Chief Operating Partner

Kathleen

Alt

Legal Assistant

Jill Weberg

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

In the News

Berg and Ruscitti Recognized as Iconic Leaders

BizWest Media is in the midst of celebrating 40 years of covering business news in Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado. As part of this momentous anniversary, the publication recognized 40 iconic leaders who inspired the region's development. Among the 40 are two of...

Firm Happenings