Mike’s Story
Ever since I was a boy, I’ve found meaning in the outdoors. I spent all day outside exploring, riding my bike, running around, and enjoying the sounds of nature. I moved to Colorado more than twenty years ago to get more of it. I was in awe of its beauty, and still am. To me, nothing compares to the stillness of snowshoeing right after a storm, the rhythm of pedaling a bike along a quiet mountain road, and the peace of looking out across the forested landscape at the top of a hike. I cannot imagine a Colorado without those things, yet the Colorado of just two decades ago is different than the Colorado of today. We have seen more drought, fires, the bark beetle, and weather disasters as a consequence of unsustainable practices. What will Colorado look like twenty years from now if we stay on the same path?
I consider myself a conservationist and an environmentalist. I believe we should protect and preserve what we have now so it will continue to exist in the future. We can even make it better, but we have to stop the damage first. Using the law and public policy to create a more sustainable future has been my contribution to that effort. It has not always been an easy path because it sometimes means going up against interests invested in the status quo or those that believe a new way cannot work. But nothing will change if nobody is willing to take up the fight.
We can conserve and preserve our communities but it will take action from groups big and small. We all have work to do. Many advocacy groups have formed, more businesses have adopted social responsibility practices, and communities are organizing. Those businesses and groups sometimes need help to meet their goals. I have been fortunate to use my unique blend of experience in the legal, policy, and regulatory arenas to help some of those groups. It is my obligation to our community to use that knowledge for good, and, to be frank, I don’t want to tell stories to my kids and grandkids about how beautiful Colorado used to be.
I became a lawyer to work for a cause. Our communities, the environment, justice – that’s my cause. I hope to use my experience as an attorney and passion for our environment to help yours.
Professional Experience and Education
Prior to moving into private practice, Mr. Foote was a prosecutor in two jurisdictions for fifteen years. He prosecuted virtually every type of criminal offense but specialized in grand jury investigations, complex economic crimes, and violent felonies. He completed over a hundred jury trials and hundreds of motions hearings and trials to the court. He was known for building difficult cases from the ground level and presenting them to a jury or judge in well-prepared and persuasive manner.
As a state legislator for eight years, Mr. Foote built coalitions and the necessary expertise to pass over seventy bills into law in a wide variety of subject matter areas. He focused on energy and environmental laws and state agencies implementing those laws such as the Colorado Oil and Gas Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, and the Air Quality Control Commission. Several of his bills became model legislation for other states.
Since opening his firm, Mr. Foote has represented individuals, nonprofits, community groups, and municipalities on environmental, energy, elections, and land use issues. He has also represented clients in a wide variety of litigation proceedings from arbitration to trials. His practice combines perspectives from public policy, regulatory law, litigation, and subject matter knowledge to counsel clients about options in and out of the court system.
Experience, Education, Awards
Admissions
- State of Colorado
- United States District Court, District of Colorado
Bar Association memberships
- Colorado Bar Association
- Boulder County Bar Association
Education
- J.D., University of Colorado School of Law
- M.G.S., University of Denver Josef Korbel School of International Studies
- B.A., Indiana University
- Certificate in Energy Policy Planning, University of Idaho
Other Community Involvement
- Sustainable Resilient Longmont steering committee
- Colorado Renewable Energy Society policy committee
- Board Chair, Regional Air Quality Council
Awards, presentations, and publications
- Sierra Club legislator of the year
- League of Oil & Gas Impacted Citizens legislator of the year
- Colorado Trial Lawyers Association legislator of the year
- Colorado Renewable Energy Society climate courage award
- Sustainable Resilient Longmont public servant of the year
- “Senate Bill 19-181: history and interpretation” presentation in Commerce City, Loveland
- “Internal Investigations Considerations” presentation to University of Colorado’s internal audit department
