Nancy Bentson Essex is a native of Colorado, grew up in Lakewood, and received her undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado. She moved to North Carolina after college to work as a reporter for United Press International. She earned her law degree with honors from the University of North Carolina Law School and practiced law in Raleigh, North Carolina for 25 years before moving to Crested Butte, Colorado after her husband retired in 2000. Before forming her own law practice in Crested Butte in 2006, she was a partner in Bratton & McClow in Gunnison.

Nancy has substantial experience in civil litigation involving commercial disputes, medical malpractice, and personal injury. She has represented both plaintiffs and defendants at all levels of the court system, including trial and appellate work. She also has practiced business law, including the formation of corporations and partnerships, and tax law. In North Carolina, she was a partner at Poyner & Spruill LLP, one of the state’s largest law firms with over 100 lawyers and, along with litigation and business law, represented telecommunications companies before the state utilities commission and also municipalities owning and operating their own electric systems. In Colorado, she has represented clients in civil lawsuits and has represented clients with land use issues before the Gunnison County Planning Commission, the Gunnison County Commissioners, and local regulatory bodies.

Nancy is a member of the Colorado Bar Association and a member of the Association’s Section on Litigation. She and her husband have two adult daughters.

Areas of Practice:

• Civil litigation, including business, construction defect, and personal injury litigation
• Land use
• Business formation, representation of clients in contract negotiations, and real estate acquisitions

• North Carolina, 1976
• Colorado, 2001
• U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 2001
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of North Carolina, 1977
• U.S. District Court Middle District of North Carolina, 1976
• U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina, 1980
• U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1981

• University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1976
• J.D.
• Honors: With Honors
• Honors: Order of the Coif
• Law Review: University of North Carolina Law Review, 1975-76
• University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 1968
• B.S.

• American Bar Association
• Colorado Bar Association
• Litigation Section, Colorado Bar Association