Beth Andersen, Owner and Attorney

Education

Beth graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a bachelor’s degree in English and government/international affairs. As part of her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester abroad in Oxford, England. She also volunteered on several political campaigns, served on our student council and worked steadily to help put herself through school.

She then earned her juris doctorate (JD) law degree at Cornell Law School in Ithaca, N.Y. She participated in the legal aid clinic, International Law Society and International Law Journal during her time at Cornell. Beth also clerked for a law professor and then at the law firm of Kelley Drye & Warren in Manhattan. She was fortunate to have handled cases from divorce to complex litigation and even to have written her first parenting plan in a contested divorce before graduating from law school.

Beth was an attorney for several years and gained extensive experience in several areas of the field before finding her calling in Family Law. 

Commercial Litigation
Upon graduating, Beth joined the Manhattan law firm of Kelley Drye & Warren as a litigation associate. She essentially lived and worked at that Park Avenue firm night and day. She worked on products liability defense, complex commercial and securities litigation, personal injury defense and a pro bono asylum case for the Lawyer’s Commission on Human Rights. Beth was luckier than many “big firm” attorneys because her firm allowed her to handle everything from depositions and brief writing to arguing motions, appeals and even trials.

Legal Services
She chose to leave commercial practice and follow her heart to legal services as a staff attorney for MFY Legal Services. This was a chance to serve the underserved by handling social security, housing, benefits and family law issues for formerly homeless clients. Beth was more fortunate than many legal services attorneys because her employer allowed her to act as lead counsel on Velazquez v. State of New York, a class action on child support enforcement against the indigent disabled.

Colorado and Family Law
In 1995, Beth’s family chose to relocate to beautiful Colorado. She helped raise three sons while working and volunteering for the Colorado PTA legislative committee, Mountain Resource Center and several nonprofits. It wasn’t until she found herself reeling from her own divorce that she realized she could really make a difference in the field of family law:

Going through the divorce process as a client, Beth saw things she could do differently by implementing what she had learned in both the elite, competitive field of commercial practice and the innovative, low-cost world of poverty law.

Small Firm Practice
Until going out on her own, opening Andersen Law PC in October 2014, Beth worked at the small local firm Johnson & Associates, PC. Again she was lucky her employer allowed her to grow and manage her own client base and to take those clients with her when she started her own firm.

Continuing Education
Whether through the latest technology or keeping up on family law trends, Beth continues to learn and expand her education in order to best serve her clients. Education has always been important to Beth and she always exceeds the continuing legal education requirements, including participating in an annual retreat on Family Law and completing a 40-hour mediation training.

Community Service

Beth has served on the Jefferson County Access to Justice Committee, Evergreen Rotary Board, Evergreen Chamber Board, Lutheran Church of the Cross Council, Video Conferencing Pro Bono Program for Colorado and Mock Trial Coaching. She helped form and is on the board of the 501(c)(3) Evergreen Chamber Community Fund. Beth continues to serve the underserved with several hours of pro bono legal work each month and has been recognized annually by the Colorado Supreme Court for her pro bono work for several years.