About Mediator M. Lizza-Irwin
Foothills Mediation and ADR owner Marianne Lizza-Irwin, Esq. provides professional mediation services to the Denver and State of Colorado community and courts. As a mediator, she brings her broad-based legal knowledge to provide a realistic understanding of not only the trial process, but also of the importance of party-determined settlements and resolutions.
Having moved from Michigan to Colorado after law school, Marianne Lizza-Irwin litigated a wide variety of civil cases, for both individuals and corporations, for almost 30 years.
Her extensive legal experience covers a wide range of areas including:
- Business Disputes
- Personal injury, insurance
- Property
- Family & Estates
- HOA
- Employment
- Commercial
- Securities and business cases
- Hundreds of mediations
Having this experience, her transition to a mediation practice was natural. The ADR process is effective, provides a predictable outcomes with a reduction of litigation or pre-litigation costs and gives all parties involved a final agreed upon resolution.
Marianne has completed both the 40-hour mediation certification course through the Colorado Bar Association and Advanced Mediation Training with the Association of Attorney Mediators. She is a mediator with Jefferson County Mediation Services, and is listed with the U. S. District Court of Colorado Roster for Private Professional Mediators. She is a professional member of theMAC (Mediation Association of Colorado) as well as a board member. She is a member of and is Vice Chair of the ADR Section of the Colorado Bar Association.
In addition to having participated in mediations as an attorney advocate, she now provides mediation services as a neutral third party to a dispute, whether or not the parties are represented by counsel and whether or not a lawsuit has been filed.
Education, Court Admissions and Bar Admissions
Marianne Lizza-Irwin graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree and obtained her law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. She moved to Colorado in 1984 and began her litigation practice representing both plaintiffs and defendants as part of her civil and business law practice. She attended mediation in almost all of her cases, wholly supports the mediation process as a valuable tool for any case or dispute. She continued in litigation for many years, adding roles as mediator and arbitrator to her practice. She began Foothills Mediation and ADR in 2014 and now also provides mediation and arbitration options for individuals, businesses, families, and governments. She additionally offers special master services. Ms. Lizza-Irwin also practices as counsel with Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLC.
She is admitted to practice in the State of Colorado, and the U.S. District Court of Colorado. She is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, Denver Bar Association, First Judicial Bar Association (Jefferson County), Colorado Women’s Bar Association and Section Member of the ADR, Family Law, Trust and Estate and Small Firm Sections of the Colorado Bar Association.
She is a former mediator with Jefferson County Mediation Services, and is listed with the U. S. District Court of Colorado Roster for Private Professional Mediators. She is a professional member of theMAC (Mediation Association of Colorado), formerly a board member. She is a member of and the former Chair of the ADR Section of the Colorado Bar Association. She is also a member of ABOTA, the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Memberships and Affiliations
Marianne Lizza-Irwin is a member of The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADM), and is listed with the U. S. District Court of Colorado Roster for Private Professional Mediators. She is also a member of ABOTA, the American Board of Trial Advocates.
She is admitted to practice in the State of Colorado, the U.S. District Court of Colorado and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.
