Prior to joining the Judicial Arbiter Group, Inc. in 2010, Larry J. Naves served twenty-three years in the largest and busiest trial court in the state of Colorado as a Denver District Court Judge. The last four years, Naves was appointed Chief Judge of that court by the Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. In addition to his handling of some of the most high profile cases in Denver, he also served as the court’s representative and advisor for the construction of the new Denver Justice Center. Upon his retirement, he received wide public praise and recognition for his years as both a trial judge and administrative judge.

During his time on the bench, Naves conducted hundreds of settlement conferences and developed extensive experience with various types of alternative dispute resolution and their application and effectiveness with a diverse range of cases. His experience in conducting hundreds of civil jury trials, numerous domestic relations matters and many criminal trials has broadened his vision of value, trial strategies and settlement methods.

Judge Naves graduated from the University of Denver in 1968 with a degree in Economics and received his law degree from the University of Colorado in 1974. He practiced as a trial attorney in both state and federal courts before being appointed to the Denver District Court bench.

As the chief administrative judge in the Denver District Court for four years, Naves was required to apply not only his judicial and legal skills but his business acumen in managing a large metropolitan court of general jurisdiction.  His responsibilities included oversight of personnel issues, financial and case management operations of the court and public relations.  He was responsible for the judicial assignments in the district.

Larrry Naves continues to serve on the Colorado Supreme Court’s Civil Jury Instructions Committee, has chaired the Supreme Court’s Criminal Rules Committee, served two terms on the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline, served on the Denver County Court Commission on Judicial Discipline and the Supreme Court Committee on Revisions to the Colorado Code of Judicial Conduct.

Among his many awards and recognitions, he recently received the 2009 American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) “Judicial Excellence Award” and the 2010 Denver Bar Association “Judicial Excellence Award.” In the spring of 2011, Judge Naves will also be presented the University of Colorado “Outstanding Judicial Alumni Award.”