We sat down with Richard Murray ('07), shareholder at Polsinelli PC and chair of the Law Alumni Board.
What do you enjoy most about serving as chair of the Law Alumni Board?
The most enjoyable aspect of serving as the board’s chair is engagement with our incredible network of alumni, our students, and our faculty. Being chair provides the unique opportunity to talk with a wide range of alumni and friends of Colorado Law about the issues facing legal education today, including student debt, internship opportunities, job placement, and the bar exam.
Tell us about some of this year’s goals of the Law Alumni Board.
Over this year, the Law Alumni Board will work hard on assisting the dean and Colorado Law with recruiting great students and faculty, engaging with our alumni and friends, promoting financial support for the law school and for student scholarships, and striving to assist with placement of graduating students and alumni.
What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
The first case I took to trial as first chair concerned claims of fraud and theft of investment funds. The trial resulted in a judgment of over $2 million for our clients. Assisting individuals in a case involving the theft of their investment payments was extremely rewarding.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
The most rewarding part of my law practice is helping people navigate through our complex legal system in a variety of business-related disputes. As attorneys and counselors at law, it is incumbent on us to take on the problems of our clients and faithfully guide them, putting their concerns ahead of our own. It is a very rewarding profession.
What is your fondest memory of being a student at Colorado Law?
During my first year, in November 2004, the official groundbreaking ceremony was performed for the future Wolf Law Building. Earlier in 2004, while an undergraduate student at CU, I served as student body president (also known as a tri-executive) and took a lead role in securing funding for the new law school building and other buildings on campus, such as the ATLAS Building, Visual Arts Complex, and business school addition. Participating in the Wolf Law Building groundbreaking was a tremendous experience I will never forget.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
Even though I am a litigator at an AmLaw 100 national firm and have been in litigation ever since completing a judicial clerkship following graduation, I entered law school with the plan of becoming a corporate and transactional attorney. During law school, I took numerous business-related courses, but during my third year, I interned at the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court and found a passion for advocacy, research, and writing.
What are your favorite ways to stay engaged with Colorado Law?
There are many ways I enjoy staying engaged with Colorado Law. The law school hosts wonderful events that I encourage our alumni to attend. These include the Homecoming and Reunion weekends, Colorado Law Talks presentations, the annual Alumni Awards Banquet, on-campus interviews, and coaching moot court teams.
We hear you’re a huge Buffs fan. What are your favorite CU sports and why?
The CU Athletic Department has done an incredible job with having successful programs across the board, including multiple national championships, but my two favorite CU sports are football and basketball. I am a proud member of the CU Buff Club and a longtime football season ticketholder. My wife, Elizabeth (who went to CU for her psychology degree), and I love taking our two kids, Cayden (7) and Olivia (4), to both football and basketball games. We enjoy reconnecting with friends at these events and supporting our alma mater. Go Buffs!
