Our Beginnings

about-larson-larimer-denver-co-05

OUR COMMITMENT

Every Firm Has A Beginning

The traits that fueled Larson Larimer Schneider’s rise from a Denver Colorado startup to a personal injury powerhouse — innovative, collaborative, client-centric — continue to define our firm culture.

We remain focused on developing an inclusive complement of extraordinary attorneys and paralegals who work together as a team to deliver the highest quality advice and best outcomes for clients.

10231 +

SATISIFIED CLIENTS

95 %

SUCCESS RATE

50

MILLIONS RECOVERED

100 +

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

The Defenders

Our Beginnings

From football state champions to champions of justice, attorneys Mark Larson and Vance Larimer are Denver’s defenders of every “David” facing his or her “Goliath.” Intrinsically and irrevocably tied to the local community, they are the founding partners of the preeminent personal injury law firm. With similar ideals and philosophies, it’s easy to understand how their longtime friendship developed into a partnership.

It all began more than 30 years ago on the gridiron of Cherry Creek High School. From Hell Week, until the final whistle of the season, the two young athletes were getting an up-close and personal education in determination, grit and team work. The 1982-83 season saw the Bruins emerge victorious, bringing home the highly coveted State Football Championship Trophy.

“I think playing football was when we first recognized what we were capable of,” says Larimer. “Looking back, those times definitely had an impact on building habits and developing characteristics that would serve us well for the remainder of our lives. The formula is the same whether in football or business; give it your all, don’t give up and love what you do.”

After high school the two men headed to opposite coasts to continue their education; Larimer earning a Bachelor of Science in economics, graduating cum laude from Colgate University in New York while Larson obtained his Bachelor of Science from San Diego State University.

DIFFERENT PATHS

Choosing Law

Colorado has always represented home to these two, and it seems that it was calling the college graduates to return. While they traveled different paths, ultimately their reasons for wanting to practice law are virtually identical. They both saw injustice; people feeling helpless to stand up against big business and big government. They wanted to be part of the solution.

As one might presume based on his undergraduate studies, Larimer had planned a career in finance. In fact, he demonstrated a remarkable acumen for business. His innate aptitude together with a very impressive scholastic record led to his being offered a position with a Wall Street investment bank.

“I thought finance was going to be my thing,” he says. “I hadn’t really considered becoming an attorney until my experience on Wall Street. I suppose up until then I had been a little naïve. But now I wasn’t just studying the principles of finance, I was working in the real world and I have to say it was very discouraging. I was turned off by big business and insurance and taking advantage of the ‘little guy.’ I wanted to find something where I could help those who’d been taken advantage of, and law school was the logical next step.”

Larson, on the other hand, had been planning his future in law since high school. Actually, according to his mother it was even earlier than that.

“After I became a lawyer, my mother provided me with a paper I had written when I was 10 years old,” he says. “The project was to write about what you would be doing in 20 years. I wrote that I would be married, with three children and be a lawyer.” (He wasn’t completely psychic; he and his wife actually have only two sons.)

Despite these early plans for his career, during his last semester at the San Diego State University, Larson worked for a Washington D.C. law firm to “make sure” the law was really what he wanted.

“It was my way of making sure that the law school was the path I wanted to take and that a career in law was a good fit,” he says. “What initially drew me to this career was my interest in the law itself; how and why the government passes laws, changes to laws and how they go about changing or interpreting the existing laws. As I learned more about the law, I also learned how helpless the average person is to combat the government and corporate America even when the law is in their favor. It felt important to me then, and still does, to be an advocate for them.”

OUR ROOTS

Back to Denver

While it’s clear that Larson and Larimer were similarly motivated, when they first began to practice law each took an approach uniquely suited to his own interests and passion. Much like their respective positions on the Cherry Creek football team, each man carried different responsibilities but ultimately, they shared the same goal.

“My first job out of law school was with Jack Mills, an attorney and sports agent in Boulder Colorado,” says Larimer. “He was a solid role model and very ethical attorney. He taught me that it’s far more important to do the right thing versus the most lucrative option.”

Since obtaining his Juris Doctor, Larimer has focused his practice in plaintiff’s personal injury claims, insurance bad faith, civil litigation and professional athlete claims for disability and workers’ compensation. In the sports arena, he has successfully negotiated in excess of $100 million in NFL player contracts for more than 15 years. Although his practice today primarily focuses on high value personal injury cases. Larimer continues to handle professional athlete’s claims for disability benefits.

For those affiliated with professional athletics, Larimer’s name is synonymous with knowledgeable, compassionate representation and excellent settlements or verdicts. In fact, he’s still the first attorney many lawyers connected with the world of professional sports will call when faced with similar cases.

“I get cases referred to me from all around the country,” he says. “Agents that I knew still refer me cases, and then I’ll find local co-counsel to help me in whatever state it happens to be. Athletes will need legal help if they’re injured or have a disability policy that doesn’t pay out.”

Larson’s initial foray into the law was primarily in criminal defense. With strong convictions regarding the inequities of our legal system, he felt a duty to even the playing field.

“In my early years as a law student and a lawyer, I worked a lot in the area of criminal defense,” explains Larson. “The power and unlimited resources of the government to prosecute individuals for crimes that they may or may not have committed tilted the scales of justice so badly that it was virtually impossible for those accused to get a fair trial and equal representation, no matter how good the defense attorney. Unless the accused had the financial resources to fight the battle, the scales were always tilted in favor of the accuser because of their unlimited resources.”

Looking out for the little guy or those who simply could not compete with the deep pockets of government or big business was a worthy cause that both men took to heart and still champion to this day.

“We both completely believe and have confidence in our justice system,” says Larimer. “However, despite how carefully laws were written, at some point it seems that might beats right. That the guy with the bigger wallet wins regardless of who is right or wrong.”

THE ETHOS

Let's Partner To Develop A Firm

Both now firmly settled back in their hometown, Larson and Larimer like most young entrepreneurs were busy building their careers and planting roots for the future. Naturally, during these few years their paths crossed from time to time. Coming full-circle, the two decided to once again play on the same team and open their own firm. Larimer describes how the partnership came to be.

“I was doing the sports agent thing and Mark was doing the more traditional legal thing,” Larimer says. “He was interested in the sports law and I was interested in transitioning into more general legal work. Eventually, we decided to join forces and started Larson & Larimer. As we both began having children, we started pulling away from the sports side of our business. There was too much travel involved and besides, we had more than enough work with our personal injury clients.”

With a clear vision of what they wanted their new firm to accomplish, the attorneys strive to exceed their clients’ expectations with a personalized, thoughtful approach.

“Every client has their own team,” he adds. “They have two attorneys, one of whom will be either Mark or me, and a paralegal. We give our clients our cell phone numbers, and they will always get a response. Even if it’s just a quick return call to say, ‘I’m in trial all this week,’ and arranging a time in the evening to speak, we don’t ignore any call, text or email.”

Larson and Larimer began with just the two of them and a small staff. Over the last 18 years they have steadily grown while remaining cognizant of their pledge to remain small enough to provide this very personalized service. Despite this conservative approach to growth, they have now expanded their services to include the entire state of Colorado and throughout the United States.

“We envisioned growing the firm but keeping it small enough not to lose the personal approach with our clients,” says Larson. “Currently, we have seven attorneys working at the firm and think that is a good size. We are large enough to handle the most complex cases that may come through the door but are not too big to lose the teamwork approach.”

Larimer concurs. “Every client matters. Our goal is to offer a personal approach with professional results.”

THE CONCLUSION

The Future and Beyond

As growing up in the Denver area was a positive experience for both Larson and Larimer. So much so, that this is where they chose to raise their own children. Teaching by example, both men feel it’s important to give back to the community that has been their home for so long.

As they continue to grow and expand, both men vow to never give up the fight to protect their clients from big business and insurance companies. In doing so, they have been instrumental in changing ineffective laws and will continue in this vein.

Change is always inevitable, but one thing will remain a constant: Teammates who started out as champions continue to prove that they are winners in every aspect of their lives.

Tell us about your case. Your initial case consultation with us is free. No risk and no cost to you or your family. Just fill out our free case evaluation inquiry form, and we’ll be in touch.

OUR ETHOS

Our Mission

We specialize in personal injury attorneys in Denver Colorado, strive to exceed your expectations by combining experienced representation with a personalized, thoughtful approach. We aim to distinguish our legal practice from others by providing our clients with close, personal relationships and attentive guidance throughout the legal process.

As members of the local community, we take great pride in serving clients in and around the Metro Denver Area, as well as throughout the state of Colorado. We have deep roots here, and we are proud to be able to give back to our community by providing compassionate and effective advocacy to victims of negligence and their families. Our goal is to ease some of the stress you face and handle the various legal aspects of your situation so that you can focus on what matters: healing.

YOU DON'T PAY

If We Don’t Recover Compensation

Our initial consultation with you is always free of charge. If after meeting with you it appears that the law and facts support your claims, our attorneys handle most injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that our attorneys only get paid for their services once they have obtained a monetary recovery for you. Please call us today to schedule a no-cost consultation or simply fill out an online request form and provide us with some brief information about your case. An experienced attorney at Larson Larimer Schneider, P.C. will get back to you promptly after reviewing your information. If necessary, we can travel to meet you at your home or in the hospital.

OUR CASES

How We Can Help Your Case?

We help injured people, their families, and those who have lost loved ones seek justice and fair financial compensation for their damages. We know how difficult it can be to deal with the injuries, inconveniences, and costs that follow an accident. Our experienced attorneys and staff are here to support you and guide you on the road to physical and financial recovery. We take pride in our ability to efficiently resolve and handle all aspects of your claim, alleviating some of the stress you would otherwise face while working with the insurance companies on your own.

Immediately following an accident, we will meet with you and your family to begin our initial investigation into your injuries, damages, and potential sources of recovery. If additional medical treatment is necessary, we can assist you in finding appropriate medical providers and sources of funding or coverage to help pay for that treatment. While you are on the road to recovery, we will investigate your claim, work with insurance carriers, and communicate with your healthcare providers to make sure that you are on the best path for recovery.

Once you have recovered from your injuries, we begin assessing your damages, injuries, and losses. These damages may include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, inconvenience, future medical expenses, permanent impairment, and a host of other losses that you are entitled to recover from the at-fault party. We will then present your case and claims to the responsible insurance companies in pursuit of the maximum recovery for you. If the insurance companies or at-fault party are not willing to compensate you fully for your damages through a reasonable settlement, our experienced attorneys are ready and prepared to initiate a lawsuit against the at-fault party to protect your rights and fight for the maximum possible recovery for you and your family.

OUR COMMUNITY

Proudly Serving Our Colorado Communities