Husch Blackwell Partners Michael H. Berger of Denver and Elizabeth H. Drews of Austin, Texas, have both accepted judicial appointments. They will take their positions in January 2014.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper recently appointed Berger to serve as a judge for the Colorado Court of Appeals. He will be sworn in Jan. 24, 2014.
A member of Husch Blackwell’s Financial Services team, Berger has more than 30 years of litigation experience with the majority of his work pertaining to civil litigation, legal ethics and appellate law. He also served as an expert witness on numerous occasions for matters regarding legal ethics. While the bulk of his career has been in private practice, Berger initially served as a law clerk to the Hon. Edward Pringle, chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. Berger received his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law (1975), and his B.S. from Cornell University (1972).
Drews begins her duties as an administrative law judge for the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings on Jan. 2, 2014. Before entering private practice, Drews served nine years as an administrative law judge, first with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and then in the Utilities Division at the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). She also previously served as assistant director of hearings and legal counselor to the chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
A member of Husch Blackwell’s Energy & Natural Resources team, Drews has been active in the industry for more than 30 years. She worked primarily on matters concerning electric and utility regulatory law and administrative law. She also assisted clients with contract negotiation and drafting, investigation and enforcement matters, rate and licensing contested cases and other regulatory proceedings. Her last day with the firm will be Dec. 31, 2013. Drews received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin (1981) and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Duke University (1978).