Honorable Christine Arguello is a Colorado native who was born in Thatcher and grew up in Buena Vista, Colorado. Judge Arguello is a first-generation college student who obtained her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado - Boulder where she graduated with Special Honors, was number one in her class, and was selected Outstanding Senior of the School of Education class of 1977. In 1977, she became the first Latina from Colorado to be admitted to Harvard Law School. She graduated from Harvard Law School in 1980, where she served as Articles Editor for the Harvard Civil Rights Civil Liberties Law Review. Judge Arguello was sworn in as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado in 2008. Prior to her presidential appointment to the bench, Judge Arguello's career included partnership at two private law firms, Holland & Hart LLP and Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, government service as Chief Deputy Attorney General of Colorado and as Managing Senior Associate Counsel at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and teaching at the University of Kansas School of Law, where she was a tenured full professor. Judge Arguello is the co-author of a casebook, Evidence: The Objection Method, which is used in numerous law schools around the country. In addition to LAW SCHOOL… Sí Se Puede, which she founded in 2014, Judge Arguello is actively involved in other Colorado community organizations and serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness. In the recent past, she also served on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Women’s Bar Association Foundation, the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, and the Stapleton Development Corporation. Judge Arguello was inducted into the Colorado Latino Hall of Fame on October 24, 2019, in the Public Service Category which recognizes an individual who has shown outstanding dedication to their work as an elected or appointed official, maintained high ethical standards, and whose leadership in government and commitment to public service advance the Latino community. In March of 2014, Judge Arguello was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame for the many glass ceilings she has shattered. In September of 2019, Judge Arguello was inducted into the Colorado Latino Hall of Fame. Other honors and awards received by Judge Arguello include: Latina Trailblazer, Latinas First Foundation (2013) Honoree, Women Attorneys Who Continue to “Raise the Bar”, Colorado Women’s Bar Association Foundation (2012) Social Justice & Human Rights Champion of Change Award, Escuela Tlatelolco (2012) Honorary Order of the Coif Award, University of Colorado School of Law (2012) “Scouting . . . Vale La Pena!” Service Award, Denver Area Boy Scout Council (2007) Qwest Diversity Trailblazer Individual of the Year, Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit (2007) The Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Fiesta Colorado Hispanic Pioneer Award (2001) Colorado Women's Bar Association’s Mary Lathrop Award (honoring women trailblazers) (2000) Outstanding Hispanic Lawyer, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association (1999)

Eliz Espinoza has been working in the field of law as a senior paralegal for over a decade. Eliz is currently a litigation associate at Taft law firm. While at DU, Eliz received the 2023 Outstanding Student Lawyer Award for her service in the Criminal Defense Clinic and served as a Senator in the Student Bar Association. As a Denver native, Eliz feels very deeply about supporting her community I every way. In line with her commitment to serving the community, Eliz gives her time to Metro Volunteer Lawyers, contributing to their family law pro bono clinics; and has previously served on boards of various non-profits and charities in Denver, channeling her fundraising acumen to foster change. As a proud representative of the Hispanic community, she ardently supports the cause of expanding diversity in law. Through her involvement with LAW SCHOOL… Yes We Can, she is actively working towards this vision, aiding students who share her zeal for making a difference.

Ryan Tseng is a Colorado native who moved to Denver to complete his BSBA in Strategic Business Management at the University of Denver. While in undergrad, Ryan completed an ethics-based fellowship and worked as the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Student Director. Following his time in undergrad, Ryan went on to become the business manager for a startup firm before returning to DU for law school. During his 1L summer, Ryan worked in-house drafting memorandums used in litigation, developed a firm-wide DEI training, and worked closely with the CLO in drafting SEC regulatory updates for the C-suite. Now Ryan serves as the VP of the board for LAW SCHOOL . . . Yes We Can!, was formally staff editor on the Denver Law Review, and the President of the Denver Law Outdoors Club. Ryan joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck in 2024 as an associate. Ryan has found a calling and passion in advancing the voices of systemically disenfranchised people and hopes to further those efforts in promoting DEI initiatives in the Denver legal community.

Joshua Rosario serves as Counsel, Business Integrity at Western Union. In his role, he is responsible for managing the Company’s whistleblower helpline, conducting internal investigations, advising on conflicts of interest, and bolstering the Company’s compliance program. Prior to joining Western Union, he was an Associate at Gibson Dunn where his practice focused on white collar investigations and commercial litigation. He is passionate about pro bono work and maintains an active practice. Since 2021, he has served as volunteer legal counsel for the Western Union Foundation, advising on all legal issues, including corporate governance matters and contract negotiation. He serves on Western Union’s pro bono steering committee, through which he has staged legal clinics to assist Afghan refugees and detained asylum seekers. He has excelled in his immigration-related legal representation, including securing asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for pro bono clients and traveling to the Texas-Mexico border to counsel migrants during the family separation crisis. Joshua is a native of New Jersey and lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and two sons. He earned his J.D. from Columbia Law School, his B.S. from Cornell University, and studied abroad at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, Spain.

Jason A. Márquez has been practicing law since 2008, almost exclusively in family law and is the Owner of Márquez Law in Denver. However, he has and continues to work in criminal defense. Mr. Márquez brings a fresh perspective to LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can, with an extensive background in the corporate world where he provided operational, technical, management, finance, and legal support to several corporations. Mr. Márquez is a Colorado native who grew up in a single parent home. He has a great appreciation for the plight of his clients who separate and go on to be single parents. He advocates for and stands by his clients no matter what but remains steadfast and conscientious of the issues in his cases. Mr. Márquez is extraordinarily efficient and mindful of his clients’ goals and resources at all times. Mr. Márquez acquired a BA from Westmont College where he double majored in Economics & Business and Physics. He went on to acquire an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver with an emphasis in change management. He acquired his Juris Doctorate from the Denver University Sturm College of Law in 2007 where he was awarded the Outstanding Student Attorney Award and the Student Leadership Award.

On June 30, 2016, John retired as director of the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program. John was appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court Advisory Committee in February of 2013 as the first director of CAMP. Grand kids, pro bono work, teaching NITA, serving as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, and volunteering with bar and Court committees will keep me busy. (When Jane and I are not travelling the world or relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin.) John spent 35 years concentrating his legal practice in products liability litigation, representing individuals that have been injured by defective pharmaceutical products and vehicles. John was listed was a Colorado Super Lawyer for 2007 to 2011. John has a strong interest in teaching advocacy skills. John served as Executive Director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (“NITA”) 2010 – 2012. John, also, lectures in Colorado, nationally, and internationally on professionalism issues, on torts/product liability issues, and on trial advocacy. John has always had a special interest in professionalism and professional responsibility. John served as President of the Denver Bar Association 2009-2010. John is a member of the American, Colorado, and Denver Bar Associations, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and is a fellow of the International Society of Barristers. In Denver John is active in the community. John serves on the Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Commission on the Legal Profession. He is past president of the board of directors of Denver Kids, Inc. John is married and has three children and four grandchildren, who have involved him over the years in coaching youth soccer, basketball and baseball.

Maria's career trajectory is a testament to her dynamic leadership. As the trailblazing Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion at Comcast Corporation, Maria revolutionized the corporate culture. Under her visionary leadership, Maria established the Corporate Diversity & Inclusion department, propelling Comcast to the top spot on Fortune's Best Companies for Diversity list. Prior to this, Maria successfully led various business and operations teams at Comcast Cable, improving technical operations and driving subscriber growth. Before joining Comcast, Maria honed her skills in law and government affairs at industry titans like AT&T Corporation and Adelphia Communications. At McDermott, Will & Emery, Maria cut her teeth in Chicago's legal arena and became an income partner. Maria is a stalwart advocate for change. Her board positions at UnidosUS, DePaul University’s CLR/LAS Advisory Board, the Denver Scholarship Foundation, Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA, Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, the Latin American Education Foundation, and the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce reflect her commitment to education, civil rights, and financial empowerment. Her role as the first Executive Director of LAW SCHOOL…Yes We Can! demonstrates her savvy ability to transform a volunteer organization into a financially self-sustaining nonprofit. A lifelong learner, Maria's academic credentials speak volumes. Equipped with a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from DePaul University, Maria shares her proven business experience with students of all ages as an adjunct professor in various courses on workplace culture and managing multigenerational and multicultural teams.

Celyn is a commercial litigation attorney with a strong foundation in class actions, employment, and product liability defense from her work as an Associate at Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP in Denver. At WTO, Celyn represents clients in nationwide FLSA collective actions, wage and hour disputes, and complex liability matters. In addition to her legal practice, Celyn has been deeply engaged in firm and community-wide inclusion initiatives, including pioneering the WTO Gives community service program and serving on the firm’s recruiting and DEI committees. She draws on her own experience as an NCAA student-athlete and NCAA compliance officer during law school to support and mentor emerging leaders. Celyn is committed to expanding access to legal education and supporting future lawyers, aligning with LSYWC’s mission to demystify law school admissions and strengthen the legal pipeline. Celyn has been involved as a Mentor to LAW SCHOOL...Yes We Can since 2020. She holds a J.D., with honors, from the University of Wyoming College of Law, where she served as Senior Editor of the Wyoming Law Review. In addition, Celyn is an outdoor enthusiast—her favorite activities include fly fishing, camping, skiing, and hiking 14ers. She also loves to travel with her husband, Nate.

Dermot Lynch is a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice’s Fraud Section. He previously worked in private practice and as a Skadden Fellow at Towards Justice, a Denver-based impact litigation firm that represents low-wage workers. Dermot began his legal career by clerking for Judge Arguello and at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He was born in Dublin, Ireland, and immigrated with his family to Colorado when he was three. Between college at Loyola University and law school at Yale, Dermot spent three years living in the town of Tacna, in Southern Peru, where he taught English with Jesuit Volunteers International.

Ryann serves as the Director of the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program (CAMP), a program of the Colorado Supreme Court. A former litigator and a seasoned consultant and advocate on professionalism, diversity, and equity in the legal field, Ryann is a frequent commentator, presenter, and lecturer having contributed to the Denver Post, Law Week Colorado, Denver Business Journal, KDVR Fox 31, Rocky Mountain PBS, and Colorado Public Radio. Prior to joining CAMP, Ryann focused their law practice on civil litigation with an emphasis on LGBTQ+ families and civil rights. Ryann is co-founder of RANGE Consulting; a social enterprise focused on providing employers with strategies for cultivating LGBTQ+ workplace inclusivity. RANGE is Colorado’s only consulting organization dedicated solely to the needs of LGBTQ+ employees and the workplaces in which they are employed. Partnering with hundreds of corporations, non-profits, and government entities across the state, RANGE assists employers in creating inclusive policies and systems, solving common equity related workplace challenges, and maintaining legal compliance. Ryann has been routinely recognized for their legal practice, most recently earning the American Bar Association Rosner & Rosner Young Lawyer Professionalism award and the Colorado Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Attorney of the Year award. Ryann sits on the boards of the Colorado LGBT Bar Foundation, The Center on Colfax, Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado, and Center for Legal Inclusiveness. Ryann was recently appointed as the 2022 President of the Colorado Bar Association. Ryann earned their law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law and holds an LLM and undergraduate degree from the University of Denver.

Practicing attorney for 12 years, including appellate work, prosecution, commercial litigation for major law firm and tort litigation for state attorney general. Transitioned into law school administration, serving as Assistant Dean of Career Development, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Director of Academic Achievement Program and Assistant Professor of Practice at University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Principal in consulting business, Counsel for Counsel, LLC, offering success coaching for law students and executive coaching for early career attorneys.

Honorable Roberto Ramírez is Federal Military Appellate Judge on the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals and Boulder, Colorado’s Deputy City Attorney. He also teaches as an adjunct professor of law at both CU and DU law school. Roberto obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas, San Antonio, and his law degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston, but has also studied at Air University (Air Command and Staff College), as well as the Army JAG School at the University of Virginia School of Law (The 62nd Military Judge’s Course). Roberto has worked as a civilian attorney, Air Force federal prosecutor, criminal defense counsel, trial consultant, or instructor in Japan, South Korea, Africa, Guam, Singapore, Australia, Diego Garcia (Indian Ocean), Colombia, Mexico City, Greenland, Hawaii, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. Roberto has taught in the areas of criminal procedure, trial advocacy, and civil rights in Tokyo, Japan; Barranquilla and Bogota, Colombia; Mexico City, Washington, DC; Vail, Colorado; and at CU Boulder. Roberto is the former chair of the Education Committee for the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association (CHBA), the former chair of the Pro Bono and volunteering Committee for the CHBA, the former chair of the Spanish Speaking Lawyers Committee for the Colorado Bar Association, and member of the Court Interpreter Oversight Committee of the Colorado Supreme Court. Roberto is also a Marshall Fellow. The fellowship is the German Marshall Fund’s flagship leadership development program. Created to introduce a new generation of European leaders to the United States, it now prepares leaders from both sides of the Atlantic for transatlantic relations. The program relies on 6 months of distance learning and 24 days of first-hand experience to facilitate knowledge and network development for effective transatlantic engagement. Roberto started his program in Washington DC, then traveled to Brussels, Belgium; Freiburg, Germany; Athens, Greece; Sarajevo, Bosnia; and Berlin, Germany.

Theresa Wardon Benz is a partner in the Trial Group at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, where she leads the firm’s appellate practice. Theresa has briefed and argued winning appeals for clients in the manufacturing, healthcare, and energy sectors, among others, over disputes involving commercial transactions, products liability, professional malpractice, class action litigation, and environmental clean-up in federal and state courts across the country, but with particular emphasis on Colorado and the Tenth Circuit. Theresa was a fellow for the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity (LCLD) and serves as the co-chair of the Davis Graham Women in Leadership Lecture Series (WILLS). Theresa became involved in LSYWC ten years ago as a mentor. Outside of the law, Theresa enjoys time with her husband and small children, as well as cooking, hiking, and skiing.

Jennifer H. Weddle, obtained her law degree from Harvard Law School and her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. She is a partner with the firm of Greenberg Traurig where she is the Co-Chair of the firm's national American Indian Law Practice and has wide-ranging experience in complex regulatory and jurisdictional issues, with a focus in Indian law, handling a variety of matters for tribal and non-tribal clients. Jennifer has broad trial and appellate litigation experience, including tribal court and U.S. Supreme Court experience, and frequently litigates jurisdictional issues. She is also experienced in sovereign models for consumer lending and energy development. Jennifer assists tribes, banks and non-bank entities with financing and regulatory matters with Indian law components. Jennifer is very active in the community. She currently serves as President of the National Native American Bar Association and is past Chair of the Federal Bar Association Indian Law Section, past president of the Colorado Indian Bar Association, and also past Chair of the board for the Center for Legal Inclusiveness. She is a board member of the Law360 Native American Editorial Advisory Board and the Secretary for Colorado Open Lands. She also serves on the American Bar Association Advisory Commission to the Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress. She has also served in leadership roles for both the Colorado Bar Association and the Denver Bar Association.