March 2026 marked the 23rd Annual Associates Campaign, a statewide, associate-led fundraising effort that continues to demonstrate the Colorado legal community’s deep commitment to access to justice. Each year, associate representatives from law firms across Colorado lead a friendly but impactful competition to raise critical funds for the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado, supporting the life-changing work of Colorado Legal Services.
2026 also marks the inaugural addition to the Campaign of the Corporate Counsel Challenge, an innovative effort to engage in-house legal teams alongside law firms, broadening participation and strengthening the legal community’s shared commitment to access to justice. For years, associates have demonstrated what’s possible when the legal community unites around a shared purpose: ensuring that low-income Coloradans have meaningful access to the justice, This year the Legal Aid Foundation invited in-house counsel to be part of this Campaign which demonstrates the very best of the Colorado legal community and the leadership of young attorneys in building this tradition of collective impact. And that community truly stepped up to lead: 12 corporations joined this year’s campaign, thanks in part to the generosity of the Colorado Foundation for a Better Earth’s 100% Match of Corporate Counsel Challenge donations.
This year, 74 law firm and corporate counsel teams participated in the month-long Campaign, raising a total of $690,700 from 2010 donors with an average gift of $344. That vastly exceeds this year’s Campaign goal of $550,000 and $194,000 more than was raised in 2025. This impressive total also represents a 97% increase from 2023, meaning the Campaign has nearly doubled its impact in just three years. Congratulations to Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell for setting a new team record, raising a remarkable $83,149.
In total, 32 teams achieved 100% associate/corporate counsel participation, a powerful reflection of the profession’s shared commitment to equal justice. The funds raised through the 2026 Associates Campaign will support the equivalent of almost seven entry level legal aid attorney positions at Colorado Legal Services— helping to ensure that more Coloradans can access legal assistance in matters affecting their most basic needs, including housing stability, personal safety, and access to healthcare.
“As a member of the Colorado legal community, I believe we have a collective responsibility to ensure that the justice system is accessible to everyone, regardless of income. For many of our neighbors, the lack of affordable legal representation can mean the difference between keeping their home, their livelihood, or even their family,” said Marisa Carney, Associate Corporate Counsel at EchoStar. “Being a part of the inaugural Corporate Counsel Challenge allows in-house teams to stand alongside our firm colleagues to provide the critical funding Colorado Legal Aid needs to protect the rights of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
At the Associates Campaign Celebration on April 29th, hosted at Foley & Lardner’s beautiful new Denver Office, Campaign results were announced and awards were presented by the Justices of the Colorado Supreme Court.
At the Celebration, Justice Susan Blanco shared how the Associates Campaign resonates with her experience. “I was a trial court judge for about 10 years and I could see the direct impact that this kind of help has for people in the community […] They face eviction in the legal system, domestic violence benefit denials and other life altering civil legal challenges.” Highlighting the dedication and commitment of team reps and other Campaign supporters, Justice Blanco emphasized the connection between this work and the real impact it has on Coloradans: “Through the strength of this campaign and leadership of the people in this room, you are helping to provide more than just legal representation for individuals. You are making a difference in people’s lives when it comes to securing their housing, accessing food and healthcare, and pursuing meaningful employment.”
Planning is already underway for the 2027 Associates Campaign. Attorneys, firms, and in-house counsel interested in getting involved in this cornerstone effort to support civil legal aid in Colorado are encouraged to contact Jessica Clark-Daugherty, Associate Director of the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado.
2026 Associates Campaign Award Winners
Highest Grand Total
Large Firms: Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
Runners-Up: WilmerHale, Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Medium Firms: Kaplan Kirsch
Runners-Up: Snell & Wilmer, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
Small Firms: FBT Gibbons
Runners-Up: Woods Aitken, Perkins Coie
Corporate Counsel Challenge: EchoStar Corporation
Runners-Up: Association of Corporate Counsel Colorado, Vail Resorts
Highest Associate/Corporate Counsel Per Capita Gift
Large Firms: WilmerHale
Runners-Up: Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell, Davis Graham
Medium Firms: Kaplan Kirsch
Runners-Up: Snell & Wilmer, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
Small Firms: Richards Carrington
Runners-Up: Perkins Coie, Reed Smith
Corporate Counsel Challenge: EchoStar Corporation
Runner-Up: Vail Resorts
Top Performance in Broadening Participation
Large Firms: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Runners-Up: Davis Graham, Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
Medium Firms: Kaplan Kirsch
Runners-Up: Greenberg Traurig, Snell & Wilmer
Small Firms: Woods Aitken
Runners-Up: Crowell & Moring, FBT Gibbons
Corporate Counsel Challenge: EchoStar Corporation
Runners-Up: Vail Resorts, Association of Corporate Counsel Colorado
Most Creative Fundraising
Cooley
Runners-Up: Greenberg Traurig, EchoStar
Most Outstanding Growth
Largest Dollar Increase: Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
Runners-Up: Davis Graham, Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Largest Percentage Increase: Stinson
Runners-Up: Butler Snow, Kontnik | Cohen
100% Associate Giving Firms
Arnold & Porter Kayes Scholer
Baker Hostetler
Ballard Spahr
Bartlit Beck
BCLP
Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Burg Simpson
Crowell & Moring
Curtis, Justus, & Zahedi
Davis Graham
FBT Gibbons
Fox Rothschild
Hogan Lovells US
Holland & Knight
Ireland Stapleton
Jones Keller
Kaplan Kirsch
KO Law
Kontnik | Cohen
Lathrop GPM
Littler
Nelson Mullins
Polsinelli
Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC
Richards Carrington
Snell & Wilmer
Taft Stettinius & Hollister
The Harris Law Firm
Welborn
WilmerHale
Woods Aitken
Other Participating Firms
Akerman
Armstrong Teasdale
Beatty & Wozniak
Butler Snow
Clark Hill
Cooley
Dentons
Dietze & Davis
Dowd Bennett
Faegre Drinker
Fairfield & Woods
Fennemore
Foley & Lardner
Foley Hoag
Garnett Powell Maximon Barlow & Farbes
Gibson & Dunn
Gordon Rees Scully Mansukani
Greenberg Traurig
Haddon Morgan Foreman
Holland & Hart
Husch Blackwell
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Merchant & Gould
Messner Reeves
Michael Best & Friedrich
Morrison Foerster
Olson & Grimsley
Otten Johnson Robinson Neff & Ragonetti
Paul Wilkinson Law Firm
Perkins Coie
Ramos Law
Reed Smith
Robinson Henry
SGR
Sherr Puttmann Akins & Lamb
Spencer Fane
Squire Patton & Boggs
Stinson
The Wilhite Law Firm
Thompson Coe
Trout & Raley
Venable
Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell
White & Steele
Williams Weese Pepple & Ferguson
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Womble Bond Dickinson
Corporate Counsel Participants
Access to Justice Partners (1–5 Donors)
Association of Corporate Counsel Colorado
Stealth Mode
Danone North America
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
Wells
Fivetran
Walmart/VIZIO
PNC Bank
DaVita
Advocates for Access (5-15 Donors)
Vail Resorts
Clio
Pillars of Justice (15 + Donors)
EchoStar Corporation