Adam R. Knecht

Member

Adam Knecht concentrates his practice on both transactional and business/civil litigation. Mr. Knecht’s civil work encompasses all aspects of civil trial work, including business litigation, landlord/tenant disputes, non-competition litigation, transportation law, premises liability, and insurance defense. His civil practice includes defending catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases, defending healthcare professions against medical malpractice and nursing home lawsuits, workers’ compensation defense, defense of civil rights claims, and defending the manufacturers of various products including building products and medical products. Mr. Knecht’s transactional practice involves mergers and acquisitions, general business transactions, real estate law, and securities law.

Mr. Knecht represents clients in a wide variety of litigation and appellate matters in Federal and State courts in Nevada and Utah. He has successfully defended and prosecuted cases through trial, serving as lead trial counsel in more than 20 cases generally involving complex commercial, business, premises liability, personal injury, and real estate issues. Mr. Knecht has also been recognized by Mountain States Super Lawyers® for his business litigation law practice.

Prior to law practice, Mr. Knecht had many years of business management experience in both the technology and construction industries. He also advised and provided management consulting services for various mid to large companies while working for global consulting firms Accenture and Bridge Strategy Group. Subsequent to that, Mr. Knecht was the general manager of a construction and real estate development company.

Bar Admissions

  • Nevada, 2013
  • Utah, 2021
  • New Mexico, 2022
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Nevada
  • U.S. District Court, District of Utah

Location

Las Vegas Office

Education

JD: University of Nevada-Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, 2013

BS: Brigham Young University, 1998, Finance and Information Systems, Minor in Spanish

Contact

knechta@hallevans.com

More About
Adam

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America; Corporate Law, 2024-2025
  • Mountain States Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation, 2022
  • Outstanding Academic Achievement Full Scholarship
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Award: Legal Writing I (2010), Legal Writing II (2011), and Evidence, (2012)
Professional Associations
  • State Bar of Nevada
  • State Bar of Utah
  • Southern Utah Bar
  • State Bar New Mexico
  • Nevada Contractors Association
  • National Association of Home Builders
Business & Community Service
  • Volunteer, Boy Scouts of America, 2000-present
  • Volunteer, Habitat for Humanity, 1989-present
Other Activities
  • Outside of work, Mr. Knecht enjoys spending time with his wife and children, running, boating, climbing, and hiking.
Languages
  • Spanish

Svetlana V. Scherr

Senior Associate

Svetlana Scherr joined Hall & Evans, LLC as an Associate in 2022 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2025. She represents employers, insurers, and professionals in a wide range of legal matters. In addition to her extensive work in workers’ compensation, she handles cases involving professional liability, auto and transportation claims, construction disputes, and general civil liability matters, including cases ranging from minor injuries to wrongful death. 

Ms. Scherr earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2021 and her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, cum laude, from the University of South Alabama in 2012. Her legal practice is informed by more than a decade of prior experience in the accounting and tax fields. Ms. Scherr is a Certified Public Accountant and is Accredited in Business Valuation, with a background in trusts and estates, employment agreements, tax compliance, business valuation, accounting, financial reporting, and auditing. This dual experience allows her to navigate complex financial and legal issues with skill. 

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2022
  • Utah, 2024
  • South Dakota, 2025
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2021
BS: University of South Alabama, 2012, Business Administration, cum laude

Contact

scherrs@hallevans.com

More About
Svetlana

Professional Associations
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants
License
  • Certified Public Accountant
  • Accredited in Business Valuation by the AICPA
Languages
  • Russian

Kendra G. Garstka

Member

Kendra Garstka’s practice focuses on the representation of insurance carriers and employers in Colorado and Utah workers’ compensation and subrogation cases.  Ms. Garstka defends and argues cases before the Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation, the Utah Labor Commission, and the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Prior to joining Hall & Evans, Ms. Garstka was an Associate for insurance defense firms in Denver and Chicago.  Ms. Garstka began her legal career in Chicago, Illinois as a Staff Attorney for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission where she drafted opinions and decisions on review, orders, and dissent consistent with the Commissioner’s rulings.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2017
  • Utah, 2018
  • Illinois (inactive), 2012

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2012
BA: American University, 2009, Journalism and Political Science, magna cum laude

Contact

garstkak@hallevans.com

More About
Kendra

Professional Associations
  • Professionals in Workers’ Compensation

  • ALFA International, Steering Committee, Workers’ Compensation Practice Group

  • Colorado Bar Association
  • Denver Bar Association
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Program Chair, ALFA International Workers’ Compensation Practice Group Regional Seminar, 2026
  • Panelist, “Emerging Trends in and Around Workers’ Compensation,” ALFA International Future Leaders Seminar, 2023
  • Presentation, “Marijuana and Colorado Workers’ Compensation,” Client Seminar, 2018
  • Presentation, “Evaluating Compensability and Causation Issues (Including the Role of Diagnostic Testing),” Client Seminar, 2018
Career Distinctions & Honors
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers, 2026
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America; Workers’ Compensation Law, 2021-2025
  • Colorado Super Lawyers®, “Rising Star,” Workers’ Compensation, 2024-2026
Business & Community Service
  • Co-Vice Chair of Administrative Law Committee, Chicago Bar Association, December 2013 – June 2016
  • American University Alumni Association, Leadership Team, Chicago Chapter, July 2013 – April 2017
  • Office of the Governor, Clemency Backlog Elimination Project, September 2012- December 2014
  • Field Associates, Program Committee Member, Field Museum, July 2013 – April 2017

Douglas J. Kotarek

Member

Mr. Kotarek is the head of the Hall & Evans Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, and his practice focuses on workers’ compensation defense. He also defends businesses in employment matters and general civil litigation.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1992
  • New Mexico (inactive), 1988
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Location

Denver Office

Education

JD: J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, 1988
BA: Brigham Young University, 1985

Contact

kotarekd@hallevans.com

More About
Douglas

Career Distinctions & Honors

He is currently on the Legislative Committee of the Colorado Employers Advocacy Association and lobbies the Colorado legislature on the Association’s behalf regarding workers’ compensation legislation.  He also assists in writing amicus curiae briefs to the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of CEAA. 

He is on the Advisory Committee for the Workers’ Compensation group of the Colorado Civil Justice League.  As a member of the legal advisory committee, Mr. Kotarek reviews and analyzes potential judicial appointments, advises the business community of judicial/legislative issues that may have an impact on business, and assists with legislative issues that affect business. 

Professional Associations
  • Colorado Employers Advocacy Association
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
  • Professionals in Workers’ Compensation
  • ALFA International
    • Steering committee, Workers’ Compensation Practice Group
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Speaker, “New Legislation Respondent Perspective,” 2011 Annual Fall Workers’ Compensation Update, CLE in Colorado, Inc., October 2011
  • Annual Presenter, ALFA Workers’ Compensation National Seminar
  • Lead Note and Comment Editor, BYU Journal of Public Law, 1987-1988
Languages

Mr. Kotarek is fluent in Spanish, and is able to represent clients in claims involving Spanish speaking parties or witnesses.