Jon Fero is an experienced, client-focused litigator, negotiator, and counselor specializing in education law and complex constitutional litigation. His practice has encompassed all aspects of civil litigation, both civil and criminal appeals, high-dollar negotiations, general counsel advising, and transactional work.
Jon clerked for Justice Nancy Rice of the Colorado Supreme Court, and in 2005, he joined the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, specializing in appellate practice for almost five years. During that time, he completed over 150 appeals in state and federal courts, obtaining a favorable result for his clients in 97 percent of the decisions. Jon served as the lead litigator for the Colorado Department of Education, the State’s Community Colleges, and numerous institutions of higher education including Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines. He also served as General Counsel to History Colorado. During that time, Jon continued working on major constitutional cases, including the Sheriffs’ challenge to the gun magazine limits enacted after the Aurora theater shooting. In 2013, Jon finalized recovery of nearly $12 million of Colorado’s costs cleaning up significant environmental contamination at the former School of Mines Research Institute site. In 2018, Jon briefed and argued the landmark Johnson case before the Colorado Supreme Court, which confirmed the ending of tenure in Colorado and held that teachers are not entitled to ongoing paid assignments.
As a Partner at Semple, Farrington, Everall & Case, P.C., Jon represents school districts and other organizations in board governance, employee discipline and discharge, student matters, collective bargaining, commercial agreements, compliance, and many other matters. He is comfortable in any courtroom and is dedicated to providing exceptional and cost-effective legal representation by putting the law to work for his clients.
Education:
- B.A., Guilford College (Greensboro, North Carolina), Integrative Studies, Magna cum Laude, with Honors, 1999
- J.D., University of Colorado at Boulder, School of Law, 2004.
Other Training:
- Jon also has received advanced deposition and trial skills training from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy
Member:
- Colorado and American Bar Associations
Jon is licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado, and he is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the District of Colorado.
Notable Cases:
- Poudre School District v. Stanczyk, 20SC269 (Larimer District Court, Colorado Court of Appeals, Colorado Supreme Court)
- Johnson v. Denver Public Schools, 15SA281 (Colorado Supreme Court)
- Denver Public Schools v. Masters, 15SC1062 (Denver District Court, Colorado Court of Appeals, Colorado Supreme Court)
- Dwyer v. State, 15SA22 (Denver District Court and Colorado Supreme Court)
- Board of Governors v. Apt, 13CV31044 (Larimer District Court)
- Kerr v. Hickenlooper, 11-cv-01350, 12-1445 (United States District Court, Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Supreme Court)
- Cooke v. Hickenlooper, 13-cv-01300 (United States District Court)
- State of Colo. v. United States, 13-cv-02532 (United States District Court)
- Lobato v. State, 05CV4794 and 12SA25 (Denver District Court and Colorado Supreme Court)
- People v. Everett, 07CA2368 (Colorado Court of Appeals)
- People v. Gordon, 05CA0879 (Colorado Court of Appeals)
- People v. Armijo, 04CA2404 (Colorado Court of Appeals)
Presentations:
- University of Colorado Law School, Risk Management in the Age of Emerging Technologies, 2023
- Colorado Association of School Executives, Executive Sessions in 2023, 2023
- University of Colorado Law School, Attorney Ethics Through Pop Culture, 2022
- Colorado Council of School Board Attorneys, Hot Topics in Legal Ethics, 2022
- Colorado School Districts Self Insurance Pool HR Symposium, Employee Separations, 2022
- American Association of School Personnel Administrators, Advanced Investigations, 2021
- Colorado Bar Association, Panel, Appellate Law Mini-Series: Principal Briefs, 2021
- Colorado Council of School Board Attorneys, Off-Campus Student Speech, 2020
- Colorado Council of School Board Attorneys, Local Control & School Board Governance, 2019
- Colorado Association of School Executives, Panel Discussion, Navigating Legal Issues, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2023
- Colorado Council of School Board Attorneys, Continuing Legal Education, Johnson v. Denver Public Schools, 2018
- National Council of School Attorneys, Continuing Legal Education, Title IX Sexual Harassment Lawsuits, 2017
- Denver Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, Becoming an Advocate, 2014
- Denver Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, Oral Arguments, 2012
- American Constitution Society, and Colorado Cooperation, Panel Discussions, Lobato v. State public school finance litigation, 2012
- Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, Force, Escape:
- Overview of Mandatory Minimum Punishment, 2009
- Colorado Department of Law, Criminal Closing Arguments, 2006
Community Involvement: Jon serves on the Board of Directors of CBA-CLE, the educational wing of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations, and he enjoys developing programs for lawyers and school professionals. He also regularly teaches Legal Ethics and Professionalism at the University of Colorado Law School and continues to mentor law students and serve as a moot court judge for the legal writing programs at his alma mater and the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law. From 2014 to 2016, he advised the University of Colorado’s School of Law on ways to strengthen practical legal education as a member of the Practitioner’s Council, and for several years, Jon advised rising law students in the Summer Employment Transitions Program. Previously, Jon served on his church’s board of directors for four years, including the last two as chair. Jon also served on the Standing Discipline Committee for the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. From 2006 to 2015, Jon served on the City of Lafayette’s zoning Board of Adjustments.