About Us

Our People

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND INSURANCE DEFENSE

Representing Employers and Insurance Carriers in Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming

Ritsema Law was founded in 1993, originally Ritsema & Lyon, P.C., with a focus on workers’ compensation defense and related issues, including subrogation and appeals. The firm has expanded into additional practice areas including Medicare Set-Aside and general liability insurance defense. The attorneys of Ritsema Law actively represent Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Utah, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming employers and insurance carriers for all of the aforementioned areas. Our client base exceeds over 200 entities and includes insurance carriers, self-insured employers, and third-party administrators.

U.S. News & World Report has annually recognized Ritsema Law as a Tier 1 Best Law Firm in Workers’ Compensation Defense since 2013. Our firm has also received the highest rating of “AV” from Martindale-Hubbell, an impartial legal information agency. Many of our attorneys have been selected as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars and have been listed as Best Lawyers by U.S. News & World Report on multiple occasions. The firm is the member representative of the NWCDN (National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network) in Arizona, Colorado, and Wyoming.

THE RITSEMA LAW DIFFERENCE

Our exceptional communication and customized, cost-effective service are just a couple of the defining reasons our clients choose to work with us. From investigating a workers’ compensation claim to developing a defense plan or negotiating a fair settlement, we forge a strong partnership with our clients to devise innovative, fair, and cost-efficient business strategies. We recommend reasonable and ethical approaches, which help our clients manage risk, avoid litigation, and stay on top of new areas of employer liability.

CUTTING-EDGE KNOWLEDGE

With new workers’ compensation rules emerging every few months, we systematically keep up with changes and constantly alert one another concerning legislation, regulations, and judges’ rulings. Each month we publish a newsletter for our clients that summarizes dozens of decisions from both the Industrial Claims Appeals Office and appellate courts. This familiarity with current rulings gives us a distinct advantage at hearings and settlement negotiations.

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

Ritsema Law has specialized in workers’ compensation defense for nearly 30 years; however, our approach to business is anything but dated or archaic. In fact, we have technology and systems in place that make us far more agile than our competitors. For example, we’re always able to make a seamless transition from in-office to remote work—something that has been extremely helpful as of late. The entire firm has transitioned to an almost fully paperless system to ensure efficiency and lessen our environmental impact. And, like our clients, we’ve fully embraced technology as a way to provide innovative and cost-effective solutions in a timely manner.

CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION

Within the firm we meet regularly to discuss cases and exchange ideas. Emails fly constantly and we’re always sharing news of recent rulings or gathering a variety of opinions on a specific legal question. We constantly draw from each other’s expertise, enhancing our effectiveness through teamwork. It’s the same with our clients—the lines of communication are always open, so our clients have easy access to quick and thoughtful answers.

CONTINUITY IN CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

We believe in building lasting relationships. A strong team including one or two attorneys and paralegals serves each client and clients know that their cases will not be passed around the office. As a result, all of our attorneys have ongoing long-term relationships with their clients. Our goal is for each of our highly qualified attorneys to make Ritsema Law his or her final career stop, so clients, lawyers, and staff alike benefit from stable, close-knit working relationships.

CUSTOMIZED, CLIENT-CENTERED WORK

Clients are the focal point here—and not just at the beginning of a new relationship, but throughout. Known for our thorough analysis, we take the time to understand each claim and present options that make sense for our clients in the context of current rulings. All Ritsema Law attorneys work hard to maintain a team-oriented atmosphere of personalized service. Each attorney carries a balanced caseload so that no one is too busy to return calls and clients always receive priority service. The firm holds the client’s “small-firm experience” as a priority, hiring appropriately to keep attorney caseloads low and client service high.

A WELL-EARNED REPUTATION

Distinguished by their talent in analyzing cases, our attorneys have excellent reputations in the legal and business communities. That’s because we work closely with our clients to form long-lasting partnerships that are built on trust, understanding, and commitment. This approach also allows us to better understand our clients’ businesses and provide more thorough and customized solutions to fit their legal needs.

FIND AN ATTORNEY

We understand how important it is to work with an attorney who not only keeps your case and desired outcome in mind, but your personality and preferences as well. That’s why all of our attorneys will work closely with you to provide customized service and solutions that are unique to you.