Meet Tom P. Ward, Attorney At Law
Criminal Defense & Immigration
Experienced Trial Attorney
Kaplan Morrell is proud to welcome Tom P. Ward to the firm. With over 20 years of experience and more than 100 jury trials to his credit, Tom is a seasoned litigator who brings a “strategic and imaginative” approach to defending his clients’ rights.
Tom’s career has been defined by his willingness to take on the most complex and high-stakes cases. He has successfully defended clients against a wide range of charges, from DUI and traffic matters to serious felonies, including aggravated robbery, sexual assault, drug distribution, and first-degree murder. Notably, Tom has a history of achieving extraordinary outcomes in high-profile cases, such as securing the dismissal of murder charges in high-stakes litigation.
Before joining Kaplan Morrell, Tom served as a Managing Attorney (Office Head) for the Colorado State Public Defender, where he honed his skills in the “trenches” of the Colorado legal system. Following his tenure with the Public Defender’s Office, Tom spent nearly a decade in private practice at a prominent Denver-based boutique law firm focused on criminal defense and immigration matters. There, he represented individuals in complex, high-stakes cases, further developing his expertise at the intersection of criminal and immigration law.
His expertise is recognized at the highest levels of state government; he was appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to serve on a Judicial Nominating Committee and by the Colorado Legislature to serve on key advisory boards, including the Senate Bill 94 Advisory Board.
Tom’s dedication to the law is deeply personal. His commitment to constitutional advocacy is rooted in family history. His father served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and fought along the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. His grandfather served in the United States Army during World War II and fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal. That legacy of service instilled in Tom a profound respect for the protections and freedoms secured by the Constitution, and he views every case as an opportunity to uphold those sacred rights.
With family living in Guanajuato, Mexico, Tom is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. This allows him to bridge the gap for our Spanish-speaking clients, particularly when navigating the complex intersection of Criminal and Immigration Law. Whether he is negotiating a settlement or fighting before a jury, Tom is a persuasive advocate who understands the “overwhelming prospect” of being accused of a crime.
Professional Affiliations & Recognition
- Member: Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
- Member: National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Appointee: Judicial Nominating Committee (Governor-appointed)
- Appointee: Interstate Compact for Juvenile State Counsel (Legislature-appointed)
- Educator: Routinely conducts training and educational seminars for fellow attorneys on trial advocacy.
Media & High-Profile Case Highlights
- Murder charges dropped for Robert Smith – Fort Morgan Times
- The Men Caught Transporting Illegal Immigrants – Westword
- Burlington Family Shooting Case – The Denver Post
Defense Counsel Across Colorado
Tom represents clients across Colorado from Kaplan Morrell’s conveniently located offices in Greeley, Loveland, and Denver, providing strategic criminal defense and immigration counsel to individuals and families throughout the state.