Laurence I. Gendelman, Esq.
Laurence I. Gendelman, Esq.
Partner
About Laurence
Laurence I Gendelman, Esq., is a founding partner, attorney, and child and family investigator at Gendelman Klimas, Ltd. He received his Bachelor of Arts in both Economics and Political Science as well as his Juris Doctor at the University of Colorado – Boulder.
Trained in a large family law firm, Laurence gained experience working with high-asset, high-conflict, and complex divorces and child custody issues. He also advocated for and advised clients regarding the division of complex financial assets including executive compensation packages and retirement benefits.
In 2016, Laurence transitioned his practice to probate, trust, estate law, working with a team of four other attorneys representing clients with estate planning, estate and trust administration, uncontested and contested guardianships and conservatorships, and probate litigation matters.
After gaining extensive experience in these practice areas and learning law firm management and operations, Laurence established Gendelman Law Group, LLC in 2017, where he represented clients in trust, estate, probate, and family law matters. In 2020, Gendelman Law Group, LLC and Klimas Law Firm, LLC, joined forces to create Gendelman Klimas, Ltd., the firm Where Family is Everything.
At Gendelman Klimas, Ltd., Laurence continues to aggressively, yet mindfully, represent clients in the following types of cases:
- Probate Litigation
- Estate and Trust Administration
- Guardianships and Conservatorships
- Estate Planning
- Divorce and Legal Separation
- Allocations of Parental Responsibilities
- Post Decree Family Law (modifications of parenting time, child support, and spousal maintenance, contempt, parenting time disputes, etc.)
- Marital Agreements
- Premarital Agreements
- Paternity/Maternity
- Protection Orders
- LGBTQ Family and Probate Law
- Non-Traditional Family and Probate Law involving blended families, adoptive children, psychological parents, unmarried long-term partners, polyamory, etc.
- Probate and Family Law Appeals
In many family law cases, probate, trust, and estate issues arise. This can take the form of:
- Creating rights for alternative payees of retirement plans in the case of the death of a spouse
- a spouse dying or becoming incapacitated during the pendency of a family law case
- addressing the allocation of parental responsibilities concerning a child with special needs
- protecting a spouse’s family inheritance in a divorce proceeding
- providing analysis of the treatment of trusts in divorce proceedings
- planning for child support and maintenance obligations in divorce proceedings, in the case of the death of the obligor spouse
Likewise, in many probate, trust, and estate cases, many family law issues arise. This can include:
- Claims by common law or putative spouses
- Addressing child support and maintenance issues after the death of the obligor
- Intestacy rights and heirship for non-traditional families
- Parenting of a minor whose parents are unable and/or unwilling to parent
- Lack of compliance with dissolution of marriage orders creating claims in cases regarding decedent’s estates
Laurence’s expertise in both family law and probate law provide him with the unique insight and skills to address these common and intersecting, yet often overlooked issues in his client’s cases.
In working with his clients, Laurence is direct, forthright, and pragmatic. His approach to cases is functional and utilitarian, with a tireless dedication to create outcomes that provide a net benefit to his clients. This approach makes Laurence a creative and effective problem-solver, allowing his clients to usually resolve their cases without the hassle of trial. However, as a trained litigator regularly appearing in contested hearings, Laurence is always prepared for trial when the circumstances so require.
Legal Experience
- Gendelman Klimas Ltd., Partner, January 2020 – Present
- Gendelman Law Group, LLC, President, August 2017 – December 2019
- Kirch and Rounds, P.C., Associate Attorney, February 2016 – August 2017
- Gutterman Griffiths, P.C. Associate Attorney, November 2015 – January 2016
- Gutterman Griffiths, P.C. Law Clerk, August 2015 – October 2015
- Beam and Raymond, P.C. Law Clerk August 2014 – May 2015
- Colorado Department of Law, Office of the Attorney General, Business and Licensing Section, Law Clerk, May 2014 – August 2014
- Judicial District of Colorado, Office of the District Attorney, Law Clerk, September 2013 – May 2014
- District Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Courts, Judicial Intern to the Honorable Mary Dacey White, June 2013 – August 2013
Publications & Presentations
Laurence I. Gendelman, Marlo’s Law- HB22-1153, Moderator, Colorado LGBT Bar Association (August 2022)
Laurence I. Gendelman and Rachel Catt, Colorado Common Law Marriage Case Law Update for Judicial Officers(December 2021)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Pronouns and Professionalism: Lightning Session, Family Law Fall Update, CBA CLE (November 2021)
Laurence I. Gendelman & Molly Zwerdlinger, Exploring The Free Brittany Movement, CBA CLE (July 2021)
Laurence I. Gendelman & Molly Zwerdlinger, Exploring The Free Brittany Movement, ABA YLD (November 2021)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Magistrate Michal Lord Blegen & Hon. Nikea Bland, Walking a Fine Line: Ethical Considerations in Representing Clients Against pro se Litigants, Family Law Institute, CBA CLE (August 2021)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Maha Kamal, Sarah Morris, Engels Tejeda, & Anthony Zarsky, Coming Out in the Legal Workplace (November 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman and Various Presenters, Presentation by President of Colorado Diversity Bar Associations to Colorado Judicial Officers, DCJA/CCJA (September 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Estate Administration- Basic Skills: Rights of Surviving Spouse and Family, Estate Administration Basic Skills, CBA CLE (February 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Cultivating LGBTQ Inclusive Law Firms, GLBT Center of Colorado (December 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Moonlight: Informative Panel, CBA DBA (November 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Family Law Institute: Colorado Common Law Marriage: Effective Strategies for Same-Sex and Different Sex Couples in the Current Legal Landscape, CBA CLE (August 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Magistrate Michal Lord Blegen & Magistrate Sarah Zane, Challenges, Strategies, and Ethical Considerations for Judicial Officer in Working with Pro Se Parties, Colorado Judicial Institute (Colorado State Judicial) (February 2020)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Estate Administration- Basic Skills: Rights of Surviving Spouse and Family, CBA CLE (February 2019)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Towards Equality: Motivating Inclusiveness in Legal Workplaces, Denver Bar Association (October 2018)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Advance Medical Directives- Living Wills and DNRs, Seventeenth Judicial District Senior Law Day (June 2018)
Laurence I. Gendelman & Molly Zwerdlinger, An Estate Administration Focus on Digital Assets, CBA CLE (March 2018)
Laurence I. Gendelman & Molly Zwerdlinger, Digital Assets and Estate Planning, CBA CLE (March 2017)
Laurence I. Gendelman, Josie Faix, Elizabeth Bryant, Navigating LGBTQ Issues in Your Trust & Estate Practice, CBA CLE (March 2017)
Laurence I. Gendelman & Molly Zwerdlinger, Digital Assets, Colo. Est. Planning Handbook § 51 (2022), forthcoming.
Laurence I. Gendelman, Case Note: Kindred Nursing Centers v. Clark: United States Supreme Court Decisions on Mandatory Arbitration Provisions, 15 National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Journal (Spring 2019) (e-Issue)
David W. Kirch & Laurence I. Gendelman, Estate Planning Tools for Second Marriages, 45 The Colorado Lawyer 45 (Dec. 2016).
Contributing co-author of Equitable Remedies, David K. Johns et al., Colo. Est. Planning Handbook § 51, CBA CLA (2016).
Research assistance to Professor Amy J. Schmitz, Secret Consumer Scores and Segmentations: Separating “Haves” From “Have-Nots,” 2014 Mich. St. L. Rev. 1411 (2014)
Board Positions
- Board Member- Colorado LGBT Bar Association (2013-present)
- President- Colorado LGBT Bar Association (2020)
- Secretary of the Colorado Bar Association Trust and Estate Section’s Committee on Rules and Forms (2017-2018)
- Denver Bar Association Board of Trustees (2022 to present)
Professions Associations and Community Involvement
- Member of the Colorado Bar Association
- Member of the Colorado Bar Association – Trusts and Estate Section
- 2019 Representative to the Colorado Bar Association’s Board of Governors
- Member of Colorado Bar Association President’s Diversity Council
- Member of the National LGBT Bar Association
- Member of the Colorado LGBT Bar Association
Education
- University of Colorado Law School- Juris Doctor
- University of Colorado- Bachelor of Arts – Economics, Political Science; Certificate – Leadership
Honors & Awards
- 2017 People’s Choice Best Trust and Estate Lawyer- Law Week Colorado
- 2018 Barrister’s Best Trust and Estate Lawyer- Law Week Colorado
- 2019 Red Bage – Metro Volunteer Lawyers –A Program of the Denver Bar Association
- 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Superlawyers Rising Star
- 2021 Best Lawyers- Ones To Watch
