
Lance Michael Sears
Phone: (719) 471-1984
Alternate Phone: (800) 994-1984
E-mail: lance@searsandswanson.com
Fax: (719) 577-4356
Full Printable Resume
Biography
LANCE M. SEARS is a past President of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, a state-wide professional association of Colorado lawyers who practice civil trial law. After service as President of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association from 1988-1989, Lance was elected to represent Colorado as a member of the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) for six (6) years.
Lance was raised in Boulder, Colorado and received both his undergraduate degree (magna cum laude) and his law degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder. From 1975 to 1979 he was Deputy District Attorney in El Paso County (Colorado Springs), where he learned trial law on a daily basis in the courtroom. His practice since then has concentrated on civil trial law.
A significant amount of Lance's practice is in Federal Court, and in 1992, the judges of the Federal Court in Colorado appointed him to the Federal Court Advisory Committee, where he worked with his fellow lawyers and the federal judges to make federal trial practice more efficient and cost effective. In 2001-2003, Lance was elected as the President of the Faculty of Federal Advocates (the trial lawyers who practice in Federal Court) for the Federal District Court of Colorado.
From 2001-2006, Lance was Chair of the Colorado State Judicial Performance Commission, which evaluates the performances of the justices of the Colorado Supreme Court and the judges of the Colorado Court of Appeals for purposes of making recommendations regarding their retention by the voters of Colorado.
Lance has lectured in over forty states and at national forums, and all over Colorado, on subjects involving trial skills and tactics, personal injury law, commercial torts and legal ethics. He is certified as a Diplomate of Trial Advocacy by the National College of Advocacy, a prestigious achievement reached only after a lawyer has accumulated over 600 hours of teaching and lecturing to other lawyers, and is on the faculty and Board of Trustees of the National College of Advocacy.
Since 1982, Lance has also been on the Colorado Bar Ethics Committee, the committee that writes ethics opinions to guide Colorado lawyers in ethical standards. Lance is an advocate representing lawyer/respondents before the Colorado Grievance Committee.
Lance has over thirty three years of trial experience and is a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, a prestigious international organization with only approximately 600 members throughout the English-speaking world. Lance has been acknowledged by Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law. In 2007 Lance was named a Superlawyer (TM) under the category of plaintiffs personal injury practice. Mr. Sears is also a member of Litigation Counsel of America, a trial lawyer honorary society.
He represents parties in commercial disputes involving cases in the business arena (such as partnership disputes, breach of contract, business fraud, and denial of insurance claims), persons injured through the negligence of another person or corporation, or through the negligence of a professional (such as a doctor or lawyer), and parties to class actions.
Lance is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts in Colorado, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals as well as before the United States Supreme Court.
Current Employment Position(s):
- Partner
Year Formed Present Partnership:
- 1991
Areas Of Practice:
- Personal Injury
- Commercial Litigation
- Grievance Defense
Litigation Percentage:
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
- Colorado, 1975
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1975
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1979
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1979
Education:
- University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado, 1975
J.D. - University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Major: History/English
Classes/Seminars/Trial Colleges Taught:
- "Using Jury Bias in Jury Selection", Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2004
- "Using the Principles of Overcoming Jury Bias", Overcoming Jury Bias College, 2004
- "Preparing an Effective Direct and Cross Exam", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2004
- "Selecting a Jury in the Age of Jury Bias and Lawyer Bashing", Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, 2004
- "The Law & Art of the Opening Statement", Ultimate Trial Advocacy College, 1993
- "Grievance Prosecutors", Colorado District Attorneys Conference, 2003
- "Preparing the Client for Deposition", Association of Trial Lawyers, 1993
- "Making Facts Come Alive with Exhibits in Opening", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003
- "Compelling use of Modern Themes in your Low Impact Cases", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003
- "Theming Your Case: A Methodology", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2003
- "Evaluating and Presenting Closed Head Injury Cases", National College of Advocacy, 1993
- "The 10 Principles of Overcoming Jury Bias", Overcoming Jury Bias College, 2003
- "The New Millenium Client", Kansas Trial Lawyers, 2002
- "Developing a Trial Theme in the Age of Jury Bias", Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
- "Theming Your Case", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2002
- "Using and Applying Focus Group Results", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
- "Dealing with Jury Bias Issues with Direct Examination", Overcoming Jury Bias College, 2002
- "Daubert is not only for Defendants: What Every Plaintiff's Lawyer Must Know", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
- "Using Persuasive Themes at Trial", National Continuing Legal Education Conference, 2002
- "Ethics for Plaintiffs Lawyers", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2001
- "The Keys to a Successful Direct Examination", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2001
- "Using Daubert and Its Progeny as a Sword", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2001
- "Daubert is not only for Defendants: What Every Plaintiff's Lawyer Must Know", National College of Advocacy, 2001
- "Law Firm Management: The 10 Principles to Success", PESI Absolute Litigators Conference, 2001
- "Using Jury Bias Concepts During Voir Dire", Overcoming Jury Bias College, 2001
- "Deposing the Expert Witness", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2001
- "Developing a Trial Theme: A Concise Methodology for Every Case", National CLE Conference, 2001
- "What Every Plaintiff's Lawyer Needs to Know About Avoiding Malpractice and Grievances", Kansas Trial Lawyers, 2000
- "What to do if you Receive a Grievance Complaint", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 2000
- "Preparing your Client for Her Deposition", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2000
Honors and Awards:
- ATLA Citation of Excellence, 1990
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Faculty of Federal Advocates, 2002
President - National College of Advocacy, 1995 - Present
Board of Trustees - National College of Advocacy, 1992
Certified Diplomat - Colorado State Judicial Qualification Commission, 1997 - 2006
Member/Chair - International Society of Barristers, 2003 - Present
Fellow - Belli Society, 2004 - Present
Member - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1979 - Present
Member - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1990 - 1996
Board of Governors - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1988 - 1990
State Delegate - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1991
ATLA PAC Vice-Chair - Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1993 - 1994
Co-Chair Peoples' Law School - Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 1982 - Present
Board of Directors - Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 1988 - 1989
President - Western Trial Lawyers Association
Charter Member - Western Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 - Present
Board of Directors - American Bar Association, 1979 - Present
Member - Colorado Bar Association, 1975 - Present
Member - Colorado Bar Association, 1983 - Present
Ethics Committee - El Paso County Bar Association, 1975 - Present
Member - District of Colorado Federal Civil Justice Advisory Committee, 1991 - 1995
- District of Colorado Federal Court Vacancy Commission, 1998
- Fourth Judicial District Judicial Qualification Commission, 1994 - 2001
Past Employment Positions:
- 4th Judicial District Attorney Office, Deputy District Attorney, 1975 - 1979
- Private Practice, 1979 - Present

