Michael S. Power

Senior Associate

Michael Power has over 25 years of civil litigation defense experience in Colorado state and federal courts. Mr. Power’s practice currently focuses on representing general contractors and subcontractors in construction defect claims and representing individuals and businesses in premises liability matters. He also handles coverage analysis and opinions, first-party breach of contract, bad faith, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. Mr. Power has represented insurers and policy holders under all types of policies including commercial general liability, professional liability, errors and omissions, homeowner liability, and automobile liability.

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1997
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 1997

BA: University of Iowa, 1990, Music and Philosophy

Contact

powerm@hallevans.com

More About
Michael

Decisions
  • Kaiser v. Mountain States Mut. Cas. Co., 2013 WL 179454 (D.Colo. 2013)

  • Royal Indemnity Co. v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2008 WL 4378737 (D.Colo. 2008)

  • American Family Mut. Ins. Co. v. Terlingen, 2008 WL 5156435 (D.Colo. 2008)

Appeals
  • Browning v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 396 Fed.Appx. 496, 2010 WL 3667116

  • Sachs v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 251 P.3d 543 (Colo.App.Div. 5 2010)

  • Weitz v. Mid-Century, 181 P.3d 309 (Colo. App. 2007)

  • Cruz v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 12 P.3d 307 (Colo. App. 2000)

  • Mid-Century Ins. Co. v. Travelers Indem. Co., 982 P.2d 310 (Colo. 1999)

  • Mid-Century Ins. Co. v. Heritage Drug, Ltd., 3 P.3d 461 (Colo. App. 1999)

Professional Associations
  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Heart of the Rockies Bar Association
Certifications
  • Certified Mediator, Colorado Bar Association
Professional Experience
  • Prior to joining Hall & Evans, Mr. Power ran a successful insurance defense practice in Denver, CO.

Sylvia Grace Acosta

Counsel

Sylvia Grace Acosta has over 25 years of wide-ranging litigation experience.  Ms. Acosta’s current practice includes insurance defense, construction defect, dram shop, premises liability, insurance bad faith litigation, and coverage disputes.  She also handles commercial litigation, real estate matters, estate planning, and workers’ compensation.   

Ms. Acosta is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, where she instructs and mentors students on arbitration and negotiation. She is an active member and Past President of the Utah Minority Bar Association, and active with the Women Lawyers of Utah and Utah Center for Legal Inclusion.

Bar Admissions

  • Utah, 2003
  • Nebraska (inactive), 1997
  • California (inactive), 2002
  • Idaho (inactive), 2010

Location

Salt Lake City Office

Education

JD: University of Nebraska College of Law, 1997
BA: Auburn University, 1994, Psychology and English

Contact

acostag@hallevans.com

More About
Grace

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • Law Clerk, Utah Court of Appeals, Hon. William A. Thorne, Jr., 2002-2004
Professional Associations
  • Utah Minority Bar Association
  • Women Lawyers of Utah
  • Utah Center of Legal Inclusion

Jeff Soffer

Senior Associate

Jeff’s practice focuses on premises liability, products liability, medical malpractice, employment, hospitality & retail, professional liability, and complex commercial litigation. Representative clients include hospital systems, nursing facilities, trucking companies, gig-economy platforms, retail establishments, and hospitality businesses.

Jeff utilizes his experience in litigation, business strategy, and risk assessment to advocate for clients in high-stakes conflicts, develop innovative legal arguments, and mitigate risk through proactive compliance and dispute resolution.

Prior to joining Hall & Evans in 2025, Jeff worked for two law firms in Houston, Texas. He received his JD from the University of Texas School of Law, his MBA from New York University, and his BA from Northwestern University. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife and three fun-loving children.

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: University of Texas School of Law, 2012
MBA: New York University, 2017, Financial Instruments and Markets, Economics, and Marketing
BA: Northwestern University, 2008, Economics and Philosophy

Contact

sofferj@hallevans.com

More About
Jeff

Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Author, “A Professional (lack of) Courtesy: The Emergence of Expert Testimony in Legal and Medical Malpractice Cases,” St. Mary’s Law Journal on Legal Malpractice and Ethics, Volume 46, 2015
  • Author, “Apologize First; Mediate Second; Litigate…Never?” The University of Texas School of Law, The Review of Litigation, Volume 34, 2015
  • Presenter, “A Professional (lack of) Courtesy: The Emergence of Expert Testimony in Legal and Medical Malpractice Cases,” St. Mary’s Legal Ethics Symposium 2015
  • Presenter, “Handling Lawsuits: It’s Not Just For Lawyers Anymore,” American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, Annual Conference & Exhibition, 2014

April D. Moore

Member

April Moore is a trial attorney with over eighteen years of experience in the areas of personal injury, product liability, construction and design, insurance coverage, and employment law. Her experience includes all phases of civil litigation from pre-litigated matters to trials, mediations, arbitrations, and appeals in state and federal courts.

Ms. Moore enjoys the complexities of litigation, and she strives to provide high-quality, efficient representation.  She has significant experience with high exposure, tort and commercial lawsuits, including cases involving allegations of wrongful death, brain injury, and incapacitating traumatic injuries. As lead counsel, Ms. Moore has achieved defense verdicts, prevailed on appeals, and obtained summary judgments for her clients on several occasions.

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2006
  • Texas, 2023
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: UCLA Law School, 2006
BA: California State University-Northridge, 2001, Psychology, magna cum laude

Contact

moorea@hallevans.com

More About
April

Appeals
  • Sinclair Wyo. Ref. Co. v. A & B Builders, Ltd., 989 F.3d 747 (10th Cir. 2021)
  • Duncan v. Kobneck, 16CA0150 (Colo. App. 2017) unpublished
  • Vititoe v. Rocky Mountain Pavement Main., Inc., 412 P.3d 767 (Colo. App. 2015)
  • Engeman Enterprises, LLC v. Tolin Mechanical Systems Co., 320 P.3d 364 (Colo. App. 2013)
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Presenter, “Colorado Personal Injury Statutes,” Carrier client, 2023
  • Co-Presenter, “Best Practices for Panel Counsel,” Carrier client Legal Academy, 2019
  • Presenter, “Medicare Subrogation Rights,” Claims and Litigation Management Alliance, Denver Chapter Education and Networking Event, 2013
Professional Associations
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
  • Texas Bar Association

Jacob Gudenkauf

Senior Associate

Jacob Gudenkauf is a litigator with a broad range of experience in construction and design, premises liability, health care, employment, toxic torts, commercial litigation, catastrophic injury, and coverage matters. Mr. Gudenkauf defends a variety of licensed professionals including architects, engineers, and design professionals involved with construction defect claims, as well as doctors, nurses, and health care providers facing medical malpractice claims. He counsels employers with investigations of harassment, retaliation, and discrimination and defends public entities in matters involving Constitutional torts, governmental immunity, and local governance.

Mr. Gudenkauf’s focus is on first seeking to understand his client’s goals and story. Whether through facilitating an early resolution or pursuing a matter through trial and final judgment, he always seeks to find creative solutions to the problems that face his clients and to help them reach their goals.

Mr. Gudenkauf graduated cum laude from Willamette University College of Law. During law school, he served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Elizabeth Weishaupl in Colorado’s 18th District and clerked with the Trial Division of the Oregon Department of Justice.

Bar Admissions

  • Utah, 2022
  • Colorado, 2016
  • U.S. District Court, District of Utah
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Salt Lake City Office

Education

JD: Willamette University College of Law, 2016, cum laude
BA: University of Colorado, 2012, History and Political Science

Contact

gudenkaufj@hallevans.com

More About
Jacob

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, “Rising Star,” Construction Litigation, 2025
Decisions
  • Won summary judgment on behalf of general contractor construction defect, defamation, and breach of contract case.
Professional Associations
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
Other Activities
  • Mr. Gudenkauf enjoys spending time with his family, playing golf (poorly), and cheering for the University of Colorado Buffaloes.