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 is 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

Client Alert: Summary of New Coronavirus Relief Bill
Authors: Kathleen Alt and Aisha I. May In March 2020, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law in order to provide both individuals and businesses with relief. On December 21, 2020, Congress approved the second...

CLIENT ALERT: The Equal Pay For Equal Work Act
Effective January 1, 2021, Colorado employers must take steps to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (“EPEWA” or the “Act). This new law prohibits all employers in the State from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, to include gender...

“FACES of Criminal Defense Law”
From left to right: Jon N. Banashek, Jason T. Pink, Kathleen Alt | View to profile here (pages 54-55) Partners, Jon Banashek, Jason Pink and Kathleen Alt, are recognized as "FACES of Criminal Defense Law" in the September/October issue of Colorado Biz, FACES of...
In the News
CHBA Elects 2021 Board of Directors
The Colorado Hispanic Bar Association (CHBA) announced its 2021 Board of Directors on December 15, 2020. Attorney Maverick Flowers was named an 'At Large Director.' As a first-generation Hispanic college graduate and attorney, Maverick holds a strong...
Attorney Maverick Flowers aids in the creation of Cures of Colors
Attorney Maverick Flowers joined forces with Brittany Chung, Vivek Bedi, Rachelle Nelson, Lindsay Jespersen, and Danny De Lillo to create Cures of Colors, a not for profit organization focused on curating narrative coloring books that help put into...
Paralegal, Mianne Besser, elected Secretary and Director of Leadership Development for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2020 – The National Federation of Paralegal Associations, Inc. (NFPA®), is pleased to announce thatMianne L. Besser, AACP, has been elected as Secretary and Director of Leadership Development for the 2020-2022 term. NFPA’s elections are...
Firm Happenings
Client Alert: Summary of New Coronavirus Relief Bill
Authors: Kathleen Alt and Aisha I. May In March 2020, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law in order to provide both individuals and businesses with relief. On December 21, 2020, Congress approved the second...
CLIENT ALERT: The Equal Pay For Equal Work Act
Effective January 1, 2021, Colorado employers must take steps to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (“EPEWA” or the “Act). This new law prohibits all employers in the State from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, to include gender...
“Workouts & Workarounds” in Commercial Real Estate
On Tuesday, November 17, 2020, managing partner, Giovanni Ruscitti, moderated a panel on "Workouts and Workarounds" within the Boulder Valley commercial real estate industry. This session was part of BizWest's annual Boulder Valley Real Estate Conference. Joining him...