• Jon Sands is a former member of the CBA Real Estate Title Standards Committee, the CBA Bench Bar Committee and other bar committees.
• Mr. Sands is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an exclusive organization composed of trial lawyers from around the country.
• Mr. Sands is an associate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
• Mr. Sands was lead counsel in Ingold v. AIMCO/Bluffs L.L.C. Apartments, 159 P.3d 116 (Colo. 2007), the seminal case before the Colorado Supreme Court that changed arbitration analysis by elimination of the intertwining doctrine in Colorado. He was co-author of The Demise of the Intertwining Doctrine in Colorado©, The Colorado Lawyer, 37-Jan Colo. Law. 21, January 2008, an article featuring that case and its significance to Colorado arbitration practice.
• Mr. Sands has also had a significant appellate practice in Colorado, resulting in at least 17 reported opinions from the Colorado Court of Appeals and Colorado Supreme Court including:
  • Ingold v. AIMCO/BLUFFS, L.L.C. Apartments, 159 P.3d 116 (Colo. 2007)
  • Ranta Const., Inc. v. Anderson, 190 P.3d 835 (Colo. App. 2008) 
  • State Farm v. Fisher, 418 P.3d 501 (Colo. 2018)
  • Preferred Professional Ins. Co v. The Doctors Company, 419 P.3d 1020 (Colo. App. 2018)
  • Figuli v. State Farm Mutual Fire & Casualty, 304 P.3d 595 (Colo. App. 2012)
  • Vaccaro v. American Family Insurance Group, 275 P.3d 750 (Colo. App. 2012)
  • Sanderson v. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, 251 P.3d 1213 (Colo. App. 2010)
  • General Security Indemnity Company of Arizona v. Mountain States Casualty Company, et. al., 205 P.3d 529 (Colo. App. 2009)
  • Brody v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 194 P.3d 459 (Colo. App. 2008)
  • Ringwelski v. Pederson, 919 P.2d 957 (Colo. App. 1996)
  • Security Savings v. Estate of Kite, 857 P.2d 430 (Colo. App. 1992)
  • Koch v. U.S., 822 F. Supp. 117 (D. Colo. 1993)
  • Eagle Admixtures v. Hannon, 867 P.2d 111 (Colo. App. 1993)
  • Thompson v. State Farm, 165 P.3d 900 (Colo. App. 2007)
  • Camus v. State Farm, 151 P.3d 678 (Colo. App. 2006)
  • McGowan v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, 100 P.3d 521 (Colo. App. 2004)
  • Borjas v. State Farm, 33 P.3d 1265 (Colo. App. 2001)
  • Poole v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, 941 Supp. 117 (D. Colo. 1996)
• Mr. Sands authors and edits the Opening Statements chapter in the Colorado Courtroom Handbook. 
• Mr. Sands has authored numerous continuing education publications. Representative publications include:
  • Colorado Real Estate Titles and Title Insurance, 1999
  • Colorado Real Estate Titles and Title Insurance, 2001
  • The Two-Year Construction Statute of Limitations. The Colorado Lawyer, March, 1986.
  • Prior Representation: The Specter of Disqualification of Trial Counsel. The Colorado Lawyer, May, 1982.
• Mr. Sands has authored numerous continuing legal education publications, including “Bad Faith Litigation in Colorado”; “Essentials of Insurance Coverage; “Discovery in Bad Faith Litigation” “Title Insurance In Colorado”; “Curing Title Defects”; “Mechanics Liens”; “Real Estate Litigation in Colorado”; “Litigating Commercial Insurance Coverage Disputes”; “Commercial Insurance Coverage”; Insurance Coverage for Nonprofits
• Mr. Sands has taught numerous continuing legal education seminars including Real Estate Litigation in Colorado; Title Insurance and Curing Title Defects; Essentials of Title Insurance in Colorado; Mechanics Liens; Insurance Bad Faith Litigation In Colorado; Commercial Insurance Coverage; Insurance Coverage for Nonprofits; Claims-Made Policy Coverage; Essentials of Insurance Coverage; Discovery in Bad Faith Actions; UM/UIM Insurance in Colorado; Premises Liability presentations; Defense of false imprisonment claims; Defending Defamation Claims; Defending Unfair Competition and Trade Secret Litigation; Construction Defect Litigation; and numerous insurance coverage courses.
• Mr. Sands regularly teaches trial academy courses for new and experienced lawyers.
• Mr. Sands has been the recipient of numerous awards including:
  • Named to the Super Lawyers Top Ten list in Colorado for 2016 and Top 100 list for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-2022 Editions for Insurance Litigation Practice; real estate and commercial litigation
  • Best Lawyers in America Insurance Lawyer of the Year for 2018, 2020, and 2021
  • Law Week Insurance Lawyer of the Year 2013 and 2018
  • Best Lawyers Denver Defense Lawyer of the Year for 2012
  • Named Best Insurance Lawyer for Defendants by Law Week Colorado, Barrister’s Best 2016
  • Named a Best Lawyer® for Insurance Law by US News & World Report
  • 5280 Magazine Super Lawyer for 2006-2018; included in top 10 list for 2016; included in Colorado’s top 50 list for 2010; included in top 100 list for 2012 – 2022
  • Recipient of 2012 Professionalism award from CTLA
• Mr. Sands also provided pro bono service to the Denver District Court Bench by serving as a mediator selected by judges in particular cases.
• Services to the community include his role as a trustee on the board of the Animal Assistance from 1999-2012 (president 2002-2004); Director Denver Dumb Friends League Board of Directors 1986-1999 (president 1990-1992)
• Former Director, Colorado Humane Society

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

SWEETBAUM Sands PC; f/k/a SWEETBAUM SANDS ANDERSON P.C. May 2005-December 2022. Practice limited to civil litigation including trials, appeals and arbitrations.  Areas of emphasis include title insurance and real estate litigation; insurance coverage; insurance bad faith; construction defect; unfair competition; probate litigation and general commercial litigation.

CROSS & SANDS, P.C., f/k/a CROSS, SANDS & SARES. P.C., Denver, Colorado.  September 2002-May 2005.  Shareholder and director. Practice limited as set forth above.

BOSTROM, SANDS & SANDER, P.C., f/k/a BOSTROM & SANDS, P.C., Denver, Colorado.  February 1988-September 2002.  Shareholder and director.  Practice limited as set forth above.

HALIGMAN & LOTTNER, P.C. f/k/a ATLER, ZALL & HALIGMAN, P.C., Denver, Colorado. August 1981-February 1988. Practice limited to civil litigation with emphasis on real estate, construction and financial matters.

HEYL, BOSTROM & MUSYL, P.C., Denver, Colorado.  October 1980-August 1981. Practice limited to civil litigation.

EDUCATION

University of Colorado School of Law.  J.D., 1980.

University of Colorado, B.S. Journalism, 1976.  Graduation with honors.