Elizabeth Bonanno - Denver, CO
Attorney at GEM Family Law
Family Law Lawyers in Denver, CO
650 S. Cherry Street Suite 500 Denver, CO 80246
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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14
Years
Experience
Denver Family Law Lawyer
Updated: 03/02/2026
Areas of Practice
- Family Law
Attorney Information
Overview
Elizabeth Bonanno is a Partner at GEM Family Law, and is named one of ten Best Divorce Lawyers in Denver by Forbes for both 2024 and 2025. Elizabeth practices exclusively in family law, having served hundreds of clients during her tenure with their divorces, parenting, and child support cases. Elizabeth's family law practice has focused on asset and business valuation, income valuation, complex divorce, parental responsibilities, child relocation, and child support matters, among others. Elizabeth speaks both Spanish and Italian and uses these skills to assist non-native speakers in navigating through domestic matters.
Elizabeth's outstanding legal work and professionalism has been recognized by her selection as a 2017-2025 Colorado Super Lawyers® "Rising Star", her inclusion in The Best Lawyers In America© 2021-2025 for both Family Law and Family Law Arbitration, by the judicial officers of Arapahoe County, who invited her to serve on their Best Practices Committee, and by Law Week Colorado, who named her as one of only seven "Up and Coming Lawyers" for 2015. She was also a finalist for the Gary McPherson outstanding young lawyer of the year award from the Colorado Bar Association in 2016.
Elizabeth graduated from the University of Colorado Law School with Honors in Juvenile and Family Law. Elizabeth practiced family law for seven years at Griffiths Law PC, and was a partner at the firm from January, 2017 through July, 2019, joining the GEM family on August 1, 2019. She received additional family law experience as a law clerk to Judge Norman D. Haglund on the domestic docket in Denver District Court.
Elizabeth trained in trial advocacy under Colorado Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice (Ret.) and displays confidence and poise in the courtroom, having run many hearings and trials - Elizabeth is one of the foremost family law litigators. However, she is also a firm believer in mediation and alternative dispute resolution, assisting clients in settling matters before they reach the courthouse. Elizabeth is trained in Collaborative Law, whereby parties commit to resolving their dissolution of marriage cooperatively and without the court's involvement.
Along with her law practice, Elizabeth has authored articles for publications and has presented at seminars on family law topics. She is a member of several professional organizations, including Past President of the Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, an organization committed to the improvement of family law via the intersection of the mental health and legal fields, the Denver Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Judicial Institute and the James E. Doyle American Inn of Court, and is a member of the Arapahoe County Best Practices Committee, an invite-only group of judicial officers, clerks and attorneys focused on improving family law in Arapahoe County.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Best Divorce Lawyers, Denver, CO of 2024 & 2025, Forbes Advisor
- The Best Lawyers in America, Family Law and Family Law Arbitration, 2021 - 2026
- Colorado Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2017 - 2025
- “Up & Coming Lawyers” by Law Week Colorado, 2015
- Colorado Bar Association’s Gary McPherson Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year finalist, 2016
- Honors in Juvenile and Family Law, University of Colorado Law School, 2012
- 10.0 AVVO rating
Other Sources of Feedback About Elizabeth Bonanno
Included on the 2026 Colorado Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Colorado Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Colorado Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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University of Colorado School of Law,
Boulder,
Colorado
J.D.
Honors: Graduating with Honors in Juvenile and Family Law
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University of Colorado School of Law,
Boulder,
Colorado
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Non Legal Education
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Truman State University
B.A.
Honors: magna cum laude
Major: Political Science and Spanish
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Truman State University
Current Employment Position(s)
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Founding Partner
Classes and Seminars
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"Grandfluence® : Grandparents, Other Third-Party Influencers, and Plain Ol' Meddlers," Colorado Bar Association Family Law Section, co-presenter, June 2025
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"Truth, Lies, and Consequences in DR Cases, Part II" Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, co-presenter, November 2023
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"All Is Fair In Love and Trust Law," Colorado Bar Association Family Law Section, co-presenter, September, 2023
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“Orders Orders Orders: Why We Need Them and Who We Are Working With," Domestic Relations and Probate Judicial Institute, co-presenter, June 2023.
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"Truth, Lies, and Consequences in DR Cases,"; Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, co-presenter, May 2023.
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“Resist and Refuse: It’s a Family Problem. Reintegration Therapy and Family Court,” Domestic Relations and Probate Judicial Institute, co-presenter, June 2021.
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“Understanding and Intervening: When Children Refuse Contact with a Parent,” Colorado Association of Family and Conciliatory Courts, panel discussion, October 2019
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“Collaborative Law: Debunking the Myths, A Current Perspective on Adding the Collaborative Model to Your Toolbox,” Colorado Family Law Institute, co-presenter, August 2019
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“The Holistic Divorce: How to Separate the Family Unit Without Destroying It,” ColoradoBiz, December 2018
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“Trial Tips – Pet Peeves and Best Practices,” Colorado Judicial Institute, co-presenter, March 1, 2018
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“How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out),” National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Program, co-presenter, December 2017
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“QDROs Boot Camp,” National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Program, co-presenter, July 2017; July 2016
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“Calling All Spanish-Speaking Lawyers” by Elizabeth Bonanno, The Docket, February 2015, Vol. 37, No. 2
- Our Courts of Colorado, Presenter for the Colorado Bar Association and Colorado Judicial Institute’s joint public education project
Other Affiliations
- Colorado Bar Association, Family Law Section, Executive Council Member
- Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, Past President
- Arapahoe County Domestic Relations Best Practices Committee
- Denver Source for Collaborative Divorce Practice Group
- Colorado Women’s Bar Association, Circle of Minerva
- Denver Bar Association
- Colorado Judicial Institute
- Doyle’s American Inn of Court
Reviews
Customer Reviews for Elizabeth Bonanno
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Consulted Attorney 2024Elizabeth was great to work with. Very knowledgeable and professional.
Photo
Contact
650 S. Cherry Street
Suite 500
Denver, CO 80246
Phone: 720-443-4892
Email: Send a message
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8am-6pm MST and Friday: 8am-1pm MST
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