Kayla Marie Mendez
Associate
Kayla Marie Mendez is an associate in the Environmental, Safety & Health practice group at the Denver office, where she assists clients with regulatory and compliance matters across a variety of industries. She focuses her practice primarily on appellate and administrative law litigation. She also supports clients through white collar and government investigations.
Kayla Marie has challenged rulemakings and proceedings by a variety of federal and state agencies. She has extensive experience with regulatory statutes, including the Administrative Procedure Act, the Clean Water Act, the Exchange Act, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Prior to joining the firm, Kayla Marie served as a judicial intern for the Colorado Supreme Court and 20th Judicial District Court of Colorado.
For her potential to be a transformational leader, the University of Colorado Law School selected Kayla Marie as a Leaders in Law and Community Scholar. During her fellowship, she worked in the Criminal Immigration Defense Clinic as a student attorney for two years, gaining invaluable experience advocating for her clients. Kayla Marie’s peers also placed her in leadership positions on the Council for Racial Justice and Equity, the Graduate and Professional Student Government, and the Latino/a Law Students Association.
- Functioned as a primary associate on a team that obtained vacatur and remand in the US Supreme Court.
- Challenged rulemakings and adjudication decisions by a variety of agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the US Army Corps. of Engineers (USACE).
- Assisted in obtaining intervention in FERC proceedings for an international energy firm and successfully motioning for access to privileged documents critical to the client’s position.
- Secured summary judgment for a global automobile manufacturer.
- Counseled a city on the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act to identify allowable land conversion projects.
- Conducted extensive motions practice in an APA challenge for a substantial mineral exploration and development client.
- Prepared a large industrial manufacturing client for FERC enforcement inquiries.
- Supported an internal investigation for a publicly-traded client ahead of government investigations.
- Drafted amicus curiae briefs in challenges to a complex SEC rulemaking and an agency adjudication.
Education
- University of Colorado School of Law, J.D.
- University of California, B.A., summa cum laude
Admissions
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
Courts
- U.S. Ct. of App., First Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Ct. of App., D.C. Circuit
Memberships & Affiliations
- Former Associate Editor, University of Colorado Law Review
- Pro Bono Superstar (50+ hours), 2024-2025