A Strong, Capable Legal Team

With a team of highly qualified and dedicated attorneys licensed to practice in the state of Colorado, and a responsive and professional paralegal and support staff, Seter & Vander Wall ensures that every case receives the attention it deserves.

Principals

Kim J. Seter | Shareholder & Director

Profile

Kim J. Seter (kseter@svwpc.com) earned his Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University in 1984 and graduated magna cum laude from Western State College of Colorado with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Economics in 1980. Mr. Seter was the recipient of the Rockefeller Scholarship for the study of comparative political and economic systems at Georgetown University and obtained a Masters Degree in the fall of 1981. Mr. Seter has more than 25 years of experience in tax, commercial, construction, securities and municipal litigation before administrative agencies and all federal, state and local courts. In recent years, Mr. Seter's practice has concentrated on the general representation of, and litigation for, municipal entities and special districts. Mr. Seter now serves as general counsel to local government entities, private-parochial schools and churches, libraries and other tax-exempt organizations.

Education

George Washington University | JD | 1984
Georgetown University | MA | 1981
Western State College of Colorado | BA | 1980

Admitted to Practice
  • All Courts & Agencies in the State of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court | District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court | Western District of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
  • Eminent Domain
  • Government Counsel
  • Library Law
  • Litigation
  • Local Government/Municipal Bonds
  • Public-Private Partnerships
  • Real Estate Law
  • Special Districts
  • Zoning/Land Use
Professional Associations & Memberships
  • American Bar Association | Eminent Domain Section
  • Colorado Bar Association | Government Counsel Section
  • Douglas County Bar Association
  • Downtown Colorado, Inc.
  • Colorado Trial Lawyers Association

Barbara T. Vander Wall | Shareholder & Director

Profile

Barbara T. Vander Wall (bvanderwall@svwpc.com) earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1991 and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with Bachelor of Arts degrees in French and Spanish in 1986. During her studies at the University of Denver, Ms. Vander Wall received a first place award in the ASCAP 1990 Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition; participated as a moot court competitor in 1989-90 and in the ATLA moot court regional trial competition in 1991; and served as a member on the Law Review staff. In addition to her years of experience in the representation of various special purpose districts and intergovernmental authorities, Ms. Vander Wall has experience in employment law and real estate title law. Ms. Vander Wall now spends the majority of her practice serving as general counsel to special districts and other local governments, as well as not-for-profit organizations and other tax-exempt entities. Ms. Vander Wall is fluent in both Spanish and French.

Education

University of Denver College of Law | JD | 1991
Washington University, St Louis | BA | 1986

Admitted to Practice
  • U.S. District Court | District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit
Practice Areas
  • Employment Law
  • Local Government
  • Municipal Law
  • Nonprofit Formation and Governance
  • Public-Private Partnerships
  • Real Estate Development
  • Special Districts
Professional Associations & Memberships
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Downtown Colorado, Inc.
  • Special District Association Legislative Committee

Jacqueline Ciccio Murphy | Director

Profile

Jacqueline C. Murphy (jmurphy@svwpc.com) earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver College of Law in 1997 and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication and a minor in Political Science in 1993. While at the University of Denver, Ms. Murphy served as a member on the Law Review staff and volunteered for the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute. Since 1999, Ms. Murphy has practiced in all aspects of representation of local government and tax-exempt entities/special districts,  library districts and park and recreation districts including governance, district financing, construction issues, statutory compliance and public-private partnerships. Ms. Murphy has worked with cities, towns and counties to transition library systems into library districts to enhance service capability and has represented established library districts in their ongoing operating capacity, including drafting state legislation pertaining to library districts. In addition to being active in alumni events and mentoring students at the University of Denver Law School, Ms. Murphy also volunteers her time to assist with a first-year law school legal writing course, and serves as a guest teacher for the Denver Public Schools through the Denver Bar Association.

Education

University of Denver College of Law | JD | 1997
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | BA | 1993

Admitted to Practice
  • U.S. District Court | District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit
Practice Areas
  • Special Districts
  • Library Law
  • Municipal Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Nonprofit Formation and Governance
  • Land Use Law
  • Land Development Law
  • Public-Private Partnerships
Professional Associations & Memberships
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Downtown Colorado, Inc.
  • Special District Association Legislative Committee
  • Colorado Association of Libraries

Associates | Paralegals

Jeffrey E. Erb | associate

Profile

Jeffrey E. Erb (jerb@svwpc.com) earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 2006 and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Bachelor of Science in Business and a minor in Geology. While at the University of Denver, Mr. Erb served as an editor for the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy and interned for the Hon. Russell Carparelli of the Colorado Court of Appeals. Mr. Erb represents local governments and quasi-municipal entities at all stages, including their formation, financing, development and day to day operation. Mr. Erb also provides litigation representation to local governments and private entities though all stages of the trial and appeal process including disputes over the scope of governmental power, public-private contract interpretation, and public projects.

Education

University of Denver College of Law | JD | 2006
University of Colorado at Boulder | BS | 2002

Admitted to Practice
  • U.S. District Court | District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals | Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
  • Civil Litigation
  • Local Government Law
  • Special Districts
  • Eminent Domain
  • Real Estate Law
  • Public-Private Partnerships
Professional Associations & Memberships
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Minoru Yasui Inn of Court
  • Special District Association Legislative Committee
  • Downtown Colorado, Inc.
Publications and Presentations
  • "To the Extent Permitted by Law: Indemnification Provisions in Contracts with Special Districts"  Special District Association Newsletter, June 2010

Sandy Thomas | Paralegal

Profile

Sandy Thomas (sthomas@svwpc.com)has worked in a variety of legal practice areas including civil rights and employment law, criminal defense, real estate and public law. Specific to public law, Ms. Thomas provides a variety of services to public entities and special districts to include district administration, and governmental and statutory filings. She assists attorneys with special district organization, inclusions and exclusions. Ms. Thomas has served as an election consultant with public entities and serves as a designated election official for various special districts, including metropolitan districts. She assists various entities and groups in the establishment of nonprofit corporations. Ms. Thomas assists with litigation for governmental entities to include case management, document production and review, and case supervision through trial.

Education
  • Denver Paralegal Institute | 1991
  • Lock Haven University | BS | 1971
Professional Associations & Memberships
  • Colorado Bar Association, Paralegal Section

Catherine T. Bright | Paralegal

Profile

Catherine T. Bright earned her paralegal certificate from Arapahoe Community College in 2010, and is a graduate of Texas A&M University at Commerce with a Bachelor of Science degree. In addition to her current work in municipal law, Ms. Bright has experience in several areas, including construction law, employment law, mechanics liens, personal injury and family law. Ms. Bright provides a variety of services to public entities and special districts, including district administration and governmental statutory filings. She assists attorneys with legal research, special district organization and elections, inclusions and exclusions and constitutional compliance issues.

EDUCATION
  • Arapahoe Community College | 2010
  • Texas A&M University | 1992