 

The Boulder Daily Camera interviewed Bill and has published an article profiling the mission, available at the Daily Camera's website.

Maureen Eldredge Authors Article on Financing Solar Power Projects in Boulder County Bar Association Newsletter

An article by HBC attorney Maureen Eldredge entitled "Financing Solar Power Projects - How To Make It Work" is the lead article in the December 2011 Newsletter of the Boulder County Bar Association.  The article may be viewed here.

Bill Meyer Participates in Fact-Finding Mission to Libya with the International Legal Assistance Consortium

Bill Meyer, a partner with Hutchinson Black and Cook LLC, recently participated in an eight-day fact-finding mission to post-war Libya on behalf of the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC) based in Stockholm, Sweden.  The international mission, organized by the Arab Organization for Human Rights, investigated a variety of human rights issues throughout western and central Libya.  The fact-finding team traveled to Tripoli, Zawiya, Sabrata, Al-Khoms, Zliten, Misrata, Taworgha, and Sirte, where they interviewed torture victims, current detainees, and members of the Libyan Transitional National Council, local revolutionary shuras, and militias.  In addition, the team investigated torture sites, detention centers, NATO bombing sites, battlefields, and other areas where abuses allegedly occurred.  The team report will be presented to Libyan authorities and international organizations before the end of December 2011.

Deadline for Registered Trademark Owners to Block .XXX Domains is October 28, 2011

A new Top-Level Domain (TLD) with the suffix ".xxx" is currently being launched specifically for websites that provide adult content.  In order to protect holders of registered trademarks and service marks who do not want their mark associated with a .xxx domain, the registry responsible for the .xxx launch is currently offering an opportunity to block such registrations.  This opportunity is only available to owners of federally registered trademarks or service marks and will only be available through October 28, 2011.

For an explanation of how the .xxx blocking process (called "Sunrise B") works, contact HBC to speak with one of our attorneys specializing in trademarks and intellectual property or visit the ICM Registry's website dedicated to the .xxx launch.  If you would like assistance in blocking registration of a .xxx domain in connection with your registered trademark or service mark - or any other matter relating to your intellectual property portfolio - our attorneys would be happy to help.

Connie Eyster Named 2012 Denver Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers®

Connie Eyster has been named by Best Lawyers® as the “Denver Best Lawyers Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year” for 2012.

After more than a quarter of a century in publication, Best Lawyers is designating “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile legal specialties in large legal communities. Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each community is being honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.”

Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current, 18th edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2012) is based on more than 3.9 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

The lawyers being honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in Best Lawyers' surveys by earning a high level of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Steven Naifeh, President of Best Lawyers, says, “We continue to believe – as we have believed for more than 25 years – that recognition by one’s peers is the most meaningful form of praise in the legal profession. We would like to congratulate Ms. Eyster on being selected as the ‘Denver Best Lawyers Trusts and Estates Lawyer of the Year’ for 2012.”

Six HBC Attorneys Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012

Six attorneys from Hutchinson Black and Cook, LLC were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 (Copyright 2011 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.).  The selected attorneys include Bill Meyer (commercial litigation), Brad Peterson (construction law), Jim Carpenter (corporate law), Kim Hult (medical malpractice law), Baine Kerr (medical malpractice law - plaintiffs), and Connie Eyster (trusts and estates).

Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Because Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which more than 41,000 leading attorneys cast almost 3.9 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

Connie Eyster to Host Discussion of "The Art of the Steal" at the Dairy Center for the Arts on September 7

HBC attorney Connie Eyster will share her expertise in wills, trusts and estates as the discussion leader following a screening of the documentary film "Art of the Steal" at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder, CO, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7, 2011.  "Art of the Steal" is about the fate of the Barnes Collection, a private collection of artwork valued at $25 billion, after the death of Dr. Albert C. Barnes, and the effects of Dr. Barnes' final wishes on the dispotion of the Collection.  The film runs for 90 minutes and a 30-minute talkback session led by Connie will follow.  Tickets are available at the Dairy Center's website, www.thedairy.org, for $10. 

Maureen Eldredge appointed Co-Chair of Business Law Section

HBC Partner Maureen Eldredge has been appointed to be a co-chair of the Business Law Section of the Boulder County Bar Association for 2011-2013.