Lewis Roca Welcomes Fall 2021 Associate Class

Press Release

12/8/2021

PHOENIX (December 8, 2021) – Lewis Roca has welcomed 12 newly admitted lawyers in three of its nine offices. Kaeden Bauman, Ashley Beck, Cory Bernard,  Katie Derrig, and Allison Whitehill have joined the firm’s Phoenix office. Andrew Armstrong, Lance Collins, Emma Donachie, Megan Larson, Marnier LeBlanc, and Sara Yates have joined the firm’s Denver office, and Cassin Brown has joined the firm in Reno.

Andrew D. Armstrong, a member of the firm’s Business Transactions Practice Group, focuses on corporate transactional and tax matters. He has experience researching insurable interests, antitrust law, and enforceability of contractual provisions. Armstrong has a background in accounting, with an emphasis on individual and business taxation, and is a Certified Public Accountant.

While in law school, Armstrong was treasurer of the University of Arizona's Sports and Entertainment Law Society, served as an extern for the University's Athletics Compliance Department, and served on the Arizona Law Review. He received his J.D. from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law and his B.S. from Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Kaeden W. Bauman, a member of the firm's Business Transactions Practice Group, focuses on corporate and real estate transactions. He has experience drafting purchase and sale agreements, letters of intent, and addendums/riders. Bauman also has experience reviewing capital lending structures and deal terms for multistate real estate acquisition projects.

Prior to joining the firm, Bauman served as an intern at the White House with the Office of White House Counsel where he researched, reviewed, and drafted Presidential Executive Orders. He also served as a legislative intern for a United States Congresswoman, where he facilitated the drafting and introduction of legislation through research and communication with the House Legislative Counsel, House Oversight Committee, and with local, state, and federal government officials. Bauman received his J.D. from Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, highest pro bono distinction, an M.B.A. from Grand Canyon University, and a B.S., summa cum laude, from Colorado Christian University.

Ashley K. Beck is a member in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. Prior to joining the firm, Ashley served as a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel A. Thumma and the Honorable Cynthia J. Bailey.

While attending law school, Beck completed a rigorous, two-year academic program specializing in trial advocacy and earned a certificate in litigation. As a student clinician in Michigan State’s Civil Rights Clinic, she prepared an opening brief for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Beck also served as a Managing Editor of the Michigan State International Law Review. She received her J.D., magna cum laude, from Michigan State University College of Law and her B.S. from Arizona State University.

Cory R. Bernard, a member in the firm's Business Transactions Practice Group, focuses on corporate and real estate matters. He has experience performing title and survey review and drafting documents related to real property transactions; drafting, reviewing, and negotiating various commercial contracts; and conducting due diligence for financing transactions.

While in law school, Bernard served as a managing editor of the Arizona State Law Journal and was a Sustainability Law Student Research Fellow. Prior to attending law school, he worked for a cloud-based software company serving the agriculture industry. Bernard received his J.D., cum laude, from Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

Cassin T. Brown is a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, focusing his practice on commercial litigation matters. He has experience researching and drafting pleadings, motions, and memoranda in various areas of law, including construction law, insurance law, discovery disputes, regulatory matters, and general business litigation.

Prior to joining the firm, Brown completed externships with the Honorable Larry R. Hicks of the United States District Court, District of Nevada, and the Nevada Attorney General's Office. He also served as a law clerk in the Consumer Rights Project at the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada. Brown received his J.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law and his B.S. from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Lance T. Collins, a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general corporate and commercial litigation. He has experience researching and drafting memoranda, discovery documents, and motions in various areas of law, including corporations and LLCs, securities fraud, evidentiary issues, construction, and a variety of intellectual property matters. He is also a licensed Patent attorney. 

While in law school, Collins was an extern for the Honorable Allison Eid of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He also served as a law clerk in Xcel Energy's legal department, where he researched and drafted memoranda on topics such as condemnation proceedings, easement acquisition, breach of contract, and environmental/renewable energy. He has been a law clerk in the litigation department of various law firms working on construction and general commercial litigation matters. In addition, Collins was a member of the Denver Law Review and was a law student ambassador. He participated in various mock trial programs through student organizations and classes, including an eight-hour breach of contract jury trial presided over by a federal judge via Zoom.

Prior to law school, Collins was a project engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area. He received his J.D. from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law and his B.S. from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Katie M. Derrig, a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general commercial litigation matters. She has experience researching and drafting memoranda on complex matters, including for an immigration asylum case on appeal in the Ninth Circuit. She also has experience publishing case notes regarding physician opinions in ERISA litigation.

While in law school, Derrig served as Editor-in-Chief of the Arizona Law Review. She was also a student attorney for the Domestic Violence Law Clinic at the University of Arizona, where she assisted clients in matters relating to domestic violence and abuse, including advice and counsel for divorce proceedings and representation for contested Order of Protection hearings. Prior to her time as a student attorney, Derrig served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Lynnette C. Kimmins of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, where she drafted trial and court orders and report and recommendation summaries on prisoner petitions for habeas corpus. Derrig received her J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Arizona State University.

Emma K. Donachie, a member of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general commercial litigation matters. She has experience researching and drafting pleadings, motions, and memorandum in various areas of the law, including banking, insurance, energy, and religious organizations. Prior to joining the firm, Donachie worked in resource conservation and sustainability. 

While attending law school, Donachie served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Michael E. Hegarty of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado where she gained experience drafting judicial opinions and orders in various areas of civil law. While interning with the Colorado Attorney General's Office, Donachie received her Student Practice Act certification, which allowed her to litigate matters in front of an Administrative Law Judge. Donachie also served as an Associate Editor for the Denver Law Review. She received her J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and her B.S. from the University of Kansas.

Megan E. Larson, a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general commercial litigation matters. She has experience researching and drafting memoranda on various legal issues, including Colorado's strict product liability and trade secret damage apportionment, federal bribery statutes, enforcement of specific provisions of insurance policies, and state usury laws.

While in law school, Larson served as chief programming manager for the Intellectual Property Law Society, was a student member of the Colorado Intellectual Property Inn of Court, and a member of the Business Law Society. She received her J.D. from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law and her B.F.A. from Colorado State University.

Marnier A. LeBlanc, a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general commercial litigation matters. She has experience researching and drafting memoranda on various legal issues, including trust administration, standing, and restrictive covenants.

While in law school, LeBlanc served as a student attorney at the Turner Environmental Law Clinic, where she drafted memoranda on the current state of the carbon offset market in the agricultural industry. She also served as Managing Editor for the Emory International Law Review, on the Cases Services Committee for the Emory Law School Supreme Court Advocacy Program, and as the 2020 Banquet Chair for the Black Law Students Association. LeBlanc received her J.D. from Emory University School of Law and her B.A., sum laude, from the University of Denver.

Allison Whitehill served as a summer associate at the firm and has returned as an active member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. She will focus her practice on civil litigation.

Before joining the firm, Whitehill completed a clerkship with the Honorable Justice James Beene of the Arizona Supreme Court. She received her J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Arizona James E Rogers College of Law where she served as an Articles Editor for Arizona Law Review and participated in the Natural Resource Use and Management Clinic. She received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Knox College.

Sara E. Yates, a member of firm's Litigation Practice Group, focuses on general corporate and commercial litigation. She has experience researching and drafting memoranda, pleadings, motions, and discovery documents in various areas of law, including corporations and LLCs, trusts and estates, and evidentiary and procedural issues.

While in law school, Yates was an extern for the Honorable Kristen L. Mix of the United States District Court for the District of Colorado where she drafted orders in various areas of civil law. She served on the Executive Board of the Colorado Technology Law Journal as the Lead Articles Editor. She also served on the Executive Board of the Black Law Students Association, served on the Honor Council, and was a Rothgerber Teaching Fellow for property law. Yates was also a research assistant for criminal law and criminal procedure. She received her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School and her B.A. from Wesleyan University.

 About Lewis Roca

Lewis Roca is an Am Law 200 law firm serving clients globally in complex litigation, intellectual property, business transactions, gaming, government relations, labor and employment, and regulatory counseling. Its offices are located in Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Reno, Silicon Valley, and Tucson. To learn more about the firm, please visit us at our new website at www.lewisroca.com.