Steven C. Choquette, Esq. is a JAMS DENVER neutral.  JAMS Denver is a licensee office. Policies and procedures may differ between JAMS, Inc., and JAMS Denver. Please visit https://jamsdenver.com/ or contact Lisa Gaige at admindocs@jamsdenver.com or 303-534-1254 for information related to JAMS Denver. 

Steven C. Choquette, Esq., is passionate about helping parties and their advocates resolve disputes in a fair, respectful, efficient and economical manner. Mr. Choquette’s skill in dispute resolution is informed by 15 years of experience as a mediator and arbitrator, and more than 30 years as an advocate in trials, appeals, arbitrations and mediations. He is celebrated for his empathetic approach to dispute resolution, good humor, and knack for creative problem-solving. He prioritizes thorough advance preparation for all cases, whether complex or small, and is known for his unflagging dedication to helping parties resolve disputes.

Mr. Choquette joins JAMS after spending the first two decades of his legal career as a commercial, insurance and tort litigator with Holland & Hart LLP. He then co-founded and managed two other law firms—Choquette & Simons LLP and Choquette & Hart LLP—where he continued such work for nearly 12 more years, in addition to serving as an expert witness in attorney malpractice and fee dispute cases.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• More than 30 years of advocate experience, including in three partnerships and co-founding two firms
• 15 years of mediation and arbitration experience

Representative Matters

• Business & Commercial
commercial and business contract and tort claims; conflicts among owners, managers and employees of public, private and professional-service entities; franchisor-franchisee disputes
• Construction
construction defects, both residential and commercial, involving urban and rural projects
• Insurance
first- and third-party insurance and bad faith claims related to property, casualty, business interruption and errors-and-omissions coverages
• Personal Injury/Torts
personal and catastrophic injuries; wrongful death claims
• Professional Liability
professional malpractice disputes, including between the insureds and insurance producers
• Real Property
commercial and residential real estate contracts; commission and broker/agent malpractice claims; landlord-tenant disputes, both commercial and residential; homeowners’ association and commercial association disputes, including those involving mixed-use properties

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Publications

• Managing Editor, Colorado Civil Claims: Elements, Defenses, and Sample Pleadings, 1^st ed. (CLE in Colo., Inc. 2019)
• "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Colorado Law on Mediation," presented annually, Colorado ADR Conference, Continuing Legal Education, 2014-Present
• "Enforcing the Award," Post-Award Proceedings in Arbitration, Continuing Legal Education in Colorado, 2008
• "Colorado Law on Mediation: A Primer," The Colorado Lawyer, March 2006

Memberships and Affiliations

• Professional Member, Mediation Association of Colorado, 2016—present
• Board Member, Denver’s Curious Theatre Company, 2002-2008, 2019—present
• Board Member, Legal Aid Foundation, 2004-2010
• Board Member, Metro Volunteer Lawyers, 1994-2005
• Mediation Coach, “Basic Mediation Training,” Colorado Bar Association, 2015—present
• Adjunct Professor, Alternative Dispute Resolution course, Sturm College of Law, Denver University, 2006—2008

Selected Awards and Honors

• Colorado Super Lawyer®
• Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2015–present
• Civil/Commercial Litigation, 2006–2014
• Best Lawyers®, Commercial Litigation, 2014—present
• Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney for Colorado, National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2017
• Top 100 Lawyers in Colorado, National Trial Lawyers, 2010–2018
• Best of the Bar (Pro Bono), Denver Business Journal, 2003
• Maroon Citation, Colgate University, 2002
• Sen. Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Service Award, Torts and Insurance Practice Section, American Bar Association, 2000
• Award of Merit, Denver Bar Association, 2000
• Co-Recipient, Volunteer of the Year Award, Metro Volunteer Lawyers, Denver Bar Association,1998
• Co-Recipient, Donald W. Hoagland Award, Colorado Bar Association, 1991
• American Jurisprudence Award, Constitutional Law, 1984

Background and Education

• Partner, Choquette & Hart LLP, 2011–2019
• Partner, Choquette & Simons LLP, 2007–2011
• Associate and Partner, Holland & Hart LLP, 1986–2007
• J.D., Sturm College of Law, University of Denver, 1986
• B.A., Colgate University, 1982