Mr. Willett was born and raised in New York City, which exposed him to people of all walks of life, rich and poor, black and white, Asian and Hispanic.   Mr. Willett's family instilled in him values that all people, regardless of their background or sexual preference, deserve someone who will advocate and fight for them to achieve justice.  With these values, Mr. Willett traveled to Colorado for college, earning a Bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of Colorado in 1982.  

After college, he worked as a writer in New York, but longed to return to the Rocky Mountains.  In 1986, Mr. Willett earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Denver. 

While attending law school at the University of Denver, Mr. Willett served in multiple positions at the Denver University Law Review, first as a research and technical editor, subsequently as the editorial board's, Articles Editor. He authored and published an article titled, “Evolving Standards of Duty of Fair Representation Cases Under Section 301.”

"I love what I do because it allows me to help good people by guiding them through the legal system, which for most is a daunting process."

Beginning a Career As an Attorney

After graduation, Mr. Willett was hired by the Colorado State Public Defender's office as an appellate public defender, writing appeals in the Colorado Court of Appeals and Supreme Court for convicted felons.  After three years, Mr. Willett transferred to the Jefferson County trial office where he found himself in the murder rotation after nine months.  Mr. Willett supervised the juvenile lawyers in the office realizing his commitment to enhance the quality of representation for juveniles in the legal system.    

In 1992, Mr. Willett was recruited to work as an associate attorney for Chalat & Company, a preeminent personal injury and ski law firm.  After two years with Chalat & Company, Mr. Willett started his own law firm.

Forging His Own Legacy

The Law Offices of Jonathan S. Willett, LLC opened in 1994. With a license to practice in both state and federal courts across Colorado, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court, Mr. Willett has tirelessly spent the last 30 years helping clients in Boulder, Denver, and the surrounding metro areas with a variety of different legal issues from murder to DUI, personal injury to civil rights, business and real estate litigation to post judgment remedies.

Mr. Willett has defended death penalty cases, complex white-collar crime, while also helping regular good people who have made a mistake.  For individuals, he has also gone up against big corporations such as Wal-Mart, State Farm Insurance Co., Geico, GoDaddy, and against state and federal governmental entities who have wronged their citizens.  

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, experiencing art and music, as well as a variety of different hobbies, including skiing, cycling, and frisbee.

Bar Admissions

• Colorado State Bar 1986

• New York State Bar 2008

• The U.S. District Court of Colorado 1992

• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 1997

• The U.S. Supreme Court 2002

Education

• B.A. Philosophy - The University of Colorado, Boulder, 1982

• J.D. - The University of Denver College of Law, 1986

Professional Associations & Memberships

• AV (highest possible) peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

• Recognized as “Pre-Eminent” in the area of Criminal Justice

• Rated “Superb” on Avvo by clients and colleagues

• Lecturer on “The Criminal Trial from Start to Finish” seminar presented by the National Business Institute, 2002

• Lecturer & Panel Moderator on “Post-Conviction Remedies” seminar presented by the Colorado Alternate Defense Counsel, 2001

• Lecturer on “Legal Writing” presented by the National Business Institute, 2001

• Lecturer & Panel Moderator on “Juvenile Justice in Colorado” seminar presented by the National Business Institute, 1998

• Lecturer & Panel Moderator on “Juvenile Delinquency” seminar presented by the Colorado Bar Association, 1991

• Lecturer on “Child Sexual Assault” seminar presented by the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 1989

Published Works

• “Evolving Standards of Duty of Fair Representation Cases Under Section 301.” 62 Den. U. L. Rev. 627 (1985)