Chief Operating Partner
Kathleen
Alt
Ms. Alt has worked in state and federal courts and is an experienced litigator and trial attorney. She has tried over 28 jury trials. Her focus at Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti is criminal defense and employment law. She chairs Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti’s employment practice group and co-chairs the firm’s criminal defense practice group
Prior to joining Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti, Ms. Alt served as a Deputy Colorado State Public Defender in Adams County, Colorado, and a judicial clerk to the Honorable Judge Daniel M. Taubman on the Colorado Court of Appeals. In law school, Ms. Alt received multiple awards for top academic performance and dedication to the public interest. She is a member of the Order of the Coif and graduated in the top 4% of her class with the highest academic honors.
Ms. Alt serves on the firm’s management committee and was honored to be the first female equity partner at Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti. She is a proud Marylander and received her undergraduate degrees in Information Systems Management and History from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Experience
Employment Law
Ms. Alt’s employment specialty areas include the defense of companies and public entities and their employees in a wide variety of areas including: employment discrimination, internal sexual harassment and gender discrimination investigations and litigation, administrative agency investigations, FLSA claims, ADA and Title VII claims, retaliation lawsuits and complaints, unemployment benefit matters, and contract-based employment disputes. She also advises her clients on Department of Justice and OSHA investigations and whistleblower actions. She regularly advises corporate clients, small business owners, executives, and individuals in employment, termination, non-compete, non-disclosure, termination severance-related negotiations and issues.
Recently, Ms. Alt has specialized in guiding clients through covid-related pandemic issues such as ensuring compliance with OHSA, CDC, and federal, state, and local regulations.
Criminal Law
As a former Deputy State Public Defender, Ms. Alt is a member of BHGR’s criminal defense practice group where she represents clients in matters ranging from class one felonies to misdemeanors in state and federal court, post-conviction relief, and appellate review. She specializes in the defense of sexual assault cases, and has successfully had cases dismissed prior to preliminary hearing or negotiated a no-filing decision. Ms. Alt employs a no-stone-left-unturned approach to the factual and legal investigation of a particular matter including litigating pretrial suppression issues involving unlawful search and seizures, Miranda violations, and custodial interrogations. She is also successful in conducting favorable negotiations with the District Attorney’s Office and assisting clients in getting back on track if needed and developing appropriate mitigation.
Litigation
As a trial lawyer, Ms. Alt has handled complex securities and fraud cases. She won a million dollar plus verdict that included punitive damages for one of Boulder’s largest commercial real estate owners in a Colorado Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act case. She has negotiated settlements in excess of one million dollars under the Colorado Securities Act. Finally, she obtained a full defense verdict for a rural Sheriff’s Department in federal court in an Americans with Disabilities Act case.
In the Community
Ms. Alt is an equestrian and supporter of canine rescue and arts organizations. When she is not working, she enjoys traveling, cycling, riding, and spending time with her family: husband, Michael Alt, a software engineer at Motorola Solutions, Inc.; their teen age daughter; their three horses; and their two rescue Chihuahuas. She is currently the Chair of the Boulder Ballet not for profit.
EDUCATION & ADMISSIONS
JURIS DOCTOR
UNIVERSITY OF DENVER COLLEGE OF LAW, 2001
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, 1988
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
2007
Colorado
2001
Professional Associations
Boulder County Bar Association; Co-Chair of the Criminal Law Section, 2007 – 2009
Colorado Bar Association
Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
Honors & Awards
University of Denver College of Law; Order of St. Ives, 2001
Earth Justice Award for Environmental Advocacy, 2001
Kenneth C. Smith Scholarship Ward, 1999 – 2000
University of Denver Law School; Most Innovative Program Award, 1999
Public Interest Law Group Clerkship Award, 1999
Jurisprudence Civil Procedure Award, 1998
Pro Bono
Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center; Former Board Member, 2006 – 2007
The Catamounts, Former Board Member and Board President, 2012 – 2017
Boulder Ballet Board of Directors 2018 to present (current Chair of the Board)
Publications
Coordinating Editor: Antitrust and Consumer Protection Law, Special Issue The Colorado Lawyer October 2014
Criminal Enforcement of State and Federal Antitrust Laws article, The Colorado Lawyer October 2014
Clerkships
Honorable Daniel M. Taubman, Colorado Court of Appeals, 2001 – 2002

Kathleen’s Blog

CA CLIENT ALERT: The Supreme Court Holds That Individual Claims Brought Under California’s Private Attorneys General Act Can Be Compelled to Arbitration
California employers scored a victory with the Supreme Court’s June 15, 2022 decision in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana, Case No. 20-1573, which finds that individual claims brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) can be compelled...

BHGR and Boulder Ballet
For nearly five years, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti has supported Boulder Ballet. We were honored to continue this tradition and support for the arts this year and look forward to the years to come. Images by Amanda Tipton Photography | FB- Amanda Tipton-Photographer...

Kathleen Alt Talks Remote Work and the Challenges Companies Might Already Be Experiencing
In an article published in the Daily Camera today, Monday, April 25, partner Kathleen Alt offers some updates on the complexities of remote work, particularly, out-of-state remote workers. Check out the article here*. Writer: Paula Aven Gladych Contributors: Kathleen...
In the News
Firm Director of Marketing Honored in the 2022 Boulder Valley 40 Under Forty
BizWest announced the 2022 Boulder Valley 40 Under Forty on May 4, 2022. Honored among the "40", is firm director of marketing, Ashley Cawthorn. She recounts her initial days with the firm and why being a part of Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti was the perfect fit. "I...
Rudy Verner Moderates A Panel On Climate-Action at BizWest’s Net Zero Cities
Partner Rudy Verner joined four panelists in kicking off BizWest's Net Zero Cities event held at The Ranch Event Complex in Loveland, CO this morning, May 4, 2022. The session titled 'Climate-Action Bootcamp' was geared toward the private sector and went beyond the...
BHGR and Boulder Ballet
For nearly five years, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti has supported Boulder Ballet. We were honored to continue this tradition and support for the arts this year and look forward to the years to come. Images by Amanda Tipton Photography | FB- Amanda Tipton-Photographer...
Firm Happenings
CA CLIENT ALERT: The Supreme Court Holds That Individual Claims Brought Under California’s Private Attorneys General Act Can Be Compelled to Arbitration
California employers scored a victory with the Supreme Court’s June 15, 2022 decision in Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana, Case No. 20-1573, which finds that individual claims brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) can be compelled...
Kathleen Alt Talks Remote Work and the Challenges Companies Might Already Be Experiencing
In an article published in the Daily Camera today, Monday, April 25, partner Kathleen Alt offers some updates on the complexities of remote work, particularly, out-of-state remote workers. Check out the article here*. Writer: Paula Aven Gladych Contributors: Kathleen...
Client Alert: Colorado – New Criminal Penalties for Employer’s Use of Illegal Non-Compete Agreements
Buried within recent legislation passed by the Colorado General Assembly lies a provision that will likely materially alter the relationship between employers and their employees. Colorado has long disfavored the restrictive covenants utilized by employers to curtail...