Partners Throughout Your Family Law Case
Biography
Elizabeth practices exclusively in family law, having served hundreds of clients during her tenure with their divorces, parenting, and child support cases. Elizabeth's family law practice has focused on asset and business valuation, income valuation, complex divorce, parental responsibilities, child relocation, and child support matters, among others.
Elizabeth speaks both Spanish and Italian and uses these skills to assist non-native speakers in navigating through domestic matters.
Elizabeth's outstanding legal work and professionalism has been recognized by her selection for inclusion in The Best Lawyers In America© 2021, 2022, and 2023 for her practice in the areas of Family Law and Family Law Arbitration, her selection as a Colorado Super Lawyer® "Rising Star" from 2017-2023, by the judicial officers of Arapahoe County, who invited her to serve on their Best Practices Committee, and by Law Week Colorado, who named her as one of only seven "Up and Coming Lawyers" for 2015.
Elizabeth graduated from the University of Colorado Law School with Honors in Juvenile and Family Law. Elizabeth was a partner at a prior Denver Metro Area family law firm before joining the GEM family team on August 1, 2019. She received additional family law experience as a law clerk to Judge Norman D. Haglund on the domestic docket in Denver District Court.
Elizabeth is a top litigator, displaying confidence, poise and an ability to pivot and think on her feet in the courtroom. However, she is also a firm believer in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, assisting clients in settling matters before they reach the courthouse. Elizabeth is trained in Collaborative Law, whereby parties commit to resolving their dissolution of marriage cooperatively and without the court's involvement.
Education
- University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder, Colorado
- J.D.
- Truman State University
- B.A.
- Honors: magna cum laude
- Major: Political Science and Spanish
Authorship & Presentations
- “Resist and Refuse: It’s a Family Problem. Reintegration Therapy and Family Court,” Domestic Relations and Probate Judicial Institute, co-presenter, June 2021.
- “Understanding and Intervening: When Children Refuse Contact with a Parent,” Colorado Association of Family and Conciliatory Courts, panel discussion, October 2019
- “Collaborative Law: Debunking the Myths, A Current Perspective on Adding the Collaborative Model to Your Toolbox,” Colorado Family Law Institute, co-presenter, August 2019
- “The Holistic Divorce: How to Separate the Family Unit Without Destroying It,” ColoradoBiz, December 2018
- “Trial Tips – Pet Peeves and Best Practices,” Colorado Judicial Institute, co-presenter, March 1, 2018
- “How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out),” National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Program, co-presenter, December 2017
- “QDROs Boot Camp,” National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Program, co-presenter, July 2017; July 2016
- “Calling All Spanish-Speaking Lawyers” by Elizabeth Bonanno, The Docket, February 2015, Vol. 37, No. 2
- Our Courts of Colorado, Presenter for the Colorado Bar Association and Colorado Judicial Institute’s joint public education project
Memberships
- Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, Past President
- Arapahoe County Domestic Relations Best Practices Committee
- Denver Source for Collaborative Divorce Practice Group
- Colorado Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Circle of Minerva
- Denver Bar Association
- Colorado Judicial Institute
- Doyle’s American Inn of Court
Current Employment Position
- Partner
Honors & Distinctions
- The Best Lawyers In America© 2021, 2022 and 2023 Law and Family Law Arbitration
- Colorado Super Lawyer® “Rising Star”, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- “Up & Coming Lawyers” by Law Week Colorado, 2015
- Colorado Bar Association’s Gary McPherson Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year finalist, 2016
- Honors in Juvenile and Family Law, University of Colorado Law School, 2012
- 10.0 AVVO rating
