I found Burnham Law online and after reading all of their reviews I made the decision to meet with Todd Burnham in addition to three other attorneys I planned to meet that day. I met Todd at his Erie office (apparently he has a downtown Denver office) and I was blown away. Erie is a beautiful, boom...ing, town outside Boulder and his office is beautiful. He met me wearing jeans, t-shirt and flip flops. I felt at ease.
In meeting Todd it became apparent that this guy was meant to be a family law attorney. His background, his competitive Division I athletics background, and actually his references to his own family made me feel really...protected. He got it. He understands the whole "field" of this area and approaches it from a strategy standpoint and not a legal standpoint and always about my children and what they needed. He convinced me, in a very short time, that my youngest child DEVELOPMENTALLY was better suited in the SHORT TERM to be with his Mother as we transition and focus on the eventual 50/50 parenting time. That was the goal...a developmentally appropriate plan. I loved it.
We later, much later actually, started talking about the finances of the marriage. He quickly learned that the case was a higher asset case. He interrupted me and said "Hold on...let me get Gavin." He did something on his computer and she appeared from the adjacent room and at first it didn't make sense that this attractive pro volleyball looking woman fit in the room let alone a divorce lawyer's office.
Todd explained that Gavin was his Senior Associate, that she excelled at such a fast rate that he had to give her a cool title, and that she was always put on the high asset/high conflict cases with Todd but that they don't double bill. You get two lawyers collaborating and strategizing, and what I soon learned was these aren't just any lawyers. These lawyers think to a point of obsession, and they think alike.
While Todd comes across as a smooth and seasoned yet younger trial attorney/blue collar "this is the deal" person in shorts and flip flops, Ms. Halligan was the opposite: a suit and skirt. She sat on the couch in Todd's office and he sat behind his desk and they just had a conversation together about my case basically answering each other's questions with them ending together with an uneventful thud...and then Todd turned back to me and proceeded to lay out a plan of action that focused on my daughter and son, fairness to my wife, and fairness to me.
Gavin then completed the picture, outlined the financials and our approach and gave me deadlines and dates, and in surgical detail explained scenarios that I didn't even think of thinking of...all of which made me feel both VERY SCARED for my financial future and VERY RELIEVED that I was in this office. I signed the agreement, paid them 5K, and let them get to work.
Without getting into my personal life, I can say that I didn't see Todd again but I spoke with him often on calls with Gavin. Gavin was my lawyer for everything and she was so confident, reassuring and so skilled (and so young) that I honestly was nervous a lot but a quick call with Todd fixed that. Towards the end Gavin would joke with me "should we call Todd?" and the answer was a resounding NO!
Why? Because she was awesome. She was clearly well-trained, confident and knew the law cold. The opposing lawyer was condescending, rude and increasingly desperate as time went on. And it was awesome to see her juggle other cases that Todd was putting her on simultaneously...and she managed it amazingly and effortlessly.
My case ended almost exactly as they predicted. My children are as good as they can be post divorce. My ex wife and I together hate her former attorney so we have some common ground there, and we have a workable parenting plan. Burnham Law is expensive compared to other firms but, this team was worth every penny. Hire them and sleep well!