Joseph A. Orrino

Joe's practice began in-house and he now represents and advises clients on a wide variety of matters that businesses, including nonprofits, face such as governance, transactions, employment law, and dispute resolution.

Joe represents nonprofits at every stage of their development, ranging from newly formed organizations to large, well-established entities. When working with a nonprofit, Joe takes the time to understand and integrate the client's goals, objectives, and mission into his advice and legal work. In addition to assisting nonprofits with governance, Internal Revenue Code compliance, and transactional matters, Joe frequently assists nonprofit clients with their gift planning for living benefactors and with the administration of testamentary gifts. For religious nonprofits, including ministries, churches, and schools, Joe pays special attention to how laws uniquely impact them and their efforts to advance their purposes. Joe’s nonprofit clients have included entities exempt under sections 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6), and 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code.

On the business side, Joe represents a variety of closely held businesses in their formation, governance, operations, transactions, and employment matters. He represents his clients in drafting service agreements, contractor agreements, and other transactional documents, including for the sale or purchase of business interests. His clients represent a variety of industries and services, including medical practices, professional service providers, and technology services.

With respect to probate and trust administration, Joe helps fiduciaries navigate their legal responsibilities and disputes. He also advises and represents interested parties and beneficiaries (including nonprofits) to assess and assert their rights, and to ensure the proper actions of trustees and personal representatives. While negotiated solutions are ideal, Joe also helps clients obtain relief when estate and trust litigation is necessary. Disputes include actions to remove court-appointed fiduciaries, seeking court instructions for administrative issues, actions for surcharge, and other relief. This area of Joe's practice helps him effectively advise nonprofits in gift planning, and also individuals in the estate and trust planning realm, as he can help clients anticipate future outcomes related to their planning.

Joe’s background includes civil litigation in both Federal and State court, representing individuals, businesses, and nonprofits. Joe has successfully assisted clients in disputes with competitors, employees, and government entities, and involving claims including breach of contract, defamation, unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment, civil theft, and tortious interference with contract. Outside of the trial court, Joe has achieved favorable results for his clients in the Colorado Court of Appeals, in arbitration, and in mediation.

Joe is a fifth generation Coloradan. He lives in Littleton with his wife and five children. Between law school and beginning his practice, Joseph spent three years in formation as a monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kansas. At the same time, he taught undergraduate courses as Business Organizational Law, International Business Law, and The First Amendment: Religion Clauses.