Every year, around 45 adjunct faculty teach a wide range of upper-level courses. With a mix of theoretical and practice-minded perspectives, adjuncts are an essential part of the Colorado Law community. Below, meet a few adjuncts who are also Colorado Law alumni and read about what they enjoy most about training the next generation of lawyers.
Roger Flynn '91
Founding Director and Managing Attorney, Western Mining Action Project
Adjunct for 22 years
Courses taught: Mining and Mineral Development Law, Foundations of Natural Resources Law
Joshua Widoff '95
Partner and Co-General Counsel (Real Assets Group), Ares Management Corporation
Adjunct for 9 years
Courses taught: Real Estate Transactions
Jonathan Fero '04
Partner, Semple, Farrington, & Everall, P.C
Adjunct for 7 years
Courses taught: Legal Ethics and Professionalism
Amy Kramer '09
Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Adjunct for 3 years
Courses taught: Technical & Engineering Knowledge in Litigation (at Colorado Law) and Business Law (at the College of Engineering)
SHANDEA SERGENT '12
Training Director, Colorado State Public Defender's Office
Adjunct for 3 years
Courses taught: Trial Advocacy
Laurel Witt '17
Assistant City Attorney, City of Boulder
Adjunct for 2 years
Courses taught: Local Government
Thank You To Our 2023-24 Adjuncts for Longstanding Service
10+ Years
Judge J. Eric Elliff '87
Roger Flynn '91
Patrick O鈥橰ourke
5-9 Years
Jonathan Fero '04
Markus Funk
Judge Bruce Jones
Bruce Plotnik
Thomas R. Raynes
Joshua Widoff '95
* This list includes adjuncts who taught in the 2023-24 academic year only. We are grateful to the many others who didn鈥檛 teach last year who have also been very generous with their time.
What do you enjoy most about being an adjunct at Colorado Law?
Jon Fero: I love sharing my passion for law and practice with new generations of lawyers. Most workdays, I interact with seasoned clients and other experienced practitioners. Concepts and rules we learned in law school have become foundational and are rarely discussed. In the classroom, I get to guide a group of students who are at the beginning of their journey in law, as they explore the ethical and professionalism principles that underlie the profession and permeate all aspects of practice.
Laurel Witt: The most enjoyable part of teaching for me is interacting with the students. Colorado Law students are exceptionally bright and deeply engaged with the material; their questions consistently demonstrate excellent critical thinking skills and a strong dedication to the practice of law. Teaching and learning from them makes every moment and effort invested in teaching profoundly worthwhile.
Shandea Sergent: When I was a law student, I loved trial advocacy, clinics, and mock trial. Now I can work with future litigators on their trial skills. Whether it鈥檚 a shy, introverted law student looking to improve their confidence while public speaking or the speech and debate veteran who went to law school with the goal of being a trial attorney, I get to work with students who want to dive in to what it鈥檚 like to actually practice law鈥攏ot just talking about the hypothetical intent of the law.
Josh Widoff: I love being in the classroom interacting with students and sharing with them what I鈥檝e learned through my nearly 30-year career since graduating from CU Law.听 I also really enjoy helping students with questions about career paths and strategizing about how to achieve their long-term goals.
Roger Flynn: It keeps me fresh. I really enjoy connecting with the students, seeing them grow and gain interest in a field (such as hardrock mining) that they may not have been drawn to before. Many of the issues in my Mining/Mineral Law class are front-page news, and I love tying current events and cases into the history (and future) of the American West.
Amy Kramer: I love interacting with the students in the classroom. I first started as an adjunct during the pandemic and firmly believe that there is no substitute for in-person learning. Students ask great questions and keep me on my toes!
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What is a favorite classroom memory during your time as an adjunct?
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Roger Flynn: Each year, I start the coal mining section of my class with music to give the students an understanding of the history and culture of coal mining. I play a bunch of classic coal mining songs such as 鈥淒ark as a Dungeon,鈥� 鈥淪ixteen Tons," Loretta Lynn鈥檚 鈥淐oal Miner鈥檚 Daughter,鈥� and (my favorite) John Prine鈥檚 鈥淧aradise.鈥� Over the years, many students have said that it was one of their favorite classes in law school, including one student who was from coal mining country back East, and those songs brought back such wonderful memories and really made a connection to the history, culture, and legal issues they were learning. Another year, after I played Pete Seeger鈥檚 鈥淲hich Side Are You On?鈥� (the famous labor organizing song) and discussed the history of mining labor battles such as the Ludlow Massacre in Colorado, the student was inspired to work for the United Mine Workers Union. Making a positive contribution to a student鈥檚 career path is very humbling.
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Jon Fero: I use movie and TV show clips to highlight the personal and societal values underlying the rules as much as possible. Hollywood has often portrayed lawyers at ethical extremes. I have used the now-classic movie "The Verdict" (1982) as an example, with an in-class mock disciplinary hearing. It鈥檚 always a blast to see the students鈥� inner advocate come to life and watch them use ethics and professionalism values when arguing for or against the main character鈥檚 disbarment.
Laurel Witt: Each year, during one of the class sessions, students conduct research on the current election cycle in Colorado and come together to discuss a chosen ballot question. They explore how the ballot question鈥檚 implementation, if passed, would impact the government and citizens of the state. The discussions are engaging, and many students follow up to examine the real-world implementation of passed ballot items, allowing us to review the results and post-election implementation together. Last fall, we had a particularly lively debate on the effects of citizen initiatives on complex issues like homelessness. These enriching discussions and growth opportunities make my role as an adjunct incredibly rewarding.
Amy Kramer: The Technical & Engineering Knowledge in Litigation class is very unique because law students take the class with engineering graduate students. The class provides practical experience to law students who depose, take direct testimony from, and cross examine the engineering students who serve as expert witnesses. Watching the students gain confidence in their litigation skills (and some of the funny exchanges) is always a highlight.
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Josh Widoff: My favorite memories revolve around the in-class negotiation exercises and debriefs that we conduct every week. I am always amazed at the different perspectives and negotiating techniques that students bring to the classroom and enjoy observing and helping to guide as they learn real-world techniques to framing and negotiating key issues in real estate transactions.
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Shandea Sergent: I don鈥檛 know how to narrow it down to one. Maybe when one student built a George Foreman grill out of a shoebox for the demonstrative in her opening statement.
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What is the most rewarding aspect of being an adjunct at Colorado Law?
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Joshua Widoff: I have the advantage of teaching a subject matter in which there is a lot of inherent interest. What is most rewarding is translating that interest into a deeper understanding of the business of real estate (why people invest in commercial real estate) and the important role lawyers can play in explaining complex issues in a way clients can understand, and which facilitates resolution through negotiation.
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Shandea Sergent: Watching law students become full-fledged attorneys. My first trial advocacy class was in 2022. Some of those students are now public defenders and district attorneys across Colorado. They grow up so fast. *cue sentimental music*
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Roger Flynn: I cherish the ability to give back to the community that set me on my path way back when. I owe a lot to Colorado Law and the mentoring I received there, especially from giants in the field such as Charles Wilkinson and David Getches. Being able to pay back some of that debt, by guiding today鈥檚 students on their career journey, is truly gratifying. Some of my former students have become leaders in the field and litigation co-counsel (and good friends), which is especially rewarding.
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Jon Fero: Everyone who wants to practice law has to study the model rules of professional conduct. Some norms of our profession have changed a lot over time, while others have been more constant. I try to help students identify and evaluate the lawyer they want to be at this time, while encouraging them to embrace change and growth throughout their careers. Seeing that happen as we engage in the material is a joy that keeps me coming back.
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Laurel Witt: The students are the reason I am continually inspired to teach at Colorado Law. The most rewarding aspect of my role centers around them. My favorite moments are when students reach out after class for career guidance, internship opportunities (sometimes even at the City Attorney's Office!), or to expand their professional network. It is immensely gratifying to not only educate these students but also to support and celebrate their career progress during and after their time at school.
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How has your work as an adjunct impacted your own practice of law?
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Jon Fero: Teaching regularly helps me feel like a younger lawyer again. Each student brings a diverse perspective and unique life experience, which collectively pushes me to reevaluate my views and understanding of the profession, along with the decisions I make every day in practice. Teaching ethics and professionalism also has helped me better appreciate why community trust in the legal system and lawyers is so low and understand how each of us can rebuild that.
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Joshua Widoff: I feel like I learn something new every year I teach the course 鈥� either refreshing on topics or through the perspective that students bring to the classroom. Seeing issues through the eyes of my students helps to refine my own approach as I apply them to my practice as a general counsel.
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Roger Flynn: It definitely has made me a more effective litigator and advocate. Much of our litigation involves making complex legal and historical issues understandable to federal judges who likely have never before dealt with these mining, public lands, and environmental issues. That鈥檚 also what I do for the students 鈥� boiling down complex issues so they can better grasp the materials. Questions and input from students over the years has also definitely helped me hone my arguments and anticipate questions from the judges.
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Shandea Sergent: It鈥檚 hard to find time to review the basics while carrying a public defender felony caseload. Teaching the basics of trial advocacy means I have to review the basic principles of practicing law鈥攆rom jury selection to verdict and everything in between. You never stop learning. There鈥檚 always something new and different that can help me become a better lawyer for my clients and a better professor for my students.
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Amy Kramer: Teaching at Colorado Law 15 years after graduating provided an opportunity for me to reflect on my career. Mentors are critical, particularly in the legal profession, and I鈥檓 so appreciative of the opportunity to give back. I鈥檝e kept in touch with many students after graduation, and it鈥檚 rewarding to see them succeed.
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Laurel Witt: One key aspect of being a practicing municipal attorney is staying current with changes in the law, updates from court cases, and ongoing rulemaking developments. Teaching provides a natural opportunity for me to remain up-to-date and share recent advancements, which in turn enhances my own professional growth. This dynamic interaction is mutually beneficial, reinforcing both my teaching and legal practice.
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