Phil Cherner has a new article in the February 2010 The Colorado Lawyer, which describes in detail why felons sentenced in Colorado serve, on average, 70% of their sentence.

A copy of the article is available here.

Phil Cherner recently spoke on ethics at a training session for federal practitioners.

Over the years, Phil has spoken on numerous aspects of criminal defense, the law, and society. He has spoken before many of the area's leading legal groups.

The Colorado Bar Association, Denver Bar Association, and Colorado Women's Bar Association are among the groups that Phil Cherner has spoken before. Additional groups include the Criminal Defense Bar, Colorado State Public Defenders, and National Lawyer's Guild, among others.

In addition to being a highly-respected attorney in Denver, Phil Cherner is an avid photographer.

Photos by Phil Cherner have appeared in a variety of publications.

Scenic Photo

The photo above is of Pearl Pass, near Crested Butte, Colorado.

Visit the photography section of the site to see many examples of Phil's photography.

About Phil Cherner


Phil Cherner grew up in the midwest, principally in Detroit. He left high school amid the turbulence of the late 60's, and this influenced his world view. In between anti-war protests he attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and graduated in 1972. Phil Cherner then attended Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville until 1975, when he moved to Denver to enjoy the outdoors.

For several years he practiced privately - primarily (but not exclusively) in the area of criminal defense. In 1979 he became a Deputy State Public Defender, working in the Denver and Arapahoe trial offices. He also handled a number of appeals. In 1988 he reentered private practice, where he today enjoys Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating, AV.  

In the late 1980's Phil Cherner also started teaching at the University of Denver Law School, where he is now an adjunct professor. His teaching led him to branch out from criminal defense, his first passion, into attorney grievance defense. He now practices, and has extensive experience in, both areas.  

Phil Cherner has tried cases, big and small, in many state and federal courts across Colorado. He has also litigated appeals in the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Colorado Supreme Court, and the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. Phil is also a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court.

For more detailed information, view Phil Cherner's resume.