Benton J. Barton
Member
Benton Barton is a hardworking, versatile trial lawyer, mediator and arbitrator, retained to assist clients wherever and whenever needed. His thirty-year practice currently focuses on resolving disputes and accidents arising from troubled design, construction and environmental projects, and their use of new processes and products. He has taken to trial numerous high-exposure cases, and his appellate work has generated new and notable law.
In addition to previous service in Firm management, Benton is contact partner for leading designers, general contractors, specialty subcontractors, product suppliers and carriers. His tenacity and attention to detail have been applied successfully in matters of the highest complexity throughout Colorado, and also in Arizona, Connecticut, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Parties also regularly hire Benton to arbitrate and mediate disputes through the American Arbitration Association’s National Panel of Construction Arbitrators, where he has presided over eighty matters as a neutral.
Bar Admissions
- Colorado, 1999
- Texas, 1992
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
- U.S. District Court, District of Montana
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Location
Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202
Education
JD: University of Texas School of Law, 1992
BA: Austin College, 1989
Contact
Career Distinctions & Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Construction Law; Arbitration; and Litigation – Construction
- Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
- Colorado Super Lawyers®, Professional Liability Defense; Construction Law
- American Arbitration Association, Construction Law Arbitrator
Appeals
- Stan Clauson Associates, Inc. v. Coleman Brothers Construction, LLC, 297 P.3d 1042 (Colo. App. 2013)
- Hamon Contractors, Inc. v. Carter & Burgess, Inc., 229 P.3d 282 (Colo. App. 2009)
- Tyler Car & Truck Ctr. v. Empire Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 2 S.W.3d 482 (Tex.App. – Tyler 1999)
- Chasewood Oaks Condo. Homeowners Ass’n, Inc. v. Amatek Holdings, Inc., 977 S.W.2d 840 (Tex.App. – Fort Worth 1998)
- Andrade Garcia v. Columbia Med. Ctr. of Sherman, 996 F.Supp. 605 (E.D. Tex. 1998)
- National Indus. Sand Ass’n v. Gibson, 897 S.W.2d 769 (Tex. 1995)
- Doe v. Rains Co. Ind. School Dist., 76 F.3d 666 (5th Cir. 1996)
- Tarrant Co. Hosp. District v. Curry, 907 S.W.2d 445 (Tex. 1995)
- Doe v. Rains Co. Ind. School Dist., 66 F.3d 1402 (5th Cir. 1995)
- Humphreys v. Caldwell, 888 S.W.2d 469 (Tex. 1994)
- Humphreys v. Caldwell, 881 S.W.2d 940 (Tex.App. – Corpus Christi 1994)
- Smith v. L.D. Burns Drilling Co., 852 S.W.2d 40 (Tex.App. – Waco 1993)
Professional Associations
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ALFA International: Construction Practice Group (Past Chair); Board of Directors (Past)
- Colorado Bar Foundation, Fellow
Articles // Publications // Presentations // Webinars
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Author/Speaker, “Blurred Lines? How Product Failures Amplify Exposures Facing Designers, Contractors and Insurers,” ALFA International, 2023
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Speaker, “Sailing the High C’s: Contracts, Communication, Coordination,” Professional Underwriters Design Professional Seminar, 2023
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Author/Speaker, “Get Smart! Smart Construction Concepts, Trends and Risks,” ALFA International, 2022
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Speaker, “CLAIM Is a Five-Letter Word: What Happens When It Happens to You?” Van Oppen & Co. 2 Risk Control Seminar, 2021
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Program Chair, “Leaving It Better Than You Found It: How to Lead, Inspire and Improve in Business and Law,” ALFA International, 2018
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Speaker, “Public-Private Partnerships,” Beazley Design Professionals, 2017
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Author/Speaker, “Catastrophic Litigation: Lessons from Defending Headline Cases,” ALFA International, 2015
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Author/Editor, “Colorado Construction Defect Litigation and Coverage,” 2010 (Book)
Blog Posts About Benton
- Benton Barton Speaking at Design Professional Risk Management Seminar on September 17
- Eighteen Attorneys Named to 2025 Edition of “Best Lawyers In America”
- Benton Barton Speaking at Annual Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on June 20th
- 9 Hall & Evans Attorneys Honored in 2024 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Seventeen Attorneys Named to 2024 Edition of “Best Lawyers In America”
- Hall & Evans Construction Law Team Speaking at Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on August 2nd
- Benton Barton Moderating Panel at ALFA International’s 2023 Construction Law Seminar
- 10 Hall & Evans Attorneys Honored in 2023 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Benton Barton Presenting at Design Professional Risk Management Seminar on April 6
- Benton Barton Authors Article on Designing for Security in Colorado Real Estate Journal
- Benton Barton Speaking on “Costs and Benefits of Sustainable Design” at University of Texas at San Antonio
- Benton Barton Speaking at Design Professional Risk Management Presentation on September 20th
- Twenty-Two H&E Attorneys Named to 2023 Editions of “Best Lawyers In America” & “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch”
- Benton Barton Speaking at Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on August 11th
- Benton Barton Moderating Panel at ALFA International’s Construction Law Seminar
- 13 Hall & Evans Attorneys Selected for 2022 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Can Designers Be Held Responsible for Mass Shootings?
- Twelve Attorneys Named to 2022 Edition of “Best Lawyers in America”
- Benton Barton Speaking at Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on August 18th
- Benton Barton Participating in ALFA International Virtual Construction Roundtable
- Benton Barton Speaking at Virtual Seminar for Design Professionals on May 10th
- 13 Hall & Evans Attorneys Selected for 2021 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Eleven Attorneys Named to 2021 Edition of “Best Lawyers in America”
- 17 Hall & Evans Attorneys Selected For 2020 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Benton Barton Speaking at Design Professional Risk Management Presentation on February 25th
- Benton Barton Quoted in “Law Week” on Colorado’s Best Law Firms
- Up in Smoke? E-Cigarette & Vaping Lawsuits Explode in 2019
- Seven Hall & Evans Attorneys Named to 2020 List of “The Best Lawyers in America”
- Benton Barton Speaking at Design Professional Risk Management Presentation on April 24th
- Benton Barton Speaking at Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on April 10th
- 22 Selected For 2019 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List
- Theresa Vogel Presenting in ALFA International Webinar “How the Politics and Policies of Washington Today Are Impacting Your Business”
- Benton Barton Quoted in “Law Week” on Colorado Construction Law
- Six Hall & Evans Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers”
- Benton Barton Speaking May 17th at Burns & McDonnell 9th Annual EPC-CLE Program
- Benton Barton Speaking at Design Professional Risk Management Presentation on April 18th
- Benton Barton Speaking at Risk Control Seminar for Architects, Engineers, and Environmental Professionals on April 11th
- 23 Selected for 2018 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
- Benton Barton Serves as Program Chair for ALFA International’s International Client Seminar
- Five Hall & Evans Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers”
- Observers Hopeful That New Colorado Construction Defect Law Will Spur Condo Development
- 19 Selected for 2017 Colorado Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
- Benton Barton Quoted on Colorado Construction Defect Bill in Law Week Colorado
- Five Hall & Evans Attorneys Named to “Best Lawyers”
- 17 Lawyers Selected to the 2016 Colorado Super Lawyers List
- Benton Barton Quoted in Winter Issue of Beazley A&E Reporter
- Hall & Evans Attorneys Listed in 2015 Super Lawyers
- Lakewood City Council Passes Ordinance Addressing Construction Defect Litigation
- Did the Recession Impact Design Defect Claims?
- Hall & Evans Well Represented in List of 2014 Colorado Super Lawyers