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Sean Connelly
About Sean
Biography
Sean Connelly is a nationally-recognized Colorado appellate attorney and former Colorado Court of Appeals Judge. Before going into private practice, Sean worked as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, D.C., and Denver. His positions included Special Attorney to two U.S. Attorneys General and Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Appellate Section. He was a member of the trial team and the government’s lead appellate lawyer in the Oklahoma City bombing prosecutions for which he earned the Attorney General's Exceptional Service Award, the U.S. Justice Department’s highest honor.
From 2002 until his judicial appointment in 2008, he was a partner in the Denver firm Reilly, Pozner & Connelly, where he successfully represented Pat Bowlen’s appeal to maintain ownership rights of the Denver Broncos professional football team.
As one of the finest appellate lawyers in Colorado and the country, he has received numerous awards for his work. He has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America since the 2007 edition, for Criminal Defense: White-Collar since the 18th edition (2012), and in Bet-the-Company Litigation since the 24th edition (2018). Additionally, he was been twice awarded “Lawyer of the Year” for Appellate Practice in Denver for editions 19 and 25 (2013 and 2019). He was also credited as one of the Top 10 Colorado Superlawyers (2018, 2017), a Top Lawyer since 2015 in 5280 Magazine, and one of six Top Litigators by Colorado Law Week (2017). Sean was named Individual of the Year by the Colorado Lawyers Committee (2006) and Colorado’s Outstanding Appeals Court Judge by Colorado Law Week (2009). He is also the former Chair of the five-person Criminal Law drafting committee for the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which administers the multi-state bar examination.
Sean has an active pro bono practice, and his work in the Yellowbear v. Lampert case (10th Cir, 2014), which reversed a ruling denying prison inmates' right to participate in Native American services, was listed by now-Justice Neil Gorsuch as one of his ten most important opinions as a Tenth Circuit judge.
He is currently practicing private appellate law in Denver, Colorado.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Appeals
100%
15 years
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Colorado for 23 years
State: Colorado
Acquired: 2002
No misconduct found
Licensed in District of Columbia for 11 years
State: District of Columbia
Acquired: 2014
No misconduct found
Location
Connelly Law, LLC
3900 E. Mexico Ave., Suite 300, Denver, CO, 80210
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Experience
Honors
2024
Denver, Bet the Company Litigation “Lawyer of the Year", Best Lawyers in America
2024
Band 1 : Litigation: Appellate, 2019 - present, Chambers USA
2024
Best Law Firms National Tier 2 Appellate Practice, U.S. News & World Report
2024
Top Lawyers List in Appellate Law, 2015 – present, 5280 Magazine
2024
Bet-the-Company Litigation, 2018 – present, Best Lawyers in America
2024
Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2012 – present, Best Lawyers in America
2024
Appellate Practice, 2007 – present, Best Lawyers in America
2024
Top 100 Colorado Super Lawyers, 2014 – 2015, 2020-present, Colorado Super Lawyers
2024
Top 10 Colorado Super Lawyers, 2017-2018, 2020-present, Colorado Super Lawyers
2024
Colorado Super Lawyer, 2006-present, Colorado Super Lawyers
2021
Best Law Firms for Colorado Bet-the-Company Litigation, U.S. News & World Report
2021
Best Law Firms for Colorado Criminal Defense: White-Collar, U.S. News & World Report
2021
Best Law Firms for Colorado Tier 1 Appellate Practice, US News & World Report
2019
Denver Appellate Practice "Lawyer of the Year", Best Lawyers in America
2019
"Case of the Year", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association
2019
"Team of the Year" Award, Colorado Lawyers Committee
2017
Top Litigator (One of Six), Colorado Law Week
2017
Band 4 (Litigation: General Commercial), Chambers USA
2016
Band 4 (Litigation: General Commercial), Chambers USA
2015
"Team of the Year" Award, Colorado Lawyers Committee
2015
Band 4 (Litigation: General Commercial), Chambers USA
2015
State Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation
2014
Band 4 (Litigation: General Commercial), Chambers USA
2013
Band 4 (Litigation: General Commercial), Chambers USA
2013
Legal Leader in Appellate Law, The American Lawyer and Corporate Counsel Magazine
2013
Award of Special Recognition, Colorado Lawyers Committee
2013
Tenth Circuit Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation
2013
Denver Appellate Practice "Lawyer of the Year", The Best Lawyers in America®
2007
Individual of the Year Award, Colorado Lawyers Committee
1998
Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service, U.S. Department of Justice
1983
Faculty Award, Catholic University Law School
1983
American Jurisprudence Award, Catholic University Law School
Work Experience
2017 - Present
Founder, Connelly Law LLC
2016 - 2017
Partner, Zonies Law
2011 - 2016
Partner, Reilly Pozner LLP
2008 - 2011
Judge, Colorado Court of Appeals
2002 - 2008
Partner, Reilly Pozner & Connelly LLP
1990 - 2002
Federal Prosecutor, U.S. Department of Justice
1984 - 1990
Attorney, Private Practice
1983 - 1984
Law Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
Associations
2011 - Present
Colorado Lawyers CommitteeMental Health Task Force
Faculty of Federal Advocates
Member
Colorado Bar Association
Member
National Conference of Bar Examiners
Chairman, Criminal Law Drafting Committee
2005 - 2007
Colorado Lawyers CommitteeHomeless ID Task Force
Sample of Legal Cases
Sean Connelly Wins Tenth Circuit Appeal Protecting Native American Religious Rights
False Claims Act Whistleblower Lawsuit
$26 million settlement
Landmark Settlement with the State of Colorado in a Civil Rights Lawsuit
Settlement
Denver Broncos Football Club Ownership
Complete victory
Lead Appellate Prosecutor in the Trials of the Oklahoma City Bombers
Conviction and death sentence of Timothy McVeigh. Conviction and life sentence of Terry Nichols.
Education
1983
Catholic University Law School
J.D.
1980
Fairfield University
A.B.
Speaking Engagements
2020
LawBank Trial Series
Panelist, "Trial Practice from the Perspective of the Judiciary" (Webcast)
Publications
2019
Law Week Colorado
Subject, "Twenty-Four Years Later, Turning Heartbreak Into Victory"
2019
Law Week Colorado
Interview, "A Protector of the Court: Judge Richard Matsch Remembered"
2019
2019
2018
Law Week Colorado
Interview, "Law Firm Defends Fraud Claim Before Supreme Court"
2018
Law Week Colorado
Interview, "Justice Kennedy Retires; Confirmation Frenzy Ensues"
2018
Law Week Colorado
Interview, "State Supreme Court to Decide Fate of JLWOP Law"
2018
2017
The Washington Times
Interview, "Sweat lodge decision shows Gorsuch’s attention to religious liberty"
2017
2016
2015
2015
Portfolio Media (Law360)
Interview, "5th Circ. Slams stubborn judge, revives $19M FCA suit again"
2013
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Author, "Supplemental reply brief of plaintiff-appellant Andrew John Yellowbear, Jr."
2012
2012
Portfolio Media (Law360)
Interview, "Federal employees can bring qui tam suit, 5th Circ. rules"
2011
2010
2009
Post Independent
Interview, "Prison sentence overturned by Colorado court of appeals"
2007
2006
Colorado Super Lawyers
Featured Interview, "Sean Connelly put McVeigh away"
2004
Denver Business Journal
Interview, "Hoover placed in second-worst inmate class"
2001
New York Times
Interview, "Judge refuses McVeigh's bid for a reprieve"
2001
Getty Images
Subject, "Judge denies McVeigh execution stay"
2001
Washington Post
Interview, "Judge won't delay McVeigh execution"
Languages
English