Karen L. Spaulding

Of Counsel

Litigation, Regulatory

karen spaulding

Karen Spaulding focuses her civil litigation and trial practice at Beatty & Wozniak on commercial business disputes in the energy and natural resources sectors. She has over 30 years of federal and state court litigation experience and has tried over 22 jury and bench trials.

Her case experience includes exploration and development, midstream, and royalty issues in federal and state courts in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West. She has also represented clients in oil and gas regulatory and related tax administrative hearings in Colorado. More recently, Karen won a large plaintiff’s verdict in U.S. District Court for a Colorado-based oil and gas company on the issue of contract formation involving executed participation offer letters and Authorizations for Expenditure (AFEs), and the defendants’ breach of these contracts. She also successfully defended a company from abuse of shareholder information requests and an attempted forced sale of the exploration and production company in Delaware Chancery Court.

Karen also regularly counsels the firm’s corporate clients concerning employment law matters, including employment agreements, employment releases, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, discrimination claims and complaints, employment handbooks, and issues regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and other federal and state employment statutes.

Education

Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law, Portland, Oregon

  • J.D. – 1986

University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

  • B.A. – 1979
  • Major: Political Science

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1987
  • U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1987
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1988

Professional Associations

  • The Foundation for Natural Resources & Energy Law (formerly known as RMMLF), Member, 2006 to Present
  • Colorado Oil & Gas Association, 2006 to Present
  • Western Energy Alliance, 2006 to Present
  • Denver Association of Professional Landmen, 2006 – 2024
  • Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, 1994 – 2024
  • Women in Oil & Gas, 2019 – 2024

Pro Bono Activities

  • Denver Bar Association / Access Justice Committee, 2019 to Present
  • Colorado Lawyers Committee / Legal Clinic Nights, 2019 to Present
  • Denver Bar Association / Community Action Network, 1994 to 2019
  • Denver Bar Association / LawLine 9, 1992 to 2019

Honors & Awards

  • Top Women in Energy, Denver Business Journal, 2014
  • Volunteer of the Year, Denver Bar Association, 2013

Published Works

  • Co-Author with Kevin Wonstolen, Water Issues Flow in the Mountain West, The American Oil & Gas Reporter, 2011