Phone: (303) 951-6605
Fax: (303) 757-5106
PRACTICE AREAS
– Municipal Liability
– Employment
– Insurance Defense
– Civil Rights Litigation Defense
EDUCATION
– 2023 J.D. – University of Denver, Sturm College of Law
– 2023 LL.M. – Universidad Pontificia Comillas
– 2019 LL.M – Vrije Universiteit
– B.S. and B.A. – Iowa State University
Andrew J. Phaff
Associate
Andrew earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, with Certificates in Basic, Advanced, and International Legal Research. During law school, Andrew specialized in litigation practice and international law as a student attorney in Sturm’s Civil Litigation Clinic and by serving as the Managing Editor for the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy. Andrew completed law clerk externships with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado in (Ret.) Magistrate Judge Kristen L. Mix’s chambers and with the Denver District Court in (Ret.) Judge Michael Vallejos’s chambers. Andrew sat on the Executive Council of the International Law Section of the Colorado Bar Association. Prior to law school, Andrew completed an internship with the Minnesota Court of Appeals in (Ret.) Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks’s chambers.
Andrew earned a Master of Law degree in International and European Business Law at the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas in Madrid, Spain, with a thesis focus on international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution. During his time in Spain, Andrew learned Spanish and earned a C1 level certificate (advanced proficiency) from the Instituto Cervantes. Andrew represented clients in commercial contract negotiations and disputes, as well as handled M&A transactions for international clientele.
Andrew earned a Master of Law degree in International Security at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, Netherlands, with a thesis focus on the international laws of war regarding cyber-attacks. Prior to that, Andrew attended Iowa State University for his undergraduate studies, graduating with honors after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in History and a Bachelor of Art degree in Political Science. Between studies, Andrew worked in the New York City office of JAMS, learning the ins and outs of mediation and arbitration. Andrew additionally had the pleasure of serving as the legislative clerk for Colonel Ken Rizer (Ret.) in the Iowa House of Representatives.
Andrew joined the NDM team as an associate attorney in November 2023, after working as a law clerk for the firm during his juris doctor studies. Andrew practices in Colorado state and federal district courts, focusing on construction/construction defect, municipal liability, employment, insurance, and civil rights litigation defense. Andrew is a member of the Colorado and American Bar Associations, as well as the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association.
Andrew grew up in Boston, making him a diehard New England Patriots and Boston Bruins fan. In his free time, he skis, snowboards, and hikes, with the current goal to summit all of Colorado’s 14,000ft peaks. He also enjoys traveling and visiting historical sites and museums.
