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.

Practice Areas

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

Resume

Linkedin

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.

Edward A. Khatskin

Senior Associate

Edward Khatskin focuses his practice on representing clients in high-dollar-value commercial and complex civil litigation matters in federal and state courts throughout Illinois and Missouri. Additionally, Mr. Khatskin has continuously obtained favorable results in defending claims involving medical malpractice, 42 U.S.C.§ 1983 civil rights, class action, wrongful death, personal injury, premises liability, transportation, employment, insurance coverage, toxic tort, and general civil and other tort claims.

Prior to law school, Mr. Khatskin worked as an accountant and owned a mortgage brokerage. This experience has helped him successfully represent clients in litigation involving the financial services and real estate industries, including cases with complex financial data, business valuation disputes, complex mechanic’s lien issues, quiet title actions, easements, boundary disputes, HOA and condominium disputes, and alleged realtor and title company negligence.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 2015
  • Missouri, 2012
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri

Location

Chicago Office

Education

JD: Washington University School of Law, 2012

BS: Saint Louis University, 2000, Finance/Accounting

Contact

khatskine@hallevans.com

More About
Edward

Resume

Linkedin

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America; Healthcare Law, 2021-2022
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Award, Complex Civil Litigation, 2012
Professional Associations
  • Chicago Bar Association
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • As a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Litigation Committee presented and moderated panel discussion with Judge Mary Rowland from the Northern District of Illinois on Settlement Conferences.
Other Activities

  • In his free time, Mr. Khatskin enjoys raising his two kids, traveling, skiing, motorcycling, and scuba diving.

Languages
  • Native proficiency in Russian

John F. “Jack” Peters

Member

Jack is a trial and appellate litigator. He has first chaired over fifty jury trials, tried cases to judges and arbitrators, litigated before numerous state and federal agencies, and handled multiple appeals to state and federal appellate courts. Jack has a diverse practice focused on labor and employment, school and local government law, and trust and estate litigation.

In his labor and employment work, Jack handles employment discrimination claims such as Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, and CADA; employment counseling; workplace investigations; wage and hour issues; and other employment counseling and litigation. In addition to employment, Jack represents companies in labor claims, including unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB and CDLE, union grievance arbitrations, and other labor disputes.

A large portion of Jack’s practice is devoted to Title IX, IDEA, Section 504, Title VI, FERPA, Claire Davis Act, and other claims against educational institutions. In addition to schools and universities, he represents a variety of public entities for claims under 42 USC 1983 and 1981, open records and open meetings issues, tort claims under the CGIA, and other claims against local governments.

Jack also brings his litigation experience to representing beneficiaries and fiduciaries, such as trustees, personal representatives, guardians, and conservators, in claims of breach of fiduciary duty, will contests, probate hearings, and other disputed trust, estate, and probate issues.

Before joining Hall and Evans, Jack was a prosecutor in Boulder County where he tried dozens of cases to verdict, handled extensive appellate work, and supervised the District Attorney’s Office law clerks. Jack graduated college from the University of Chicago and from Vermont Law School magna cum laude in the top 5% of his class. During law school he worked in the chambers of Justice Denise Johnson of the Vermont Supreme Court and was a summer associate in the Shanghai office of an international law firm. He continues to mentor law students and is actively involved in the legal community. Before law school, Jack was a licensed real estate salesperson in New York City and a middle school teacher in Denver.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2012
  • Kentucky (inactive), 2011
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: Vermont Law School, 2011, magna cum laude
BA: University of Chicago, 2004, Classical Languages and Literatures

Contact

petersj@hallevans.com

More About
Jack

Resume

Linkedin

Appeals
  • People v. Penn, 32, 379 P.3d 298 (Colo. 2016)
Professional Associations
  • Boulder Bar Association, Member, Board of Directors 2017 – 2020
  • Faculty of Federal Advocates
  • Council of School Attorneys and Colorado Council of School Board Attorneys
Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Senior Articles Editor, Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, 2010 – 2011
License
  • New York State Real Estate Salesperson License, inactive
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Presenter, “It’s Hard to Keep Up – Discrimination Law in 2025,” Colorado Bar Association’s Employment Law Conference, 2025
  • Presenter, “Diverse Juries Reach Better Verdicts: How Litigators can Create Diverse Jury Panels and Prevent Bias in Deliberations” Colorado Bar Association Litigators’ Summit, November 2023
  • Presenter, “Qualified Immunity and the Basics of Civil Claims Against Law Officers,” Boulder County Bar Association CLE, September 2020
  • Presenter, “The Legal Effect of Turning 18,” Monarch High School, 2014 – present
  • Presenter, “Finding and Using Digital Evidence,” Kentucky Prosecutors Conference, 2017
  • Trainer, Colorado District Attorney’s Council, 2014 – 2018
Professional Experience
  • Deputy District Attorney, Twentieth Judicial District, Boulder, CO, 2012 – 2019
  • Intern, Hon. Justice Denise Johnson, Vermont Supreme Court, Montpelier, VT, 2009
Languages
  • Conversational in French, Italian, and Spanish. Knowledge of Mandarin Chinese, German, and Swedish.
Blog Posts About Jack

Zachary D. Wagner

Member

Zachary Wagner’s diverse practice is focused primarily on complex civil litigation involving real estate disputes, contract disputes, premises liability, hospitality & retail, wrongful death, and products liability matters. A large portion of his practice involves counseling individuals, public entities, and private businesses in employment law and constitutional law matters through litigation, appeals, and administrative proceedings. Mr. Wagner is an experienced litigator and has successfully tried many cases to verdict in both state and federal court across Colorado.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2011
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: University of Colorado Law School, 2011
BA: University of Arkansas, 2007, History, summa cum laude

Contact

wagnerz@hallevans.com

More About
Zachary

Resume

Linkedin

Business & Community Service
  • Big, Big Brothers Big Sisters, 2015-present

Jill M. Gerdrum

Member

Jill Gerdrum is a civil litigator with a practice focused on product liability, transportation, premises liability, insurance defense, professional liability, and employment law.  Jill’s product liability experience includes claims related to farm equipment, RV component parts, engine components, loading dock equipment, lawn mowers, medical supplies, livestock feed, and underground fuel tanks.  In the transportation and premises liability arenas, she represents trucking companies, insurers, and national retailers in matters involving serious personal injuries and fatalities.

Jill is often called upon for early accident scene investigations and serves as an independent investigator for entities facing potential claims. She has successfully defended companies and individuals at the administrative level, and at the trial and appellate levels throughout state and federal courts in Montana.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Montana, 2006
  • Idaho, 2022
  • Wyoming, 2022
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of Idaho
  • U.S. District Court, District of Montana
  • U.S. District Court, District of Wyoming
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Location

Missoula Office
Cheyenne Office

Education

JD: University of Montana, 2006, High Honors
BA: University of Montana, 1997, Political Science

Contact

gerdrumj@hallevans.com

More About
Jill

Resume

Linkedin

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Chambers USA, Labor & Employment, 2019-2026
  • Martindale-Hubbell®, AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • The Best Lawyers in America®; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2020-2027; Commercial Litigation, 2020-2027; Civil Rights Law, 2024-2027; Employment Law – Management, 2024-2027; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2024-2027; Transportation Law, 2024-2027
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, Civil Litigation: Defense, 2017-2025
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers ®, Top 50 Women, 2022-2025
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers ®, Top 100 Lawyers, 2023, 2025
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, “Rising Star,” Civil Litigation: Defense, 2014-2016
  • Montana Judicial Standards Commission, appointed by Montana Supreme Court, 2017-present
Professional Experience
  • Partner, Axilon Law Group, PLLC, Missoula, Montana, 2006-2021
  • Clinic Law Clerk, U.S. Magistrate Judge Leif Erickson, Summer 2005
  • Deputy Commissioner of Insurance & Securities, Montana State Auditor, Helena, Montana, 2001-2003
Decisions
  • Barstads v. Albert Burney, Inc., et. al, DV-16-68; DV-16-69;DV-17-12, Montana’s Third Judicial District, Powell County, (order of dismissal and to compel arbitration on behalf of defendant Riverbend Realty)
  • Hathaway v. Zoot Enterprises, Inc., DV-19-809B, Montana Eighteen Judicial District Court (summary judgment and denial of motion for leave to amend for defendant)
  • Janik v. Town of Whitehall et. al., DV-18-01, Montana’s Fifth Judicial District Court, Jefferson County (summary judgment for Town clerk)
  • Outland v. Montana Department of Corrections, HRB Case No. 956-2018, (decision for Outland at hearing and on appeal to HRC)
  • Adami v. Nelson, DR-16-199, Montana’s Fourth Judicial District Court, Missoula County (bench trial decision for Adami)
  • Chyatte v. Missoula County, et al., CV-13-174-M-DWM-JCL, U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Missoula Division; Case No. 16-35046, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (defense verdict on behalf of Missoula County)
  • Scotten v. Dept. of Veteran’s Affairs, DE-1221-16-0087-W-1, United States Merit System Protection Board (decision for Scotten on whistleblower protection claim)
  • Frank v. Town of West Yellowstone, CV-15-25-BU-SEH, U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Butte Division; Case No. 16-35218, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (on behalf of Town of West Yellowstone) (summary judgment for Town and order of dismissal for Individual defendants)
  • Orr v. Anaconda Deer Lodge County, CV-14-BU-SEH, U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, Butte Division; Case No. 15-35612, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (summary judgment on behalf of Anaconda Deer Lodge County)
Appeals
  • Hathaway v. Zoot Enters., 2021 MT 292, 406 Mont. 239, 2021 Mont. LEXIS 905, 2021 WL 5194919
  • Ramsbacher v. Jim Palmer Trucking, 2018 MT 118, 391 Mont. 298, 417 P.3d 313
  • Adami v. Nelson, 2019 MT 286, 398 Mont. 72, 454 P.3d 642
  • S. Mont. Tel. Co. v. Mont. PSC, Dep’t of Pub. Serv. Regulation, 2017 MT 123
  • TC Fuel Components, LLC v. Mont. Eleventh Judicial Dist. Court, 374 Mont. 540, 346 P.3d 363 (2014)
  • Johnson v. W. Transp., LLC, 2011 MT 13, 359 Mont. 145, 247 P.3d 1094
  • Hilten v. Bragg, 2010 MT 273, 358 Mont. 407, 248 P.3d 282
Professional Associations
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, 2015-present
  • Transportation Lawyers Association, 2020-present
  • Trucking Industry Defense Association 2021-present
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Co-Author, “Danger! Danger! Will Robinson:  Are My Warnings Enough? Impact of the “heeding presumption” of on warnings labels and situations in which post-sale warnings may arise,” ALFA International Products Liability & Complex Torts Seminar, 2022
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “Employment Law Update – Return to Work, COVID-19 Issues, & Changes to Montana Law,” Jim Tillotson Service Program for Montana City Attorneys, 2021
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “Navigating the City/Client Landscape under Rule of Prof. Conduct 1.13,” MMIA Defense Counsel Summit, 2020
  • Author and Presenter, “Record Retention, Litigation Holds, and Electronic Discovery: How Employers Can Navigate Rough Waters,” Seminar Group Employment Law Institute, 2020
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “It’s How We Play the Game, Ethical Considerations in Litigation,” ALFA International Client Seminar, 2019
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “Culture is the New Black, The Value of Company Culture and It’s Impact on Litigation,” ALFA International Client Seminar, 2018
  • Author, “The United States Supreme Court’s Recent Personal Jurisdiction Decisions: Federalism and Restriction on Forum Shopping, or a “Parade of Horribles”?,” FDCC Insights, September 2017
  • Author and Presenter, “Workplace Whistleblowers: The Tension Amongst Fairness, Loyalty, & The Motivating Factors of Whistleblowing,” The Seminar Group Employment Law Institute, 2017
  • Author and Presenter, “Representing Your Client in Federal Court, National Business Institute Seminar,” 2015
  • Co-Author, “Transportation Mini Compendium – Montana,” American Trucking Association, 2013
  • Co-Author and Presenter, “When the Party is Over: What do Former Employees and Their Former Employers Owe Each Other,” The Seminar Group, 2012
  • Author and Presenter, “Employment Discrimination Law Issues,” Sterling Education Seminar, Missoula, 2011
  • Co-Author, “Transportation Law Compendium – Montana;” “Insurance Law Compendium – Montana;”“Labor & Employment Law Compendium – Montana,” ALFA International, 2012-2021
  • Co-Author, “Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee’s Guide to Montana’s Complex Law Regarding Joint and Several Liability and Contributory Negligence,” ABA’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2009
Business & Community Service
  • Montana Legal Services Association, Volunteer, 2020-present
  • Missoula Childcare Resources, Member/Vice-Chair, Board of Directors, 2008-2011
  • Myrna Loy Center-Helena, Member, Board of Directors, 2001-2003
Other Activities
  • Outside of work, Jill can be found running, backpacking, and shuttling her daughters around to all kinds of activities.  She also continues to be involved in her family’s cattle ranch in Grass Range, Montana.
Blog Posts About Jill

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