Denver, Colorado Probate Lawyers
MEET OUR TEAM
Local experts with decades of combined experience
R. Eric Solem • FOUNDING PARTNER
Zachary F. Woodward • PARTNER
Zach received a BA in Political Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, and went on to receive his JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. He began his career as a Deputy District Attorney in Jefferson County, Colorado. During his time as a prosecutor, he conducted more than 50 jury trials, securing justice in cases ranging from felony drug trafficking to sex assault, kidnapping and murder.
Zach joined Solem Woodward & McKinley, P.C. as an associate in 2019, focusing primarily on probate litigation, though he handles all matters related to estate planning and legal protection for our community's most vulnerable members: children, those with disabilities, and the elderly. In 2021, Zach became a partner with the firm. Zach is a member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations.
Lance E. McKinley • PARTNER
Lance E. McKinley is a partner with the law firm of Solem Woodward & McKinley, P.C. His practice focuses on probate matters, disability trusts, estate planning and administration, and public benefits issues. He received his law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2001. He joined the firm in 2004 and has been a partner there since 2010. Prior to private practice, he was a law clerk in Arapahoe County District Court, where he clerked for the Hon. Juanita L. Rice and the Hon. Gerald J. Rafferty.
He has presented continuing education services to other lawyers on the topics of Qualified Settlement Funds, Medicare Set-Asides in liability cases, and the state Medicaid appeals process. He is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and Arapahoe County Bar Association.
David F. Steinhoff • OF COUNSEL
David has been practicing law for 41 years. He earned his BA in History and Mathematics and JD from the University of Denver. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, he served as Staff Attorney and Division Director for Colorado Legal Services and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Colorado.
In addition to representing clients in estate planning and litigation, he has held fiduciary roles (trustee, conservator, special administrator, and personal representative) throughout his practice and has written articles and taught classes for the legal community and public on topics such as Estate Planning, Estate Litigation, Special Needs Planning, Medicaid, Guardianships, and Conservatorships. David served as Deputy Public Administrator for the 18th Judicial District from 2002 to 2010. He is a member of the Trust & Estates and Elder Law Sections of the Colorado Bar Association and of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). David speaks fluent Spanish.
Peter T. Harris • OF COUNSEL
Peter received his JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and BA from Michigan State University. He joined the firm in 2003; and handles probate litigation, including contested guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, as well as the prosecution and defense of fiduciary theft cases. He has practiced before all trial courts in the Denver metro area and the state Court of Appeals. Peter is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association and the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.
Stephanie Schrab • ATTORNEY
Stephanie received her JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where she was a Chancellor’s Scholar and an officer of the Elder Law Society. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Colorado Denver, with a minor in Multidisciplinary Research Methods obtained through the University Honors and Leadership Program.
Having joined the firm in 2020, Stephanie brings a passion for law driven by personal experience. As the sibling of an individual with a significant developmental disability, she has first-hand knowledge of the issues these individuals and their families face in navigating the judicial system. Stephanie’s extensive volunteer background also includes service on behalf of individuals with disabilities and serious illnesses. Her practice focuses on estate administration, guardianships and conservatorships, special needs trusts, and other probate matters. Stephanie is a member of both the Elder Law and Trust and Estate Sections of the Colorado Bar Association (including serving as Treasurer for the Trusts and Estates Practitioner Support Committee for the 2023-2024 bar year), the Arapahoe County Bar Association, and the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. She was also selected to the 2023 Colorado Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers.
Victoria Long • ATTORNEY
Victoria "Tori" Long received a BS in neuroscience from the University of Delaware before receiving her JD from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law. While in law school she was the executive editor of the Journal of Health Care Law and Policy, and participated in externships and clinics which gave her experience in both transactional and litigation matters.
Tori joined the firm in 2021 and is excited to practice in Colorado in the area of trusts and estates. Since joining the firm, she primarily assists with cases concerning trust and estate litigation, planning, and administration. Tori is admitted to the bar in Colorado and Maryland.
Andrew "AJ" Gwirtsman • ATTORNEY
Andrew “AJ’ Gwirtsman joined the firm in 2023 after spending the first few years of his career in general practice, doing mostly family and criminal defense law, as well as helping clients with their estate planning and business formation needs. AJ received his BA in History from Colorado College and his JD from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
AJ primarily handles probate litigation, estate planning and estate administration. AJ is a member of the American Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association, and Denver Bar Association.
Adam DiGiorgio • PARALEGAL
In 2017, Adam received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics and Philosophy from Metropolitan State University of Denver. Over the past five years, Adam has worked as a paralegal for several Denver-Metro area firms in the fields of probate administration and mass torts litigation. He plans to obtain a law degree or graduate degree in the future.
Kelli Herrin • LEGAL ASSISTANT
Kelli joined the firm in 2023 and has worked for the past few years with a third-party liability billing agency as a patient advocate, focusing on getting bills related to auto accidents paid by insurance. She currently attends Arapahoe Community College and anticipates graduation from ACC with an AAS in Paralegal Studies in June of 2024.
Fay Green• FRONT DESK COORDINATOR
Fay Green joined the firm in 2023 as front desk coordinator.
Se habla Espanol.
Nathan Williams • IN MEMORIAM • PARTNER
Nathan was both a CPA and an Attorney. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Miami University (Ohio), and began his career as an accountant in Chicago before relocating to Denver to attend the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law where he earned both his J.D. degree and LLM in taxation.
In addition to probate litigation (including trusts and estates, will contests, conservatorship and guardianship matters), Nathan was an experienced estate planner and estate administrator. He was a member of the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association, and the Colorado Society of CPAs.
Dear Colleagues & Clients,
Partner and friend, Nathan Williams, Esq. passed away unexpectedly on May 16th, 2021. He will be greatly missed.
Sincerely,
Solem Woodward McKinley, P.C.
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