Peter Rietz has successfully tried high exposure cases in state and federal court. His practice emphasis is ski industry and sports-related litigation. He additionally handles commercial, construction-related, transportation, and general negligence matters.
Before starting the Rietz Law firm in 2000, Peter was a partner at White and Steele P.C., a long standing insurance defense firm in Denver.
Peter served as the 1990-91 president and is a founding board member of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys. He has also been involved in numerous legislative efforts on behalf of the ski industry. Peter served for thirteen years as Special Counsel for the National Ski Areas Association and has recently been appointed General Counsel for the Watersports Industry of America. His consulting includes working with Colorado Ski Country USA, the United States Ski and Snowboard Association; Professional Ski Instructors of America; the National Ski Patrol; Colorado River Outfitters Association, and the Mountain Biking Association. Peter has also contributed to many ski industry publications. He has given numerous presentations for all of the above organizations.
Peter is a founding board member of the Sporting Goods Manufacturer’s legal committee, an association of lawyers devoted to the defense of retailers and manufacturers of sports-related equipment.
Peter attended the University of Denver and received a B.A. in political science minoring in economics in 1972. He attended the University of Denver Law School where he was editor-in-chief of the Transportation Law Journal. He was admitted to practice in the State of Colorado in 1986 and in Wyoming in 1996. He is a member of the Colorado and Wyoming Bar Associations, the Denver Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Peter is AV rated with Martindale Hubbell.
Peter is an avid skier. He is a Level III certified PSIA/RMSIA instructor, Level 300 certified national race coach. He has served as a board member with the Rocky Mountain Division of United States Ski Association, Breckenridge Race Club and the Loveland Basin Race Club, with 26 years coaching and instructing experience. He is also an avid water ski enthusiast with extensive tournament experience and has owned a water ski school in Wisconsin since 1971.
In 2001, Kimberly joined the Rietz Firm, where she has successfully tried numerous cases. Kimberly represents clients in automobile, trucking, construction defect, products liability, sports and recreation, and commercial matters.
She has been selected as general counsel for a private country club and outside counsel for Waste Management of Colorado. She has been invited to speak on a number of topics, ranging from products liability to exculpatory agreements.
Kimberly has vast trial experience at the state, and federal levels. Her published opinions at the appellate level include: Cooper v. United States Ski Assoc., 32 P.3d 502 (Colo. App. 2000) and Stamp v. Vail Corp., 172 P.3d 437 (Colo. 2007), which limits recovery for wrongful death actions in ski related cases to $250,000. She has also been published in ski industry periodicals. She is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, a member of the Sporting Goods Manufacturers’ Association, a board member and Vice President of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys, and was listed in the 2007-2008 Edition of Cambridge’s “Who’s Who”.
Kimberly skied competitively throughout her youth, in the Central Division of the United States Ski Association, competing in nationally and internationally FIS sanctioned races. She skied on four state champion teams from 1979-1982. Kimberly also played competitive USTA junior tennis as well as high school team tennis. Her competitiveness continues today in her litigation practice.
She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah in 1987, and attended the University of Denver College of Law and received her law degree in 1992. She was a member of the Law Review and served as a research and technical editor from 1991-1992.
Following graduation and her admissions to the Colorado State and Federal bars, Kimberly clerked for Denver District Court Judge, Connie Peterson before joining White and Steele, P.C., in Denver.
Before moving to Colorado in 2007, Maryjo Falcone was a partner at a large Buffalo, New York, law firm. Maryjo, a seasoned trial attorney, has successfully tried cases in state and federal court throughout New York State and Colorado.
The cases tried by Maryjo are vast and include the civil defense of ski areas, river rafting outfits and other recreational facilities, rental car companies, doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice claims, police officers in civil rights §1983 claims, product liability, municipalities in both general negligence and road defect claims, and general negligence claims. Maryjo has been also retained as parachute counsel on a number of occasions to defend particularly difficult claims at trial.
Maryjo has devoted a substantial portion of her time defending and advising ski resorts all over New York State and Colorado in all areas of their operations. She regularly speaks before ski industry groups and clients on risk management issues including the National Ski Areas Association. She is a past President for the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys, an international member group of attorneys who are in the business of defending ski areas all over the world. She has also been a featured speaker for the Colorado River Outfitters Association.
Maryjo graduated cum laude from the University of Buffalo in 1986 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science, with a minor in Economics. In 1989 she obtained her law degree from the University of Buffalo, where she was selected to be Vice President of the Moot Court Board. Maryjo has been admitted to practice law in both state and federal courts in New York since 1990, and in Colorado since 2007.
Brian Birenbach concentrates his practice on the representation of corporations and individuals in civil litigation. He devotes his practice to the defense of product liability, personal injury, sports and recreation liability, professional liability, and premises litigation.
He also has extensive experience handling commercial, construction, employment, civil rights, and first-party insurance matters. Brian’s practice includes the handling of appeals in state and federal court.
Before joining the Rietz Law Firm, Brian was a partner at a large Buffalo, New York, law firm where he devoted a significant portion of his time to the representation of ski resorts, ski shops, and ski equipment manufacturers all over New York State. Over the years, Brian has obtained numerous decisions limiting the liability of his ski industry clients. A member of the Association of Ski Defense Attorneys, Brian is a frequent speaker on issues relating to ski industry liability.
Brian graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1991. He obtained his law degree from Syracuse University in 1994. He is admitted to practice in New York and Colorado.
Melody Braaten graduated from Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, MO with a B.S. degree in Electronic Media in 1993. Having been raised in Northeastern Colorado, Ms. Braaten returned to Colorado in 1995 and settled in Summit County to raise a family.
She was previously an insurance agent for Summit Insurance Group in Frisco, CO before joining the Rietz Law Firm in 2003 as the firm receptionist. In 2005, she received her certificate from the National Association of Legal Assistants and began working for the firm as a paralegal.
Melody is active in community life and enjoys volunteering her time with CASA of the Continental Divide, as a Court Appointed Advocate for abused and neglected children in the 5th Judicial District.
Melody brings with her an extensive background in office administration and management, insurance and customer service and utilizes those skills to further the interests of our clients.
Melody lives in Frisco with her husband and their four children.
