A Brief History of the Firm

When Charles Rosenbaum first entered the Denver courts as a young Jewish attorney in the early 1920s, he could only try a case if he hired a Ku Klux Klan lawyer as co-counsel. Thankfully, Rosenbaum persevered in that difficult legal climate and the firm he eventually established in 1961 continues to thrive as it contributes positively to its community.

The Founders

Like most well-established law firms, Isaacson Rosenbaum has seen many metamorphoses in its lifetime. For many years, Rosenbaum was a sole practitioner; in his first seven years of practice, he argued 16 cases before the Colorado Supreme Court. Then, on August 19, 1951, Governor Thornton appointed him to the Denver District Court. Rosenbaum handed his clients to his good friend Sam Goldberg, and when Rosenbaum left the courts, the two men continued to practice together, thus establishing the practice of Rosenbaum & Goldberg.

Not much later, Rosenbaum’s son-in-law, Myron “Micky” Miller, joined the firm and they created Rosenbaum, Goldberg & Miller. Rosenbaum’s son, Stanton, joined the firm in 1956 after service in the Air Force and it became Rosenbaum, Goldberg, Rosenbaum & Miller.

During the 1960s, Micky Miller developed a thriving real estate practice and ended up working with another local real estate attorney, Lou Isaacson (1910-1993). The two men enjoyed working together and decided to merge their practices. As Miller put it, “The idea was that two plus two should make five. And it did.”

The new firm was called Isaacson, Rosenbaum, Goldberg & Miller.

Anticipating the Future

From that point, the firm’s history somewhat mimics the rise and fall of Denver’s economy. Not unlike the community it serves, the firm began the 1980s busy with growth and optimism. Then, when the energy market went bust, followed by a halt in large-scale real estate development, the firm had to prudently reposition itself for a more stable future. Because of the firm’s flexibility and ability to anticipate client needs, the 1980s remained active; attorneys managed the problems of high vacancy rates, sales and foreclosures, and negotiations with lenders, and they found innovative ways to change leases to attract tenants.

In the 1980s, the firm realized that law was becoming more complex as their clients’ interests became more diverse. They had to specialize in more areas, including environmental, employment, administrative, gaming, and intellectual property. They acquired attorneys who developed a niche in political circles, helping the firm to create alliances with government agencies and to create public/private synergy for commercial development.

After many years of changes, growth and success, in 2005 the firm changed its name to Isaacson Rosenbaum P.C.

The Firm Today

 With 44 lawyers, Isaacson Rosenbaum clients have included: Aspen Skiing company, the Prudential Insurance Company of America, Citicorp Real Estate, Inc., Denver West Properties, Inc., The Hotsy Corporation, The Temple Buell Foundation, Volant Ski Corporation, Mission Viejo Company, Kaufman and Broad Homes, Colorado State University, the University of Colorado Hospital Authority, Lutheran Medical Center, International Game Technology, the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, and the Investment Company Institute of America, Samsonite Corporation, Koelbel and Company, and Al Cohen Construction Co.

A Legacy of Service

Charles Rosenbaum’s long career, legal prowess and integrity were such that, in 1995, The Colorado Lawyer, the magazine of the Colorado State Bar Association, honored him as one of the “five greatest lawyers” in the state’s history. Rosenbaum believed that service to his clients should not stop with providing highly skilled legal assistance – it included being available for non-legal needs, as well. He contacted his clients on a regular basis, even when no legal matter was pending. He believed that a good lawyer should be as attuned to the pulse of his clients as their family doctor.

Lou Isaacson was equally respected for his contributions to law and to his community. He was a founding member and trustee of the Waterman Fund, which provides assistance to attorneys who encounter health or financial difficulties. He was also a founding trustee of Rose Medical Center, and he served on the boards of the Jewish Community Center, Temple Emanuel, Green Gables Country Club, and the Anti-Defamation League. He also was president of the Denver Bar Association in 1955 and 1956, and was senior vice president of the Colorado Bar Association in 1960 and 1961. In 1973, Isaacson received the Denver Bar Association’s highest honor, the Award of Merit. Micky Miller said Isaacson was a trusted counselor to his clients, and community members say he squeezed his law practice between community services. Clearly, he balanced both roles well.

This commitment to treating clients like family remains a cornerstone of the firm’s practice and separates it from firms that fail to create important and lasting relationships with their clients. “It’s a measure of pride that we represent the grown grandchildren of some of the families that Charles represented,” says Bill Silberstein, a shareholder with the firm. “Not many firms enjoy that level of continuity with clients.”

Further, their legacy of community service is still strong. Each year, Isaacson Rosenbaum lawyers and staff provide thousands of hours of free legal services on matters as diverse as tax assistance, criminal defense and real estate transactions. In addition, firm lawyers serve on the boards of several business, charitable, educational, governmental, and professional organizations. Isaacson Rosenbaum actively supports the arts, as well as civic and charitable organizations through financial contributions, drives and activities, which engage the efforts of our lawyers and our staff. We believe that great lawyers must also be great citizens.

Stanton Rosenbaum, who still practices with the firm, says, “I like to think that the firm is distinguished by our client service. We’re no more brilliant than some other law firms, so our attention to service assures that our clients stay with us.”

It also explains why some call Isaacson Rosenbaum the “smallest big firm in Denver.”