Credentials
Education
Clerkships
Law Clerk to The Honorable Herbert L. Stern, III, Denver District Court
Other Government Service
Colorado Supreme Court, Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, Assistant Regulation Counsel, Trial Division
Recognition
Colorado Super Lawyers
Rising Star, 2013-2017
Legal Memberships
ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Special Advisor, 2023-2024
CBA Ethics Committee
Member, 2014-2019
CBA Lawyers’ Professional Liability Committee
Former Member, 2018-2022
Denver Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association
Former Board Member
Former Programs Committee Co-Chair
Bar and Court Admissions
Colorado
U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
U.S. District Court, D. Colorado
Other Experience
Burns Figa & Will
Shareholder
Lambdin & Chaney
Associate
McConnell Fleischner Houghtaling
Associate
Articles and Presentations
Presenter, "Two Truths and a Lie," University of Denver Mentoring program.
Presenter, "Overview of Ethical Issues Related to Using Contract Attorneys," Colorado Bar Association, Construction Law Section.
Presenter, "Exploring Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit and Misrepresentation: A Deep Dive into Model Rule 8.4©," American Bar Association.
Presenter, "So Your Lawyer Asked you to Lie – How the Change to Rule 8.4(c) Affects Paralegals" Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association's Education Summit.
Presenter, "COLTAF Accounts 2.0," The Colorado Bar Association.
Presenter, "Client Communication: What Should You Say and How Should You Say It When It Comes to Conflicts and Mistakes," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update.
Presenter, "COLTAF Accounts," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Successfully Launching and Running Your Own Practice: The Essential Guide.
Presenter, "Avoiding Conflicts of Interest," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE The Colorado Lawyer Self-Assessment Program: Promoting a Thriving Law Practice.
Presenter, "ETHICS: Using Social Media and the Rules of Professional Conduct Together – Colo. RPC 1.6, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, and 8.4(c)," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update 2018.
Presenter, "Avoiding Conflicts of Interest," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE PMBP* – What It Is and Why You Should Care.
Presenter, "Competency, Confidentiality, and Candor: Ensuring Compliance with Colo. RPC 1.1, 1.6, 3.3 and 3.4 in the Age of eDiscovery," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update 2017.
Presenter, "Rule 1.1 and How Computer Skills Affect Attorney Competence," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Computer Competence for Lawyers.
Presenter, "What to Do When Your Client Cannot Pay by the Hour — Pluses and Pitfalls of Alternative Billing Arrangements," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Organizing a Colorado Business 2017.
Presenter, "Ethics," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Advising Entrepreneurs.
Presenter, "Do's and Don'ts to Avoid Ethics Grievances Being Filed Against You," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Ethics 7.0.
Teaching Positions
University of Colorado Law,
Adjunct Professor Legal Ethics and Professionalism Course, Spring 2021
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law,
Adjunct Professor Legal Profession, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel Trust Account School
Sara Van Deusen leads WTO’s Office of the General Counsel. As a legal advisor to the firm’s lawyers and staff, she focuses on loss prevention for the firm’s litigation practice and business operations. Sara leads the firm’s ethics and professional responsibility programs and manages compliance. She provides advice on client relationships and various risk management issues related to firm operations. Additionally, she supervises WTO’s conflicts team.
Prior to joining WTO, Sara represented the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel in front of the Attorney Regulation Committee, Presiding Disciplinary Judge, Hearing Boards, and the Colorado Supreme Court. She represented the office in matters involving character and fitness, admissions, disciplinary proceedings, and client protection fund claims. Before joining OARC, Sara was a law firm shareholder who defended lawyers in the disciplinary process and admissions to the practice of law.
Sara's personal interests include playing piano, hiking, and taking road trips.
Sara Van Deusen leads WTO’s Office of the General Counsel. As a legal advisor to the firm’s lawyers and staff, she focuses on loss prevention for the firm’s litigation practice and business operations. Sara leads the firm’s ethics and professional responsibility programs and manages compliance. She provides advice on client relationships and various risk management issues related to firm operations. Additionally, she supervises WTO’s conflicts team.
Prior to joining WTO, Sara represented the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel in front of the Attorney Regulation Committee, Presiding Disciplinary Judge, Hearing Boards, and the Colorado Supreme Court. She represented the office in matters involving character and fitness, admissions, disciplinary proceedings, and client protection fund claims. Before joining OARC, Sara was a law firm shareholder who defended lawyers in the disciplinary process and admissions to the practice of law.
Sara's personal interests include playing piano, hiking, and taking road trips.
Credentials
Education
Clerkships
Law Clerk to The Honorable Herbert L. Stern, III, Denver District Court
Other Government Service
Colorado Supreme Court, Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, Assistant Regulation Counsel, Trial Division
Recognition
Colorado Super Lawyers
Rising Star, 2013-2017
Legal Memberships
ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Special Advisor, 2023-2024
CBA Ethics Committee
Member, 2014-2019
CBA Lawyers’ Professional Liability Committee
Former Member, 2018-2022
Denver Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association
Former Board Member
Former Programs Committee Co-Chair
Bar and Court Admissions
Colorado
U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
U.S. District Court, D. Colorado
Other Experience
Burns Figa & Will
Shareholder
Lambdin & Chaney
Associate
McConnell Fleischner Houghtaling
Associate
Articles and Presentations
Presenter, "Two Truths and a Lie," University of Denver Mentoring program.
Presenter, "Overview of Ethical Issues Related to Using Contract Attorneys," Colorado Bar Association, Construction Law Section.
Presenter, "Exploring Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit and Misrepresentation: A Deep Dive into Model Rule 8.4©," American Bar Association.
Presenter, "So Your Lawyer Asked you to Lie – How the Change to Rule 8.4(c) Affects Paralegals" Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association's Education Summit.
Presenter, "COLTAF Accounts 2.0," The Colorado Bar Association.
Presenter, "Client Communication: What Should You Say and How Should You Say It When It Comes to Conflicts and Mistakes," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update.
Presenter, "COLTAF Accounts," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Successfully Launching and Running Your Own Practice: The Essential Guide.
Presenter, "Avoiding Conflicts of Interest," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE The Colorado Lawyer Self-Assessment Program: Promoting a Thriving Law Practice.
Presenter, "ETHICS: Using Social Media and the Rules of Professional Conduct Together – Colo. RPC 1.6, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4, and 8.4(c)," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update 2018.
Presenter, "Avoiding Conflicts of Interest," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE PMBP* – What It Is and Why You Should Care.
Presenter, "Competency, Confidentiality, and Candor: Ensuring Compliance with Colo. RPC 1.1, 1.6, 3.3 and 3.4 in the Age of eDiscovery," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Federal Practice Update 2017.
Presenter, "Rule 1.1 and How Computer Skills Affect Attorney Competence," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Computer Competence for Lawyers.
Presenter, "What to Do When Your Client Cannot Pay by the Hour — Pluses and Pitfalls of Alternative Billing Arrangements," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Organizing a Colorado Business 2017.
Presenter, "Ethics," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Advising Entrepreneurs.
Presenter, "Do's and Don'ts to Avoid Ethics Grievances Being Filed Against You," The Colorado Bar Association's CLE Ethics 7.0.
Teaching Positions
University of Colorado Law,
Adjunct Professor Legal Ethics and Professionalism Course, Spring 2021
University of Denver, Sturm College of Law,
Adjunct Professor Legal Profession, Fall 2016, Fall 2017
Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel Trust Account School