Eric Faddis

Tell us your story. What kind of law do you practice? How did you get to where you are today?

I practice personal injury and criminal defense in Denver, Colorado. When I was a kid, my mom, a court reporter, would come home after work with tales of depositions, which bored most of my family, but fascinated me. She told me about the worker who was taken advantage of, the woman who was victimized by another's carelessness, and the man who was trying to cheat the system for an undeserved handout.

I realized that these stories represented the intersection between the abstract notions of justice I'd been reading about in philosophy books and the lives of real people in my community. From then on, I knew I wanted to be at the heart of that intersection.

Why did you want to become a lawyer?

As a child, I always stood up to the bully. I couldn't bear seeing a vulnerable person being picked on or taken advantage of. This landed me in detention (or worse) a time or two, but also laid the foundation for my legal career.

Now, the bullies I stand up against are governmental overreach and corporate giants who broke their promises, but the same principles from the playground also apply to the courtroom.

Was it a smooth road becoming a lawyer and getting to where you are now? If not, what are some of the struggles you encountered?

Whether clerking for a judge, serving as a Deputy District Attorney, or working for a private firm, I always felt constricted by other people’s rules and ways of doing things. When I opened my own firm, Varner Faddis Elite Legal, it was refreshing and liberating. I was finally in control of my own destiny, free to succeed (or fail)—but on my own terms, not someone else’s.

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What are you most proud of as a lawyer? What sets your practice apart from others? What do you love the most about what you do?

There are several factors that set our practice apart, but a critical piece is innovation and evolution. The world has changed since the 1950s, but many law firms have not. Some still use antiquated and impersonal methods, placing profits and rapid case turnover ahead of their clients’ needs. Varner Faddis Elite Legal is different. We use state-of-the-art technologies, modern approaches, and creative solutions to maximize our clients’ recoveries and outcomes.

We use state-of-the-art technologies, modern approaches, and creative solutions to maximize our clients’ recoveries and outcomes.

What I love most about operating Varner Faddis Elite Legal is being able to offer the highest caliber legal representation available in Denver, Colorado. Whether it’s using cutting edge case management or 3D presentation software, conducting in-depth focus groups for trial cases, or providing “white glove” service to those in need of legal counsel, I sleep well knowing that we employ a standard of excellence in everything that Varner Faddis Elite Legal does.

If you could change, improve or disrupt one thing about the practice of law, what would it be?

I think the law, as well as the practice thereof, benefits from a healthy amount of disruption from time to time. Standards should be questioned, practices challenged and improved upon, and the status quo should always give way to a new, more efficient, more equitable way of doing things.

What are you doing when you're not lawyering?

When not lawyering, my fiancé/law partner, Lauren Varner, and I like to indulge in multi-course wine-pairing dinners, enjoy a little Netlix-and-chill, and spend time with our three beloved miniature dachshunds, Turkey, Peewee, and Craig!