Godfrey Johnson, P.C.

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.

We are ranked by most of the most elite and selective lawyer rating services in the world.

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.

We are ranked by most of the most elite and selective lawyer rating services in the world.

Firm Overview

Many minds, one mission.
We are a group of dedicated trial specialists who have built a unique firm designed to provide exceptional litigation services that are particularly well suited for complex or high-stakes cases.

A fusion of specialized knowledge bases.
Welcome to a new way of looking at legal problemsa fresh and highly advanced philosophy for resolving legal disputes in or out of court. Our team is here to provide you with the best legal thinking, the best technology and a tremendous range of expertise.

Honed trial skills.
Our top-ranked trial lawyers have forged their abilities through many jury trials over a period of decades. The combination of judgment, training and instinct that makes a master trial specialist qualified for trial work at Godfrey | Johnson, P.C., takes years to develop.

Main Office

Main Office
9557 South Kingston Court
Englewood, CO 80112

Phone

(303) 228-0700

Fax

(303) 228-0701

Business

Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. is a Denver-based law firm that handles complex litigation throughout the central and western United States.

We also handle specialized matters in many foreign countries. The breadth of our experience is a primary sources of our strength as a litigation firm, covering a vast range of civil litigation topics and geographic areas. While no two cases are exactly alike, and we develop each case individually, we have the benefit of having litigated so many different kinds of disputes that our knowledge base is unusually extensive, so we have no need to reinvent the wheel. That said, we study the background of every case more carefully than our opponents, to make sure we have a superior understanding of the technical, medical, scientific or business issues involved in every dispute.


Multidisciplinary Expertise
Our extensive trial experience, scientific and engineering acumen, and specialized training in finance and business brings a valuable mosaic of abilities to bear on any problem or lawsuit. We call this Multidisciplinary Expertise. The methodology it represents provides the formula for solving your unique problems. You will find many examples of this philosophy under the specific practice areas listed at left.

Jury Trial Practice
Modern trial practice requires a total mastery of many separate technical skills, including not only traditional legal argument, examination of witnesses and jury skill, but also technological mastery and sophistication in the art of multimedia presentation, information science and the psychology of persuasion. Unique and varying judicial expectations of counsel, and rapid changes in procedural and substantive law make the American courtroom an even more demanding battlefield. We have dedicated our professional lives to the mastery of this environment.

Jurors are never persuaded by information they do not understand. On the other hand, jurors are nearly always influenced by emotion. Teaching is an art, and helping juries to understand complex information is a high form of that art. Using technology to accomplish that goal is one of our firm's hallmarks. Whether it comes down to a common-sense argument made on an easel with a magic marker or a state-of-the-art computerized analysis of biomechanics or accident reconstruction, we have extensive experience and we have developed many methods that are totally unique to our firm. This is the kind of sophistication that can only come from trying a massive number of jury cases.

With a great deal at stake, it is not acceptable to trust an important matter to unprepared or inexperienced trial lawyers. Litigation, in essence, is a test of legal force. It is often said that, within the bounds of legal ethics and moral responsibility, litigation is designed to be all-out war. Justice in America is obtained as the result of a forceful collision of adversaries in which each side strips away all that is untrue or unsupportable in the opponent's presentation with the goal being the obliteration of all but that which is true; this is the harsh reality of the American system of justice. Legal adversaries are rarely evenly matched, yet the perceptions of the jury and the court depend upon the degree of professionalism and preparation, as well as the fundamental skill, of trial lawyers.

Lawsuits are often brought with the aim of achieving a settlement, but readiness for trial has the greatest influence on the outcome of a case, including the quality of the settlement. In order to achieve a desirable settlement, you must be prepared to win. If an acceptable settlement is not achievable, trying the case more effectively than your opponent is the best alternative.

What does it take to win? The ultimate key to this form of "civilized warfare" is to be represented by lawyers with a mastery of the art, who understand how to skillfully weave the tapestry of preparation and tactics to achieve the optimum result attainable under the circumstances. This demands detailed and extensive knowledge of the law, years of courtroom experience, specialized training and a natural talent for trial practice.

Mediation & Arbitration
Disputes don't always have to be resolved by a jury. When cases are well-prepared, they often end in mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Some cases are required by contract or statute to be resolved in arbitration (a binding decision by an arbitrator). The science and practice of mediation and arbitration are unique and differ in some ways from jury trial practice. We have vast experience in these areasdovetailing our trial expertise into a mastery of mediation and arbitration.

How did your firm decide on the primary area of practice(s)?

Many minds, one mission.
We are a group of dedicated trial specialists who have built a unique firm designed to provide exceptional litigation services that are particularly well suited for complex or high-stakes cases.

A fusion of specialized knowledge bases.
Welcome to a new way of looking at legal problemsa fresh and highly advanced philosophy for resolving legal disputes in or out of court. Our team is here to provide you with the best legal thinking, the best technology and a tremendous range of expertise.

Honed trial skills.
Our top-ranked trial lawyers have forged their abilities through many jury trials over a period of decades. The combination of judgment, training and instinct that makes a master trial specialist qualified for trial work at Godfrey | Johnson, P.C., takes years to develop.

What experience or education distinguishes your lawyers from others?

Trial Lawyers With Broad Experience in Many Fields
Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. is a Denver-based law firm that handles complex litigation throughout the central and western United States. We also handle specialized matters in many foreign countries. The breadth of our experience is a primary sources of our strength as a litigation firm, covering a vast range of civil litigation topics and geographic areas. While no two cases are exactly alike, and we develop each case individually, we have the benefit of having litigated so many different kinds of disputes that our knowledge base is unusually extensive, so we have no need to reinvent the wheel. That said, we study the background of every case more carefully than our opponents, to make sure we have a superior understanding of the technical, medical, scientific or business issues involved in every dispute.

What distinguishes your law firm from others?

Jury Trial Practice
Modern trial practice requires a total mastery of many separate technical skills, including not only traditional legal argument, examination of witnesses and jury skill, but also technological mastery and sophistication in the art of multimedia presentation, information science and the psychology of persuasion. Unique and varying judicial expectations of counsel, and rapid changes in procedural and substantive law make the American courtroom an even more demanding battlefield. We have dedicated our professional lives to the mastery of this environment.

Jurors are never persuaded by information they do not understand. On the other hand, jurors are nearly always influenced by emotion. Teaching is an art, and helping juries to understand complex information is a high form of that art. Using technology to accomplish that goal is one of our firm's hallmarks. Whether it comes down to a common-sense argument made on an easel with a magic marker or a state-of-the-art computerized analysis of biomechanics or accident reconstruction, we have extensive experience and we have developed many methods that are totally unique to our firm. This is the kind of sophistication that can only come from trying a massive number of jury cases.

With a great deal at stake, it is not acceptable to trust an important matter to unprepared or inexperienced trial lawyers. Litigation, in essence, is a test of legal force. It is often said that, within the bounds of legal ethics and moral responsibility, litigation is designed to be all-out war. Justice in America is obtained as the result of a forceful collision of adversaries in which each side strips away all that is untrue or unsupportable in the opponent's presentation with the goal being the obliteration of all but that which is true; this is the harsh reality of the American system of justice. Legal adversaries are rarely evenly matched, yet the perceptions of the jury and the court depend upon the degree of professionalism and preparation, as well as the fundamental skill, of trial lawyers.

Lawsuits are often brought with the aim of achieving a settlement, but readiness for trial has the greatest influence on the outcome of a case, including the quality of the settlement. In order to achieve a desirable settlement, you must be prepared to win. If an acceptable settlement is not achievable, trying the case more effectively than your opponent is the best alternative.

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Brett Godfrey

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

Brett Godfrey has over 25 years of trial experience with extensive medical, scientific and aerospace background. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available). He was first listed by Denver's 5280 Magazine as a Top Colorado Super Lawyer in 2006 and remains so today.

Jury trial experience: Mr. Godfrey has served as lead counsel in more than 85 jury trials throughout the United States. His diverse trial experience includes complex commercial claims, product liability, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, lender liability, computer liability, class-actions, civil rights, employment discrimination, premises liability, criminal defense and automobile cases in State and Federal courts. He also has substantial experience in FINRA (formerly NASD) securities arbitrations, as well as experience in representing clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Appellate experience: He has served as lead appellate counsel in a large number of cases, establishing new law in State and Federal court.

Engineering experience: Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Godfrey worked as a chemical engineer for Williams Strategic Metals (a subsidiary of the Williams Companies), and in that context he designed an entire control system for a cutting-edge chemical plant in Wyoming, using tools and applications in experimental new ways and writing the software to run those applications himself. Prior to that, Brett worked in the laboratories of DeSoto, Inc., a chemical coating manufacturer and Environecs, Inc., a manufacturer of pollution control equipment.

In the context of his work as both an attorney and an engineer, Mr. Godfrey is experienced in design of preventive measures relating to product liability and plant safety. He has designed warning labels, written instruction manuals for experimental new equipment, designed protective devices in fabrication plants and other safety features. These professional experiences give him unique knowledge and background in the context of litigating and trying high-technology disputes and product liability cases.

Mr. Godfrey's engineering litigation background has enabled him to produce impressive results in construction defect cases involving both residential and commercial construction.

Business law background: Brett has litigated a large number of high-stakes business disputes involving licensing rights, intellectual property claims, royalty disputes, unfair trade practices, price discrimination claims, accounting disputes, sales contract disputes, franchise agreement disputes and other corporate litigation.

Public speaking: Mr. Godfrey is a frequent speaker at private and political engagements, and is often an invited lecturer at for-credit Continuing Legal Education seminars. He ran for a seat in the Colorado State House of Representatives in 2010, bringing him into contact with many community leaders and the people of his home state in a way that can be achieved in no other way than running for office.

Military & aviation experience: Mr. Godfrey is a former Air Force officer, with substantial experience in aviation law. He is also a current pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings. His most recent aviation experience includes acting as Pilot In Command of the firm's Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, in which he logged over 600 hours in all-weather IFR operations. Brett has flown 4 different kinds of jets and turboprops and more than a dozen types of piston airplanes. Brett has litigated glider crash cases, helicopter crashes, plane crash cases and he has been involved in both civilian and military air crashes investigations. He has handled in-flight emergencies, including engine failures, without damage to persons or property.

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law
Juris Doctorate,

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Brett Godfrey

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

Brett Godfrey has over 25 years of trial experience with extensive medical, scientific and aerospace background. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available). He was first listed by Denver's 5280 Magazine as a Top Colorado Super Lawyer in 2006 and remains so today.

Jury trial experience: Mr. Godfrey has served as lead counsel in more than 85 jury trials throughout the United States. His diverse trial experience includes complex commercial claims, product liability, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, lender liability, computer liability, class-actions, civil rights, employment discrimination, premises liability, criminal defense and automobile cases in State and Federal courts. He also has substantial experience in FINRA (formerly NASD) securities arbitrations, as well as experience in representing clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Appellate experience: He has served as lead appellate counsel in a large number of cases, establishing new law in State and Federal court.

Engineering experience: Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Godfrey worked as a chemical engineer for Williams Strategic Metals (a subsidiary of the Williams Companies), and in that context he designed an entire control system for a cutting-edge chemical plant in Wyoming, using tools and applications in experimental new ways and writing the software to run those applications himself. Prior to that, Brett worked in the laboratories of DeSoto, Inc., a chemical coating manufacturer and Environecs, Inc., a manufacturer of pollution control equipment.

In the context of his work as both an attorney and an engineer, Mr. Godfrey is experienced in design of preventive measures relating to product liability and plant safety. He has designed warning labels, written instruction manuals for experimental new equipment, designed protective devices in fabrication plants and other safety features. These professional experiences give him unique knowledge and background in the context of litigating and trying high-technology disputes and product liability cases.

Mr. Godfrey's engineering litigation background has enabled him to produce impressive results in construction defect cases involving both residential and commercial construction.

Business law background: Brett has litigated a large number of high-stakes business disputes involving licensing rights, intellectual property claims, royalty disputes, unfair trade practices, price discrimination claims, accounting disputes, sales contract disputes, franchise agreement disputes and other corporate litigation.

Public speaking: Mr. Godfrey is a frequent speaker at private and political engagements, and is often an invited lecturer at for-credit Continuing Legal Education seminars. He ran for a seat in the Colorado State House of Representatives in 2010, bringing him into contact with many community leaders and the people of his home state in a way that can be achieved in no other way than running for office.

Military & aviation experience: Mr. Godfrey is a former Air Force officer, with substantial experience in aviation law. He is also a current pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings. His most recent aviation experience includes acting as Pilot In Command of the firm's Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, in which he logged over 600 hours in all-weather IFR operations. Brett has flown 4 different kinds of jets and turboprops and more than a dozen types of piston airplanes. Brett has litigated glider crash cases, helicopter crashes, plane crash cases and he has been involved in both civilian and military air crashes investigations. He has handled in-flight emergencies, including engine failures, without damage to persons or property.

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law Juris Doctorate,


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
James Johnson

James Johnson's practice focuses on commercial litigation, product liability, insurance litigation and personal injury, as well as appellate work. He has extensive experience in litigating personal injury and corporate disputes.

Mr. Johnson has litigated multi-jurisdictional and mass tort claims, and has experience in commercial contract litigation, commercial and residential construction defects. Mr. Johnson also has extensive experience in complex insurance coverage analysis, as well as bad faith and Colorado Consumer Protection Act claims. He has practiced extensively in and has significant trial experience in Colorado State and Federal Courts, and is licensed in California.

Mr. Johnson's recent experience includes:

Defense verdict in commercial dispute in jury trial involving allegations of interference with restaurant lease (Plaintiffs seeking more than $1 million in damages)
Defense verdicts in trials in El Paso and Denver District Court, in high-value personal injury cases
Successful resolution of three construction defect cases, involving top-15 national homebuilder and regional contractors
Favorable resolution of catastrophic-injury cases in Wyoming and Colorado, for national oil company client and international transportation company
Establishment of new entity and transfer of corporate assets of international publishing company
Resolution of product defect litigation involving national appliance manufacturer



BARS AND COURTS
Admitted to practice in all Colorado state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, all California state courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

MEMBERSHIPS
Member, American, Colorado, California and Douglas County Bar Associations

Member, Defense Research Institute

Member, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association

Member, Castle Pines North Home Owners Association

Education

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA
Juris Doctor, 1995

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Bachelor of Arts, Communication, 1990

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
James Johnson

James Johnson's practice focuses on commercial litigation, product liability, insurance litigation and personal injury, as well as appellate work. He has extensive experience in litigating personal injury and corporate disputes.

Mr. Johnson has litigated multi-jurisdictional and mass tort claims, and has experience in commercial contract litigation, commercial and residential construction defects. Mr. Johnson also has extensive experience in complex insurance coverage analysis, as well as bad faith and Colorado Consumer Protection Act claims. He has practiced extensively in and has significant trial experience in Colorado State and Federal Courts, and is licensed in California.

Mr. Johnson's recent experience includes:

Defense verdict in commercial dispute in jury trial involving allegations of interference with restaurant lease (Plaintiffs seeking more than $1 million in damages)
Defense verdicts in trials in El Paso and Denver District Court, in high-value personal injury cases
Successful resolution of three construction defect cases, involving top-15 national homebuilder and regional contractors
Favorable resolution of catastrophic-injury cases in Wyoming and Colorado, for national oil company client and international transportation company
Establishment of new entity and transfer of corporate assets of international publishing company
Resolution of product defect litigation involving national appliance manufacturer



BARS AND COURTS
Admitted to practice in all Colorado state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, all California state courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

MEMBERSHIPS
Member, American, Colorado, California and Douglas County Bar Associations

Member, Defense Research Institute

Member, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association

Member, Castle Pines North Home Owners Association

Education

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA Juris Doctor, 1995


University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Bachelor of Arts, Communication, 1990


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
David Struthers

David Struthers brings more than two decades of experience to the Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. litigation team. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbel's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available).

Litigation practice: Mr. Struthers has handled cases of every size and description, representing a broad range of clientele in matters ranging from catastrophic personal injury actions to insurance coverage and bad faith suits (including Colorado no-fault class action litigation), health club and sports injuries, auto litigation, wrongful death cases, premises liability, commercial litigation and a broad range of administrative matters. He is particularly adept at handling railroad and aviation litigation, product liability and insurance disputes.

Mr. Struthers is an accomplished trial lawyer, but is also particularly skilled in negotiation and mediation, and has an impressive track record in resolving complex disputes, often to the satisfaction of all concerned, due to his sensitivity to personal interactions and his skills in diplomacy.

As a trial practitioner, Mr. Struthers has practiced in state and federal district courts in Colorado and various other states. With his national litigation history, Mr. Struthers is qualified to handle complex multi-jurisdictional matters as well as local litigation.

Appellate practice: Mr. Struthers' appellate experience includes writing for, and arguing before, the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Struthers has served as mediator, motivational speaker and consultant in complex multi-party matters involving such entities as city councils, county commissioners and other elected and appointed officials.

Interesting facts: Mr. Struthers teaches business law at Metropolitan State College in Denver, and he is an accomplished mountaineer, who has narrated PBS television specials relating to the Colorado outdoors.

Education

University of Denver College of Law
Juris Doctor, 1984

Colorado College
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1975

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
David Struthers

David Struthers brings more than two decades of experience to the Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. litigation team. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbel's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available).

Litigation practice: Mr. Struthers has handled cases of every size and description, representing a broad range of clientele in matters ranging from catastrophic personal injury actions to insurance coverage and bad faith suits (including Colorado no-fault class action litigation), health club and sports injuries, auto litigation, wrongful death cases, premises liability, commercial litigation and a broad range of administrative matters. He is particularly adept at handling railroad and aviation litigation, product liability and insurance disputes.

Mr. Struthers is an accomplished trial lawyer, but is also particularly skilled in negotiation and mediation, and has an impressive track record in resolving complex disputes, often to the satisfaction of all concerned, due to his sensitivity to personal interactions and his skills in diplomacy.

As a trial practitioner, Mr. Struthers has practiced in state and federal district courts in Colorado and various other states. With his national litigation history, Mr. Struthers is qualified to handle complex multi-jurisdictional matters as well as local litigation.

Appellate practice: Mr. Struthers' appellate experience includes writing for, and arguing before, the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Struthers has served as mediator, motivational speaker and consultant in complex multi-party matters involving such entities as city councils, county commissioners and other elected and appointed officials.

Interesting facts: Mr. Struthers teaches business law at Metropolitan State College in Denver, and he is an accomplished mountaineer, who has narrated PBS television specials relating to the Colorado outdoors.

Education

University of Denver College of Law Juris Doctor, 1984


Colorado College Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1975


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Paul Rupprecht

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Paul Rupprecht brings extensive experience in engineering and aerospace operations to Godfrey | Johnson, P.C.

Legal experience: Mr. Rupprecht's litigation experience includes aviation, aerospace, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death claims, and FAA actions. Mr. Rupprecht is experienced in jury trials in state and federal courts, with a recent cutting-edge experience with sophisticated evidentiary issues involved in scientific expert testimony in federal court in Colorado.

Mr. Rupprecht was a staff, technical and executive editor of the Transportation Law Journal, in which his article Bridge Failures in the United States Potential Remedies for Injured Parties Case Study: I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse was published. Through his leadership and editorial skills, he was a key contributor to many complex issues of this Journal over a period of two years.

Appellate experience: He led a team of defense attorneys in an appeal, which was instrumental in the parties reaching a reasonable settlement.

Engineering experience: Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Rupprecht performed as an engineer in the aerospace, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication fields. Mr. Rupprecht was a telecommunications engineer at Illinois Bell Telephone Company, principal engineer at Combustion Engineering, Inc., and systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Corporation. Mr. Rupprecht performed or supervised numerous engineering studies ranging from life safety evaluations; electrical power, communication and lighting analyses to ensure operations during various fire and shutdown emergencies while dispatching operators and fire brigades at nuclear power stations; fire protection analyses at fossil fuel power plants, industrial and commercial buildings, and residential homes; electrical power redundancy studies in order to ensure continued operations during normal, emergency and launch vehicle operations; and systems engineering evaluations for ground satellite operations and an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform on a proposal team. With his analytical capabilities, he complements the firm's strengths in each of our complex litigation practice areas.

Aviation experience: Mr. Rupprecht is a former Air Force officer, having served as a Tactical Airlift Aircraft Commander, Chief Pilot and Current Operations Officer; Flight Officer for United Airlines, serving as an airline pilot, pilot instructor, evaluator pilot, and ground training instructor. He holds the following FAA ratings: Airline Transport Pilot; Multiengine; Commercial; Instrument; and Flight Engineer.

Mr. Rupprecht flew the Lockheed C-130H, Boeing 737, and Airbus 319/320 aircraft. He served as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727. Mr. Rupprecht currently flies single engine light aircraft and has been flying without incident since 1976.

Community service: In his spare time, Mr. Rupprecht supports his local community in various important capacities. He volunteers as an Assistant Scoutmaster and BSA Merit Badge Counselor for the Space Exploration, Aviation, Engineering, and Legal Merit Badges. Scoutmaster Rupprecht uses leadership skills in support of Scouts reaching their rank advancement and community service goals. Scoutmaster Rupprecht is currently co-leading the New Scout Program, which focuses on the first year Scouts during their transition from Webelos to Scouts. As an assistant baseball coach, Mr. Rupprecht shares his experience as a former collegiate baseball player. Finally, Mr. Rupprecht is applying his passion for aviation as a member of the Colorado Pilots Association (CPA). In the CPA, Mr. Rupprecht is leading the Education Committee, has contributed to the first Colorado Aviation Community Meet & Greet, and supporting the Rocky Mountain Aviation Exposition at the Ft. Collins/Loveland Airport.

Unique highlights: Mr. Rupprecht's legal experience includes:

Defending claims of fraud and invasion of privacy;
Defending complex civil Lanham Act claims and other business disputes, including unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, misappropriations of trade secrets, misappropriations of business advantage, and tortious interference with prospective business advantage;
Second chair trial attorney in a scientifically complex chemical exposure case involving personal injuries, tried in US District Court for the District of Colorado;
Lead attorney during the initial stages of appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which concluded in a highly desirable settlement on behalf of the firm's clients;
Handled complex commercial claims involving Sherman Antitrust Act and unfair business practice matters against airport board of commissioners;
Defended a major airline carrier against a passenger medical claim;
Supported defense of a helicopter manufacturer in a personal injury accident;

Education

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law
Juris Doctor, 2010

Illinois Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1985

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Paul Rupprecht

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Paul Rupprecht brings extensive experience in engineering and aerospace operations to Godfrey | Johnson, P.C.

Legal experience: Mr. Rupprecht's litigation experience includes aviation, aerospace, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death claims, and FAA actions. Mr. Rupprecht is experienced in jury trials in state and federal courts, with a recent cutting-edge experience with sophisticated evidentiary issues involved in scientific expert testimony in federal court in Colorado.

Mr. Rupprecht was a staff, technical and executive editor of the Transportation Law Journal, in which his article Bridge Failures in the United States Potential Remedies for Injured Parties Case Study: I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse was published. Through his leadership and editorial skills, he was a key contributor to many complex issues of this Journal over a period of two years.

Appellate experience: He led a team of defense attorneys in an appeal, which was instrumental in the parties reaching a reasonable settlement.

Engineering experience: Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Rupprecht performed as an engineer in the aerospace, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication fields. Mr. Rupprecht was a telecommunications engineer at Illinois Bell Telephone Company, principal engineer at Combustion Engineering, Inc., and systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Corporation. Mr. Rupprecht performed or supervised numerous engineering studies ranging from life safety evaluations; electrical power, communication and lighting analyses to ensure operations during various fire and shutdown emergencies while dispatching operators and fire brigades at nuclear power stations; fire protection analyses at fossil fuel power plants, industrial and commercial buildings, and residential homes; electrical power redundancy studies in order to ensure continued operations during normal, emergency and launch vehicle operations; and systems engineering evaluations for ground satellite operations and an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform on a proposal team. With his analytical capabilities, he complements the firm's strengths in each of our complex litigation practice areas.

Aviation experience: Mr. Rupprecht is a former Air Force officer, having served as a Tactical Airlift Aircraft Commander, Chief Pilot and Current Operations Officer; Flight Officer for United Airlines, serving as an airline pilot, pilot instructor, evaluator pilot, and ground training instructor. He holds the following FAA ratings: Airline Transport Pilot; Multiengine; Commercial; Instrument; and Flight Engineer.

Mr. Rupprecht flew the Lockheed C-130H, Boeing 737, and Airbus 319/320 aircraft. He served as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727. Mr. Rupprecht currently flies single engine light aircraft and has been flying without incident since 1976.

Community service: In his spare time, Mr. Rupprecht supports his local community in various important capacities. He volunteers as an Assistant Scoutmaster and BSA Merit Badge Counselor for the Space Exploration, Aviation, Engineering, and Legal Merit Badges. Scoutmaster Rupprecht uses leadership skills in support of Scouts reaching their rank advancement and community service goals. Scoutmaster Rupprecht is currently co-leading the New Scout Program, which focuses on the first year Scouts during their transition from Webelos to Scouts. As an assistant baseball coach, Mr. Rupprecht shares his experience as a former collegiate baseball player. Finally, Mr. Rupprecht is applying his passion for aviation as a member of the Colorado Pilots Association (CPA). In the CPA, Mr. Rupprecht is leading the Education Committee, has contributed to the first Colorado Aviation Community Meet & Greet, and supporting the Rocky Mountain Aviation Exposition at the Ft. Collins/Loveland Airport.

Unique highlights: Mr. Rupprecht's legal experience includes:

Defending claims of fraud and invasion of privacy;
Defending complex civil Lanham Act claims and other business disputes, including unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, misappropriations of trade secrets, misappropriations of business advantage, and tortious interference with prospective business advantage;
Second chair trial attorney in a scientifically complex chemical exposure case involving personal injuries, tried in US District Court for the District of Colorado;
Lead attorney during the initial stages of appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which concluded in a highly desirable settlement on behalf of the firm's clients;
Handled complex commercial claims involving Sherman Antitrust Act and unfair business practice matters against airport board of commissioners;
Defended a major airline carrier against a passenger medical claim;
Supported defense of a helicopter manufacturer in a personal injury accident;

Education

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law Juris Doctor, 2010


Illinois Institute of Technology Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1985


Firm Overview

Many minds, one mission.
We are a group of dedicated trial specialists who have built a unique firm designed to provide exceptional litigation services that are particularly well suited for complex or high-stakes cases.

A fusion of specialized knowledge bases.
Welcome to a new way of looking at legal problemsa fresh and highly advanced philosophy for resolving legal disputes in or out of court. Our team is here to provide you with the best legal thinking, the best technology and a tremendous range of expertise.

Honed trial skills.
Our top-ranked trial lawyers have forged their abilities through many jury trials over a period of decades. The combination of judgment, training and instinct that makes a master trial specialist qualified for trial work at Godfrey | Johnson, P.C., takes years to develop.

Main Office

Main Office
9557 South Kingston Court
Englewood, CO 80112

Phone

(303) 228-0700

Fax

(303) 228-0701

Business

Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. is a Denver-based law firm that handles complex litigation throughout the central and western United States.

We also handle specialized matters in many foreign countries. The breadth of our experience is a primary sources of our strength as a litigation firm, covering a vast range of civil litigation topics and geographic areas. While no two cases are exactly alike, and we develop each case individually, we have the benefit of having litigated so many different kinds of disputes that our knowledge base is unusually extensive, so we have no need to reinvent the wheel. That said, we study the background of every case more carefully than our opponents, to make sure we have a superior understanding of the technical, medical, scientific or business issues involved in every dispute.


Multidisciplinary Expertise
Our extensive trial experience, scientific and engineering acumen, and specialized training in finance and business brings a valuable mosaic of abilities to bear on any problem or lawsuit. We call this Multidisciplinary Expertise. The methodology it represents provides the formula for solving your unique problems. You will find many examples of this philosophy under the specific practice areas listed at left.

Jury Trial Practice
Modern trial practice requires a total mastery of many separate technical skills, including not only traditional legal argument, examination of witnesses and jury skill, but also technological mastery and sophistication in the art of multimedia presentation, information science and the psychology of persuasion. Unique and varying judicial expectations of counsel, and rapid changes in procedural and substantive law make the American courtroom an even more demanding battlefield. We have dedicated our professional lives to the mastery of this environment.

Jurors are never persuaded by information they do not understand. On the other hand, jurors are nearly always influenced by emotion. Teaching is an art, and helping juries to understand complex information is a high form of that art. Using technology to accomplish that goal is one of our firm's hallmarks. Whether it comes down to a common-sense argument made on an easel with a magic marker or a state-of-the-art computerized analysis of biomechanics or accident reconstruction, we have extensive experience and we have developed many methods that are totally unique to our firm. This is the kind of sophistication that can only come from trying a massive number of jury cases.

With a great deal at stake, it is not acceptable to trust an important matter to unprepared or inexperienced trial lawyers. Litigation, in essence, is a test of legal force. It is often said that, within the bounds of legal ethics and moral responsibility, litigation is designed to be all-out war. Justice in America is obtained as the result of a forceful collision of adversaries in which each side strips away all that is untrue or unsupportable in the opponent's presentation with the goal being the obliteration of all but that which is true; this is the harsh reality of the American system of justice. Legal adversaries are rarely evenly matched, yet the perceptions of the jury and the court depend upon the degree of professionalism and preparation, as well as the fundamental skill, of trial lawyers.

Lawsuits are often brought with the aim of achieving a settlement, but readiness for trial has the greatest influence on the outcome of a case, including the quality of the settlement. In order to achieve a desirable settlement, you must be prepared to win. If an acceptable settlement is not achievable, trying the case more effectively than your opponent is the best alternative.

What does it take to win? The ultimate key to this form of "civilized warfare" is to be represented by lawyers with a mastery of the art, who understand how to skillfully weave the tapestry of preparation and tactics to achieve the optimum result attainable under the circumstances. This demands detailed and extensive knowledge of the law, years of courtroom experience, specialized training and a natural talent for trial practice.

Mediation & Arbitration
Disputes don't always have to be resolved by a jury. When cases are well-prepared, they often end in mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Some cases are required by contract or statute to be resolved in arbitration (a binding decision by an arbitrator). The science and practice of mediation and arbitration are unique and differ in some ways from jury trial practice. We have vast experience in these areasdovetailing our trial expertise into a mastery of mediation and arbitration.

How did your firm decide on the primary area of practice(s)?

Many minds, one mission.
We are a group of dedicated trial specialists who have built a unique firm designed to provide exceptional litigation services that are particularly well suited for complex or high-stakes cases.

A fusion of specialized knowledge bases.
Welcome to a new way of looking at legal problemsa fresh and highly advanced philosophy for resolving legal disputes in or out of court. Our team is here to provide you with the best legal thinking, the best technology and a tremendous range of expertise.

Honed trial skills.
Our top-ranked trial lawyers have forged their abilities through many jury trials over a period of decades. The combination of judgment, training and instinct that makes a master trial specialist qualified for trial work at Godfrey | Johnson, P.C., takes years to develop.

What experience or education distinguishes your lawyers from others?

Trial Lawyers With Broad Experience in Many Fields
Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. is a Denver-based law firm that handles complex litigation throughout the central and western United States. We also handle specialized matters in many foreign countries. The breadth of our experience is a primary sources of our strength as a litigation firm, covering a vast range of civil litigation topics and geographic areas. While no two cases are exactly alike, and we develop each case individually, we have the benefit of having litigated so many different kinds of disputes that our knowledge base is unusually extensive, so we have no need to reinvent the wheel. That said, we study the background of every case more carefully than our opponents, to make sure we have a superior understanding of the technical, medical, scientific or business issues involved in every dispute.

What distinguishes your law firm from others?

Jury Trial Practice
Modern trial practice requires a total mastery of many separate technical skills, including not only traditional legal argument, examination of witnesses and jury skill, but also technological mastery and sophistication in the art of multimedia presentation, information science and the psychology of persuasion. Unique and varying judicial expectations of counsel, and rapid changes in procedural and substantive law make the American courtroom an even more demanding battlefield. We have dedicated our professional lives to the mastery of this environment.

Jurors are never persuaded by information they do not understand. On the other hand, jurors are nearly always influenced by emotion. Teaching is an art, and helping juries to understand complex information is a high form of that art. Using technology to accomplish that goal is one of our firm's hallmarks. Whether it comes down to a common-sense argument made on an easel with a magic marker or a state-of-the-art computerized analysis of biomechanics or accident reconstruction, we have extensive experience and we have developed many methods that are totally unique to our firm. This is the kind of sophistication that can only come from trying a massive number of jury cases.

With a great deal at stake, it is not acceptable to trust an important matter to unprepared or inexperienced trial lawyers. Litigation, in essence, is a test of legal force. It is often said that, within the bounds of legal ethics and moral responsibility, litigation is designed to be all-out war. Justice in America is obtained as the result of a forceful collision of adversaries in which each side strips away all that is untrue or unsupportable in the opponent's presentation with the goal being the obliteration of all but that which is true; this is the harsh reality of the American system of justice. Legal adversaries are rarely evenly matched, yet the perceptions of the jury and the court depend upon the degree of professionalism and preparation, as well as the fundamental skill, of trial lawyers.

Lawsuits are often brought with the aim of achieving a settlement, but readiness for trial has the greatest influence on the outcome of a case, including the quality of the settlement. In order to achieve a desirable settlement, you must be prepared to win. If an acceptable settlement is not achievable, trying the case more effectively than your opponent is the best alternative.

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Brett Godfrey

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

Brett Godfrey has over 25 years of trial experience with extensive medical, scientific and aerospace background. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available). He was first listed by Denver's 5280 Magazine as a Top Colorado Super Lawyer in 2006 and remains so today.

Jury trial experience: Mr. Godfrey has served as lead counsel in more than 85 jury trials throughout the United States. His diverse trial experience includes complex commercial claims, product liability, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, lender liability, computer liability, class-actions, civil rights, employment discrimination, premises liability, criminal defense and automobile cases in State and Federal courts. He also has substantial experience in FINRA (formerly NASD) securities arbitrations, as well as experience in representing clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Appellate experience: He has served as lead appellate counsel in a large number of cases, establishing new law in State and Federal court.

Engineering experience: Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Godfrey worked as a chemical engineer for Williams Strategic Metals (a subsidiary of the Williams Companies), and in that context he designed an entire control system for a cutting-edge chemical plant in Wyoming, using tools and applications in experimental new ways and writing the software to run those applications himself. Prior to that, Brett worked in the laboratories of DeSoto, Inc., a chemical coating manufacturer and Environecs, Inc., a manufacturer of pollution control equipment.

In the context of his work as both an attorney and an engineer, Mr. Godfrey is experienced in design of preventive measures relating to product liability and plant safety. He has designed warning labels, written instruction manuals for experimental new equipment, designed protective devices in fabrication plants and other safety features. These professional experiences give him unique knowledge and background in the context of litigating and trying high-technology disputes and product liability cases.

Mr. Godfrey's engineering litigation background has enabled him to produce impressive results in construction defect cases involving both residential and commercial construction.

Business law background: Brett has litigated a large number of high-stakes business disputes involving licensing rights, intellectual property claims, royalty disputes, unfair trade practices, price discrimination claims, accounting disputes, sales contract disputes, franchise agreement disputes and other corporate litigation.

Public speaking: Mr. Godfrey is a frequent speaker at private and political engagements, and is often an invited lecturer at for-credit Continuing Legal Education seminars. He ran for a seat in the Colorado State House of Representatives in 2010, bringing him into contact with many community leaders and the people of his home state in a way that can be achieved in no other way than running for office.

Military & aviation experience: Mr. Godfrey is a former Air Force officer, with substantial experience in aviation law. He is also a current pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings. His most recent aviation experience includes acting as Pilot In Command of the firm's Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, in which he logged over 600 hours in all-weather IFR operations. Brett has flown 4 different kinds of jets and turboprops and more than a dozen types of piston airplanes. Brett has litigated glider crash cases, helicopter crashes, plane crash cases and he has been involved in both civilian and military air crashes investigations. He has handled in-flight emergencies, including engine failures, without damage to persons or property.

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law
Juris Doctorate,

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Brett Godfrey

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

Brett Godfrey has over 25 years of trial experience with extensive medical, scientific and aerospace background. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available). He was first listed by Denver's 5280 Magazine as a Top Colorado Super Lawyer in 2006 and remains so today.

Jury trial experience: Mr. Godfrey has served as lead counsel in more than 85 jury trials throughout the United States. His diverse trial experience includes complex commercial claims, product liability, insurance bad faith, medical malpractice, lender liability, computer liability, class-actions, civil rights, employment discrimination, premises liability, criminal defense and automobile cases in State and Federal courts. He also has substantial experience in FINRA (formerly NASD) securities arbitrations, as well as experience in representing clients before the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Appellate experience: He has served as lead appellate counsel in a large number of cases, establishing new law in State and Federal court.

Engineering experience: Before becoming an attorney, Mr. Godfrey worked as a chemical engineer for Williams Strategic Metals (a subsidiary of the Williams Companies), and in that context he designed an entire control system for a cutting-edge chemical plant in Wyoming, using tools and applications in experimental new ways and writing the software to run those applications himself. Prior to that, Brett worked in the laboratories of DeSoto, Inc., a chemical coating manufacturer and Environecs, Inc., a manufacturer of pollution control equipment.

In the context of his work as both an attorney and an engineer, Mr. Godfrey is experienced in design of preventive measures relating to product liability and plant safety. He has designed warning labels, written instruction manuals for experimental new equipment, designed protective devices in fabrication plants and other safety features. These professional experiences give him unique knowledge and background in the context of litigating and trying high-technology disputes and product liability cases.

Mr. Godfrey's engineering litigation background has enabled him to produce impressive results in construction defect cases involving both residential and commercial construction.

Business law background: Brett has litigated a large number of high-stakes business disputes involving licensing rights, intellectual property claims, royalty disputes, unfair trade practices, price discrimination claims, accounting disputes, sales contract disputes, franchise agreement disputes and other corporate litigation.

Public speaking: Mr. Godfrey is a frequent speaker at private and political engagements, and is often an invited lecturer at for-credit Continuing Legal Education seminars. He ran for a seat in the Colorado State House of Representatives in 2010, bringing him into contact with many community leaders and the people of his home state in a way that can be achieved in no other way than running for office.

Military & aviation experience: Mr. Godfrey is a former Air Force officer, with substantial experience in aviation law. He is also a current pilot with multiengine and instrument ratings. His most recent aviation experience includes acting as Pilot In Command of the firm's Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, in which he logged over 600 hours in all-weather IFR operations. Brett has flown 4 different kinds of jets and turboprops and more than a dozen types of piston airplanes. Brett has litigated glider crash cases, helicopter crashes, plane crash cases and he has been involved in both civilian and military air crashes investigations. He has handled in-flight emergencies, including engine failures, without damage to persons or property.

Education

University of Tulsa College of Law Juris Doctorate,


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
James Johnson

James Johnson's practice focuses on commercial litigation, product liability, insurance litigation and personal injury, as well as appellate work. He has extensive experience in litigating personal injury and corporate disputes.

Mr. Johnson has litigated multi-jurisdictional and mass tort claims, and has experience in commercial contract litigation, commercial and residential construction defects. Mr. Johnson also has extensive experience in complex insurance coverage analysis, as well as bad faith and Colorado Consumer Protection Act claims. He has practiced extensively in and has significant trial experience in Colorado State and Federal Courts, and is licensed in California.

Mr. Johnson's recent experience includes:

Defense verdict in commercial dispute in jury trial involving allegations of interference with restaurant lease (Plaintiffs seeking more than $1 million in damages)
Defense verdicts in trials in El Paso and Denver District Court, in high-value personal injury cases
Successful resolution of three construction defect cases, involving top-15 national homebuilder and regional contractors
Favorable resolution of catastrophic-injury cases in Wyoming and Colorado, for national oil company client and international transportation company
Establishment of new entity and transfer of corporate assets of international publishing company
Resolution of product defect litigation involving national appliance manufacturer



BARS AND COURTS
Admitted to practice in all Colorado state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, all California state courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

MEMBERSHIPS
Member, American, Colorado, California and Douglas County Bar Associations

Member, Defense Research Institute

Member, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association

Member, Castle Pines North Home Owners Association

Education

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA
Juris Doctor, 1995

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Bachelor of Arts, Communication, 1990

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
James Johnson

James Johnson's practice focuses on commercial litigation, product liability, insurance litigation and personal injury, as well as appellate work. He has extensive experience in litigating personal injury and corporate disputes.

Mr. Johnson has litigated multi-jurisdictional and mass tort claims, and has experience in commercial contract litigation, commercial and residential construction defects. Mr. Johnson also has extensive experience in complex insurance coverage analysis, as well as bad faith and Colorado Consumer Protection Act claims. He has practiced extensively in and has significant trial experience in Colorado State and Federal Courts, and is licensed in California.

Mr. Johnson's recent experience includes:

Defense verdict in commercial dispute in jury trial involving allegations of interference with restaurant lease (Plaintiffs seeking more than $1 million in damages)
Defense verdicts in trials in El Paso and Denver District Court, in high-value personal injury cases
Successful resolution of three construction defect cases, involving top-15 national homebuilder and regional contractors
Favorable resolution of catastrophic-injury cases in Wyoming and Colorado, for national oil company client and international transportation company
Establishment of new entity and transfer of corporate assets of international publishing company
Resolution of product defect litigation involving national appliance manufacturer



BARS AND COURTS
Admitted to practice in all Colorado state courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, all California state courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California, Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals

MEMBERSHIPS
Member, American, Colorado, California and Douglas County Bar Associations

Member, Defense Research Institute

Member, Colorado Defense Lawyers Association

Member, Castle Pines North Home Owners Association

Education

Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA Juris Doctor, 1995


University of Colorado, Boulder, CO Bachelor of Arts, Communication, 1990


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
David Struthers

David Struthers brings more than two decades of experience to the Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. litigation team. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbel's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available).

Litigation practice: Mr. Struthers has handled cases of every size and description, representing a broad range of clientele in matters ranging from catastrophic personal injury actions to insurance coverage and bad faith suits (including Colorado no-fault class action litigation), health club and sports injuries, auto litigation, wrongful death cases, premises liability, commercial litigation and a broad range of administrative matters. He is particularly adept at handling railroad and aviation litigation, product liability and insurance disputes.

Mr. Struthers is an accomplished trial lawyer, but is also particularly skilled in negotiation and mediation, and has an impressive track record in resolving complex disputes, often to the satisfaction of all concerned, due to his sensitivity to personal interactions and his skills in diplomacy.

As a trial practitioner, Mr. Struthers has practiced in state and federal district courts in Colorado and various other states. With his national litigation history, Mr. Struthers is qualified to handle complex multi-jurisdictional matters as well as local litigation.

Appellate practice: Mr. Struthers' appellate experience includes writing for, and arguing before, the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Struthers has served as mediator, motivational speaker and consultant in complex multi-party matters involving such entities as city councils, county commissioners and other elected and appointed officials.

Interesting facts: Mr. Struthers teaches business law at Metropolitan State College in Denver, and he is an accomplished mountaineer, who has narrated PBS television specials relating to the Colorado outdoors.

Education

University of Denver College of Law
Juris Doctor, 1984

Colorado College
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1975

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
David Struthers

David Struthers brings more than two decades of experience to the Godfrey | Johnson, P.C. litigation team. He is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbel's Peer Review Rating System (the highest attorney rating available).

Litigation practice: Mr. Struthers has handled cases of every size and description, representing a broad range of clientele in matters ranging from catastrophic personal injury actions to insurance coverage and bad faith suits (including Colorado no-fault class action litigation), health club and sports injuries, auto litigation, wrongful death cases, premises liability, commercial litigation and a broad range of administrative matters. He is particularly adept at handling railroad and aviation litigation, product liability and insurance disputes.

Mr. Struthers is an accomplished trial lawyer, but is also particularly skilled in negotiation and mediation, and has an impressive track record in resolving complex disputes, often to the satisfaction of all concerned, due to his sensitivity to personal interactions and his skills in diplomacy.

As a trial practitioner, Mr. Struthers has practiced in state and federal district courts in Colorado and various other states. With his national litigation history, Mr. Struthers is qualified to handle complex multi-jurisdictional matters as well as local litigation.

Appellate practice: Mr. Struthers' appellate experience includes writing for, and arguing before, the Colorado Supreme Court, the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Struthers has served as mediator, motivational speaker and consultant in complex multi-party matters involving such entities as city councils, county commissioners and other elected and appointed officials.

Interesting facts: Mr. Struthers teaches business law at Metropolitan State College in Denver, and he is an accomplished mountaineer, who has narrated PBS television specials relating to the Colorado outdoors.

Education

University of Denver College of Law Juris Doctor, 1984


Colorado College Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1975


Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Paul Rupprecht

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Paul Rupprecht brings extensive experience in engineering and aerospace operations to Godfrey | Johnson, P.C.

Legal experience: Mr. Rupprecht's litigation experience includes aviation, aerospace, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death claims, and FAA actions. Mr. Rupprecht is experienced in jury trials in state and federal courts, with a recent cutting-edge experience with sophisticated evidentiary issues involved in scientific expert testimony in federal court in Colorado.

Mr. Rupprecht was a staff, technical and executive editor of the Transportation Law Journal, in which his article Bridge Failures in the United States Potential Remedies for Injured Parties Case Study: I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse was published. Through his leadership and editorial skills, he was a key contributor to many complex issues of this Journal over a period of two years.

Appellate experience: He led a team of defense attorneys in an appeal, which was instrumental in the parties reaching a reasonable settlement.

Engineering experience: Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Rupprecht performed as an engineer in the aerospace, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication fields. Mr. Rupprecht was a telecommunications engineer at Illinois Bell Telephone Company, principal engineer at Combustion Engineering, Inc., and systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Corporation. Mr. Rupprecht performed or supervised numerous engineering studies ranging from life safety evaluations; electrical power, communication and lighting analyses to ensure operations during various fire and shutdown emergencies while dispatching operators and fire brigades at nuclear power stations; fire protection analyses at fossil fuel power plants, industrial and commercial buildings, and residential homes; electrical power redundancy studies in order to ensure continued operations during normal, emergency and launch vehicle operations; and systems engineering evaluations for ground satellite operations and an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform on a proposal team. With his analytical capabilities, he complements the firm's strengths in each of our complex litigation practice areas.

Aviation experience: Mr. Rupprecht is a former Air Force officer, having served as a Tactical Airlift Aircraft Commander, Chief Pilot and Current Operations Officer; Flight Officer for United Airlines, serving as an airline pilot, pilot instructor, evaluator pilot, and ground training instructor. He holds the following FAA ratings: Airline Transport Pilot; Multiengine; Commercial; Instrument; and Flight Engineer.

Mr. Rupprecht flew the Lockheed C-130H, Boeing 737, and Airbus 319/320 aircraft. He served as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727. Mr. Rupprecht currently flies single engine light aircraft and has been flying without incident since 1976.

Community service: In his spare time, Mr. Rupprecht supports his local community in various important capacities. He volunteers as an Assistant Scoutmaster and BSA Merit Badge Counselor for the Space Exploration, Aviation, Engineering, and Legal Merit Badges. Scoutmaster Rupprecht uses leadership skills in support of Scouts reaching their rank advancement and community service goals. Scoutmaster Rupprecht is currently co-leading the New Scout Program, which focuses on the first year Scouts during their transition from Webelos to Scouts. As an assistant baseball coach, Mr. Rupprecht shares his experience as a former collegiate baseball player. Finally, Mr. Rupprecht is applying his passion for aviation as a member of the Colorado Pilots Association (CPA). In the CPA, Mr. Rupprecht is leading the Education Committee, has contributed to the first Colorado Aviation Community Meet & Greet, and supporting the Rocky Mountain Aviation Exposition at the Ft. Collins/Loveland Airport.

Unique highlights: Mr. Rupprecht's legal experience includes:

Defending claims of fraud and invasion of privacy;
Defending complex civil Lanham Act claims and other business disputes, including unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, misappropriations of trade secrets, misappropriations of business advantage, and tortious interference with prospective business advantage;
Second chair trial attorney in a scientifically complex chemical exposure case involving personal injuries, tried in US District Court for the District of Colorado;
Lead attorney during the initial stages of appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which concluded in a highly desirable settlement on behalf of the firm's clients;
Handled complex commercial claims involving Sherman Antitrust Act and unfair business practice matters against airport board of commissioners;
Defended a major airline carrier against a passenger medical claim;
Supported defense of a helicopter manufacturer in a personal injury accident;

Education

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law
Juris Doctor, 2010

Illinois Institute of Technology
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1985

Godfrey Johnson, P.C.
Paul Rupprecht

Trial Lawyer, Engineer, Pilot.

In addition to his experience as a lawyer, Paul Rupprecht brings extensive experience in engineering and aerospace operations to Godfrey | Johnson, P.C.

Legal experience: Mr. Rupprecht's litigation experience includes aviation, aerospace, product liability, personal injury, wrongful death claims, and FAA actions. Mr. Rupprecht is experienced in jury trials in state and federal courts, with a recent cutting-edge experience with sophisticated evidentiary issues involved in scientific expert testimony in federal court in Colorado.

Mr. Rupprecht was a staff, technical and executive editor of the Transportation Law Journal, in which his article Bridge Failures in the United States Potential Remedies for Injured Parties Case Study: I-35W Minneapolis Bridge Collapse was published. Through his leadership and editorial skills, he was a key contributor to many complex issues of this Journal over a period of two years.

Appellate experience: He led a team of defense attorneys in an appeal, which was instrumental in the parties reaching a reasonable settlement.

Engineering experience: Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Rupprecht performed as an engineer in the aerospace, fire protection, mechanical, electrical, and telecommunication fields. Mr. Rupprecht was a telecommunications engineer at Illinois Bell Telephone Company, principal engineer at Combustion Engineering, Inc., and systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Corporation. Mr. Rupprecht performed or supervised numerous engineering studies ranging from life safety evaluations; electrical power, communication and lighting analyses to ensure operations during various fire and shutdown emergencies while dispatching operators and fire brigades at nuclear power stations; fire protection analyses at fossil fuel power plants, industrial and commercial buildings, and residential homes; electrical power redundancy studies in order to ensure continued operations during normal, emergency and launch vehicle operations; and systems engineering evaluations for ground satellite operations and an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft platform on a proposal team. With his analytical capabilities, he complements the firm's strengths in each of our complex litigation practice areas.

Aviation experience: Mr. Rupprecht is a former Air Force officer, having served as a Tactical Airlift Aircraft Commander, Chief Pilot and Current Operations Officer; Flight Officer for United Airlines, serving as an airline pilot, pilot instructor, evaluator pilot, and ground training instructor. He holds the following FAA ratings: Airline Transport Pilot; Multiengine; Commercial; Instrument; and Flight Engineer.

Mr. Rupprecht flew the Lockheed C-130H, Boeing 737, and Airbus 319/320 aircraft. He served as a Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727. Mr. Rupprecht currently flies single engine light aircraft and has been flying without incident since 1976.

Community service: In his spare time, Mr. Rupprecht supports his local community in various important capacities. He volunteers as an Assistant Scoutmaster and BSA Merit Badge Counselor for the Space Exploration, Aviation, Engineering, and Legal Merit Badges. Scoutmaster Rupprecht uses leadership skills in support of Scouts reaching their rank advancement and community service goals. Scoutmaster Rupprecht is currently co-leading the New Scout Program, which focuses on the first year Scouts during their transition from Webelos to Scouts. As an assistant baseball coach, Mr. Rupprecht shares his experience as a former collegiate baseball player. Finally, Mr. Rupprecht is applying his passion for aviation as a member of the Colorado Pilots Association (CPA). In the CPA, Mr. Rupprecht is leading the Education Committee, has contributed to the first Colorado Aviation Community Meet & Greet, and supporting the Rocky Mountain Aviation Exposition at the Ft. Collins/Loveland Airport.

Unique highlights: Mr. Rupprecht's legal experience includes:

Defending claims of fraud and invasion of privacy;
Defending complex civil Lanham Act claims and other business disputes, including unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, misappropriations of trade secrets, misappropriations of business advantage, and tortious interference with prospective business advantage;
Second chair trial attorney in a scientifically complex chemical exposure case involving personal injuries, tried in US District Court for the District of Colorado;
Lead attorney during the initial stages of appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, which concluded in a highly desirable settlement on behalf of the firm's clients;
Handled complex commercial claims involving Sherman Antitrust Act and unfair business practice matters against airport board of commissioners;
Defended a major airline carrier against a passenger medical claim;
Supported defense of a helicopter manufacturer in a personal injury accident;

Education

University of Denver, Sturm College of Law Juris Doctor, 2010


Illinois Institute of Technology Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, 1985


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