6-10 years

Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch": Government Relations

Dieter Raemdonck's practice is focused primarily on government relations matters at the federal, state, and local levels.

As a registered lobbyist, Mr. Raemdonck has invaluable expertise and experience communicating with state, county and municipal officials; state and federal legislators; executive branch employees; and state agencies and regulators. At the Colorado General Assembly, Dieter assists clients with all aspects of the legislative process, including drafting legislation, building coalitions, developing strategies for advocacy and messaging, lobbying legislators, and ultimately achieving clients' desired policy outcomes. His clients have a broad range of priorities, from general business issues to education, energy, real estate, and technology. In addition, he regularly advises and assists clients with political giving programs and campaign finance matters.

Dieter's practice also includes advocating client interests before regulatory bodies at the state and local levels. He often drafts proposed regulations, and represents clients before administrative boards and commissions.

Jim Driscoll joined Cornerstone as the lead of the firm's flagship office in Denver, Colorado in November 2020. For the majority of his career, Jim worked as a dedicated public servant, serving in both the Hickenlooper and Ritter administrations as a senior legislative advisor. Under Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jim was responsible for ushering in the administration's top legislative priorities including the statewide 30 percent renewable energy standard. Upon the election of Governor John Hickenlooper, Jim stayed on to spearhead the young administration's legislative efforts.

Before joining Cornerstone, Jim founded Jim Driscoll Consulting, where he developed a proven track record of generating successes for his clients in Washington, D.C. and several states including California, Colorado, and Montana. Prior to founding Jim Driscoll Consulting, Jim ran the state government relations practice of the nation's largest group purchasing organization for pharmaceuticals, where he led efforts to open the group's flagship state government relations office and passed key legislation in more than a dozen states.

Jim's approach to lobbying and public affairs is results driven, collaborative, and client focused. As a result, many of his clients have worked with him for more than a decade.

A third-generation Montanan, Jim currently calls Denver home, where he resides with his wife and children. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degree in public administration from the University of Montana.

20+ years

Melanie joined CLS in 2000 and has nearly 25 years of expertise in public policy, lobbying, business, banking, bioscience and renewable energy. She enjoys working on complex economic development and tax policy, and has one of highest success rates passing incentives for varied industry sectors. She also has experience effectively lobbying k-12 education, capital development and healthcare. Melanie's strong network of relationships with legislators, as well as influencers in the government and public policy arena, ensures CLS' clients have unparalleled access to policy leaders.

Before beginning her lobbying career, Melanie was the Public Relations Director for the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, then moved into lobbying as the Legislative Director at Colorado Farm Bureau, while obtaining a Master's from University of Colorado Denver's Graduate School of Public Affairs. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor's from Colorado Christian University. Melanie is a state board member of Girls on the Run and has served as an assistant instructor at the Colorado Mountain Club's High Altitude Mountaineering School.

Melanie is a married mother to three children and an extreme athlete. Her noteworthy accomplishments include finishing the Leadville 100 Ultra-Marathon, climbing all 58 of Colorado's mountains over 14,000', along with numerous high-altitude mountains around the world. Her current athletic focus is Pack Burro Racing, Colorado's official heritage sport, with her two rescued burros. Her dedication to these endeavors translates to the vision, planning and execution it takes to succeed in politics and advocacy.

11-15 years

Garin began her political career in Washington D.C. working for Senator Wayne Allard and ran the government affairs department at Colorado Farm Bureau before joining Colorado Legislative Services in 2007. She became partner in 2012 and steadfastly through her career, Garin has honed her policy knowledge on issues related to agriculture, including water and property rights. She also is highly skilled as a strategist for higher education, business, liquor, and state licensure issues.

Growing up on a ranch in southwest Colorado gave Garin a strong work ethic and her dedication to understanding an issue completely shows up when representing CLS clients. Her adeptness in many policy areas and direct manner of speaking means that she is a trusted resource for legislators on both sides of the aisle. She is regarded as a top water policy expert in Colorado and has been recognized for her work bolstering the Colorado business climate by working to align agriculture and energy-- two of the top five drivers of the Colorado economy--on a variety of issues. Garin was recognized as one of Colorado's "Top Women in Energy" by the Denver Business Journal in 2017.

She is a proud graduate of Colorado State University where she earned an Agricultural Business degree. Garin has completed Colorado Farm Bureau's Elite Leaders Academy, is a member of the Women's Energy Network of Colorado and has served on the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program board and Butterfly Pavilion's Fund Development Committee.

In her free time, Garin cherishes time with her husband and two daughters, especially during trips to the mountains. She is an avid reader, sous-chef for her husband and wine connoisseur who frequents the Napa Valley.

11-15 years

With a track record of delivering results in communities across Colorado and in Denver, Brett Moore has been engaged in the state since 2007. Building on experience gained as a non-partisan employee at the Colorado General Assembly, he founded OnTheBallot Consulting (OTB), a Denver-based lobbying firm. He has achieved legislative wins by building strong relationships with elected officials, staff, and other government affairs professionals.

Entering his 16th legislative session, and 12th with OnTheBallot Consulting, Brett brings lobbying expertise across a variety of issue areas, including: energy development; private property rights; ag/rural/water; health care; and behavioral health. OTB's clients are non-profits, small businesses, trade associations, and local governments whose voices are amplified by this representation.

SCOTT J. SPENDLOVE serves as the Director of Government Relations at Intermountain Public Affairs. A native of Lakewood, Colorado, Spendlove is an invaluable presence at the State Capitol for InterMountain's government relations clients. He assists these clients in developing and implementing legislative strategy and works with legislative leaders and various state departments to advocate beneficial bills and defeat measures that would be adverse to client needs. He monitors legislative and political developments on behalf of major corporate employers such as Union Pacific Railroad and Bridgepoint Education, as well as governmental entities such as E-470 Public Highway Authority.

Spendlove brings a diverse background of public policy and legislative relations experience to the clients of InterMountain. In his 18th year with InterMountain, Spendlove has served the past 10 years as the primary lobbyist for the firm. He previously held several positions in Colorado Governor Owens' administration, including Deputy Director of the Governor's Office of Legislative Liaison, and Chief of Staff to the Lieutenant Governor. Most recently, Spendlove was a Program/Policy analyst for the State Department of General Support Services, promoting efficiencies and cost savings in state government. Preceding his tenure in the Owens' administration, Spendlove worked in Washington D.C. for a state legislative nonprofit organization on energy and environment issues. Scott is proud to have served 6 years on the Board of Directors for Colorado Youth for a Change, including one year as Board Chair. CYC is a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing the youth drop-out problem in Colorado. Scott is active in his son's Boy Scout troop as a Committee member, and a has served for 7 years on the elementary school Accountability Committee. Spendlove is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon with a BS in International Affairs. He is married to Jenna, with a son Logan.

11-15 years

Recognized by Colorado Confidential, as Most Effective State Representative, 2007 Session
Denver Business Journal, Power Book Winner, Health Care, 2006

Colorado Commissioner: Uniform Law Commission, 2005-11 and 2013-present (Division Chair, 2007-09; Member, Scope and Programs Committee, 2009-11); Chair of Colorado Commission 2013-present.

Member: Health Chairs, National Conference of State Legislatures, 2006-09.

International Election Observer: Member of National Democratic Institute's International
Observation Team for the Ukrainian Parliamentary Elections, 2007.

After serving as Chair of the Colorado House of Representatives Health and Human Services Committee, Anne returned to a full time law and lobbying practice in 2009. As a legislator, she had oversight responsibility for the Department of Public Health and Environment, Department of Human Services, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and was responsible for oversight responsibility for review and approval of more than 14,000 state rules and regulations annually, handling sensitive litigation and internal matters for the Colorado General Assembly.
She has lobbied federally as well as in several states. Her law experience includes advising emerging and established business and public entities, nonprofits and individuals on issues related to the course of commerce, choice of entity, real estate, transactions, litigation, and appellate and public policy needs in state and federal district and appellate courts in Colorado, Florida and Washington, DC.

20+ years

Jim is a highly accomplished senior executive, consultant, lobbyist and strategist with over 30 years of success in public policy, politics, government, energy, healthcare, financial services, transportation, state budget, local government, education and the nonprofit sector. Over the course of his career he has spearheaded legislation that has resulted in robust energy development, broader access to public k-12 education, enriched opportunities for higher education, higher air and water quality standards, major investments in transportation, and a healthy balance of power between the state and local governments.

Jim immerses himself in learning about his clients' needs and can put complex issues into relatable terms. He moves people to understand issues first and then support the policies he is advancing. It is because of this strategy and his leadership on oil and gas issues that he was presented with the Denver Business Journal's "Who's Who in Energy" award in 2017.

Some of Jim's highest accomplishments include creating the Arkansas River State Park, passing the Clean Air Clean Jobs Act and passing the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Exemplary Institution Act, which enabled CSM to provide one of the highest quality and rigorous research experiences in the nation.

Jim has a Bachelor's of Science degree from Oregon State University. He has been married 38 years and he and his wife, Mary, have two adult children. Jim is an avid cyclist and has completed nine years of Ride the Rockies and Iowa's RAGBRAI. He also loves to fly fish and play guitar. His joy is seeing the humor that presents itself in everyday situations and sharing it whenever possible.