Biographical Sketch

John Purvis' practice is limited to civil litigation and trials.

He has been elected to the International Society of Barristers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has been listed in every edition of The Best Lawyers in America since 1989. In the current edition, he is included in the categories of personal injury litigation, product liability litigation, plaintiff's professional malpractice law, and mass tort litigation.

John is the Colorado State Chair for the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, has chaired the Committee on Conduct for the United States District Court, District of Colorado and served on the Litigation Council of the Colorado Bar Association, which he has also chaired. In 1997, he received the "Award for Distinguished Achievement" from the University of Colorado Law Alumni Association.

He has taught Evidence, Advanced Trial Advocacy, and Trial Advocacy at the University of Colorado Law School. He also has taught at numerous sessions of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and many CLE programs.

He is a graduate of Denver's North High School, Harvard University and the University of Colorado School of Law. He served as Acting Colorado State Public Defender, and he chaired the Colorado Public Defender Commission for the first 10 years of its existence. Long ago, he was named "Outstanding Young Lawyer" by the Colorado Bar Association.

John and Bill Gray started the Boulder office of the Colorado State Public Defender in 1970. Thereafter, they practiced separately until 1985 when, together with Jim Buchanan and Bob Schuetze, they started what evolved into Purvis • Gray, LLP. Since then, he and the firm have focused most of their efforts on representing seriously harmed plaintiffs.

Both John and Bill believe they are living proof that today's "60's" are yesterday's "40's" and "50's". As shown in the list of publications which follows, John has long had a special interest in brain injury victims and cases. He loves practicing law in the way Purvis • Gray, LLP does it, and his interests outside the law include his family, travel, sports, fiction, great food, wine, and roses (really!).

Published Works:

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Psychological Factors and the Effects of the Medico-Legal System on Recovery, The Journal of Cognitive Rehabilitation, co-author with J. Lemmon, M. Acimovic, M. Keatley, E. Josephs and J. Carnes, September-October 1995, Vol. 13, Issue 5, 4-11

Evidence in Trial Practice in Colorado, "Discovery Techniques", National Business Institute, Inc., 11/19/93

Head Injury Seminar, "Preparation for Settlement or Trial of Brain Injury Cases", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and Colorado Head Injury Foundation, 2/19/93

Case Management with Mild Brain Injury--Mile head Injury Conference, "Some Thoughts on Case Management of Mild Brain Injury From a Lawyer's Point of View", Colorado Department of Health & Colorado Head Injury Foundation, Inc., 6/13/91

Hot Topics in Personal Injury, "Proving Non-Economic Damages in a Wrongful Death Action", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 5/17/91

A Trial Lawyer's Summit: The Nuts and Bolts of Litigation, "Closing Arguments - For the Plaintiff", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association & Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, 4/12/91

The Head Injury Case: What the Attorney Needs to Know, "Evidentiary Considerations in Brain Injury Cases: Objections, Solutions and Demonstrative Evidence", Utah Head Injury Association & Utah State Bar, 11/1/90

Evidence in Trial Practice in Colorado, "Discovery Techniques", National Business Institute, Inc., 10/11/90

National Litigation Conference, "Preparation of the Head Injury Case: Special Considerations", Law Education Institute, Inc. & The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., 2/24/90

Product Liability, "Evidentiary Issues in Product Liability Cases", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, 12/8/89

Understand and Preparing the head Injury Case, "Preparing Traumatic Brain Injury Cases for Settlement and Trial: Special Considerations", Utah Head Injury Association & Utah State Bar Association, 11/3/89

For the Plaintiff: Determining and Proving Damages, "Assessing and Evaluating Types of Damages Available", "Calculating the Amount of Compensatory Damages", Punitive Damages"," Evidentiary Issues", National Business Institute, Inc., 10/20/89

Depositions: Strategies, Tactics & Mechanics, "Deposition Problems and Procedures", "The Usual Stipulations", Work Product, Privileges and Confidentiality", Instructions Not to Answer & Motions to Compel", "Improper Termination of the Deposition", "Use of Deposition Transcript", Professional Education Systems, inc., 5/19/89

Trial Advocacy in Colorado, "Initial Considerations", "Closing Argument", National Business Institute, Inc., 2/28/89

Head Injury: Fact, Myths and Realities, "Trial Preparation and Presentation in Cases Involving Brain Injury", Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and Colorado head Injury Foundation, 2/24/89

Personal Injury Litigation Practice in Colorado, "Screening the Plaintiff's Case", "Assessing Damages", National Business Institute, Inc., 9/9/88

Representative Cases:

State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Peiffer, 955 P.2d 1008 (Colorado 1998)

Kline v. American States Ins. Co., 924 P.2d 1150 (Colorado Court of Appeals 1996)

Grulke v. Erickson, 920 P.2d 845 (Colorado Court of Appeals 1995)

Schneider v. Midtown Motor Co., 854 P.2d 1322 (Colorado Court of Appeals 1992)

Easton v. 1738 Partnership, 854 P.2d 1362 (Colorado Court of Appeals 1993)

Denver Air Center v. District Court for Twentieth Judicial Dist. of State of Colo., 839 P.2d 1182 (Colorado 1992)

Total Petroleum, Inc. v. Farrar, 787 P.2d 164 (Colorado 1990)

Hooper v. Yoder, 737 P.2d 852 (Colorado 1987)

Greenemeier by Redington v. Spencer, 719 P.2d 710 (Colorado 1986)

Teneyck v. Roller Hockey Colorado, Ltd, 10 P.3d 707 (Colorado Court of Appeals 2000)

Huntoon v. T.C.I. Cablevision, 969 P.2d 681 (Colorado 1998)

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Visiting Lecturer, Evidence, Trial Advocacy and Advanced Trial Advocacy, University of Colorado School of Law, 1981 and 1984 - 1988

Multiple Regional and National Sessions of NITA

Numerous CLE Presentations

Honors and Awards:

Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Colorado Bar Association, 1978

Listed in Best Lawyers in America

Listed in Colorado Super Lawyers

Listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the West, Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in the World

Professional Associations and Memberships:

American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 1991-Present; State Chair, 1998-2000

International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 1997-Present; State Chair, 2000-Present

International Society of Barristers, Fellow, 1984-Present

American Board of Trial Advocates, Member, 1997-Present

Colorado Bar Association Litigation Executive Council, Member, 1991-Present; Chair, 1994-1995

U.S. District Court Committee on Conduct, Member, 1991-1997; Chair, 1996-1997

Colorado Public Defendant Commission, Member, Chairman, 1980-1989

Colorado Supreme Court Nominating Commission, Member, 1984-1990

Faculty of Federal Advocates, Member, Board of Directors, 1999-2002

American Bar Association Member

Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Member

American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America)Member

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Directors, 1978-1979

Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Directors, 1989-1992

Boulder County Bar Association Member

Colorado Bar Foundation Member

American Bar Foundation Member

Supreme Court Historical Society, State Chairman, 1998-2003

Past Employment Positions:

Hutchinson, Black, Hill, Buchanan & Cook, Boulder, CO, Associate and Partner, 1972 - 1985

State of Colorado Office of the Public Defender, Denver, CO, Acting Colorado State Public Defender, 1978

Boulder County Office of the Public Defender, Boulder, CO, Deputy Public Defender, 1970 - 1972

Williams, Taussig & Trine, Boulder, CO, Associate, 1969

Legal Aid & Public Defender Program, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, CO, Director/Asst. Director, 1969

Boulder County District Attorneys Office, Boulder, CO, Deputy District Attorney, 1968

Languages:

English

Birth Information:

1942