About Larry
Larry Mertes took an uncommon path to the practice of law. He began in journalism, earning a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1979. He later turned to legal study and received his J.D. from the University of Denver in 1983. That combination of reporting and legal training has shaped how he approaches clients and cases.
After law school Mertes built a career in Colorado. He has spent decades working in the state’s legal system and has navigated courtrooms, administrative forums and negotiation tables. The early training in journalism left him comfortable with investigation and fact-gathering. Those skills translated into careful case preparation and clear written work when he shifted into law.
Mertes’s practice has touched on a range of matters commonly handled in state practice. Over the years he has represented individuals and organizations in courtroom hearings, drafted pleadings and briefs, advised clients during disputes and negotiated resolutions outside of court. He is known among colleagues for thorough preparation and for explaining complex issues in plain language. That tendency reflects his earlier work as a writer: clarity matters to clients, judges and opposing counsel.
His professional life runs entirely in Colorado. He is licensed to practice in the state and has kept a steady presence in local legal circles. Rather than seek public recognition, Mertes’s approach has been steady and detail-oriented. He prefers to build cases on careful documentation and methodical strategy. Clients who work with him can expect a practitioner who prioritizes the nuts and bolts of legal work over rhetoric.
Outside of litigation and client work, Mertes has continued to rely on his dual background when communicating with clients and preparing records for court. His writing training affects how he organizes a case file and how he frames arguments on the page. That practical combination of skills has been a defining feature of his work.
He currently practices law in Colorado, handling state-level matters for individuals and local entities.
