The Revenue & Regulatory Law (R&R) Section provides comprehensive legal services across a broad spectrum of regulatory and revenue-related matters. The team is dedicated to upholding Colorado’s regulatory framework, financial integrity and community safety through litigation, general counsel, and other specialized legal services.
R&R’s 10 units provide legal services to over 70 state agencies, divisions, boards, commissions, enterprises, ombudsmen and statutorily created task forces, including serving as general and litigation counsel for the Department of Agriculture (Opens in new window), the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) (Opens in new window), and the Department of Revenue (DOR) (Opens in new window).
The R&R Section also represents a variety of other state clients, including the Public Utilities Commission (Opens in new window) trial staff, Independent Ethics Commission (Opens in new window), State Personnel Board (Opens in new window), Office of Just Transition (Opens in new window), State Board of Equalization (Opens in new window), Commission on Judicial Discipline (Opens in new window), Civil Rights Commission (Opens in new window), Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise, and also statewide clients regarding bankruptcy matters.
Agriculture Unit
The Agriculture Unit advises and represents the Colorado Department of Agriculture (Opens in new window) (CDA) and its Commissioner as general counsel and litigation counsel in matters related to the regulation of industrial hemp production, food safety, animal health, foreign-animal disease, and animal welfare. The Unit also advises on matters related to the pet animal care facilities act, the Bureau of Animal Protection, registration of pesticides in Colorado, and the regulation of appropriate use of pesticides. The Unit represents four boards: the Colorado Wine Industrial Board, the State Board of Stock Inspection Commissioners, the Colorado State Fair Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Colorado Conservation Board. The Agriculture Unit also advises on all matters related to the Colorado State Fair Authority, including its annual event and its year-round rentals and events. The Unit also advises CDA’s inspection and consumer services division, laboratory services division, and marketing division, as well as the Mined Land Reclamation Board.
Financial & Community Safety (FCS) Unit
The FCS Unit provides legal support to various financial regulatory agencies, including Colorado’s Divisions of Banking, Financial Services and Securities within DORA, which are responsible for protecting consumers, maintaining financial safety, and enforcing fraud laws. In addition, as part of Colorado’s community safety efforts, the FCS Unit represents the Parole Board, Peace Officer Standards & Training Board, State Claims Board, Bridges Program, Office of Public Guardianship, 911 Services Enterprise, Colorado Opioid Abatement Council, and a number of Ombudsman.
Insurance Unit
The Insurance Unit advises and represents the Division of Insurance and its Commissioner, who supervises the insurance industry in Colorado. The Division regulates and monitors insurance companies and insurance producers, to ensure compliance with laws and regulations.
Marijuana, Liquor and Bankruptcy (MLB) Unit
The MLB Unit provides legal counsel and enforcement support to state agencies regulating the marijuana, liquor, tobacco, firearm dealers, and natural medicine industries, and ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. Also housed within the MLB Unit is the Tobacco Settlement Enforcement team which is responsible for enforcing the Master Settlement Agreement and managing settlement funds for public health programs. Finally, the MLB Unit advises statewide clients regarding bankruptcy matters.
Medical | Dental Unit
This Medical | Dental Unit provides legal counsel to the Colorado Medical and Dental Boards, as well as to the Natural Medicine Advisory Board and Office of Natural Medicine Licensure, ensuring proper licensing, regulation, and discipline of various healthcare professionals. The Unit also represents other boards and programs within DORA’s Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), including the Colorado Podiatry Board, the Office of Speech Language Pathology, the Healthcare Professions Profiling Program, and DPO’s Offices of Investigations and Expedited Settlement.
Professional Boards & Programs (PBP) Unit
The PBP Unit serves as general and litigation counsel to over 40 professional licensing boards and programs housed in DORA’s DPO, and assist DPO in regulating and overseeing licensed professions to maintain public health and safety standards. Its largest clients include the Board of Nursing, the Plumbing and Electrical Boards, the Office of Massage Therapy Licensure, the Board of Chiropractic Examiners, the Board of Veterinary Medicine, and the Mental Health Boards.
Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Litigation Unit
The PUC Litigation Unit advises and represents the trial staff of the PUC in litigation related to fixed utilities, including gas, electric, telephone, and water/sewer, as well as transportation services such as taxis, limousines, towing carriers, hazardous materials carriers, movers, and transportation network companies.
Real Estate Unit
The Real Estate Unit provides litigation and general counsel support to the Colorado Division of Real Estate to regulate brokers, appraisers, and mortgage loan originators.
Specialized Business Group (SBG) Unit
The SBG Unit provides legal services to various agencies with the Department of Revenue regulating industries such as gaming, racing, sports betting, auto industry and motor vehicles dealer board, and the Colorado Lottery, as well as ensuring adherence to state laws and industry standards. The SBG Unit also represents programs in the Department of Local Affairs, including the Mobile Home Oversight Program and Colorado Property Tax Administrator.
Tax & Public Finance (TPF) Unit
The TPF Unit represents the Department of Revenue on all state tax matters, including litigation of, and advice on, corporate income tax, sales and use tax, and tax on the severance of nonrenewable resources, among others. The TPF Unit works to ensure that taxpayers, including sophisticated national and international businesses, comply with the state tax code. The Unit also provides legal advice to many state agencies and officials in addition to the Department of Revenue—including the Governor and the State Controller on tax and public finance issues.