Elizabeth S. Wylie

Elizabeth is a trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience focusing on business and employment litigation involving commercial disputes and employment matters. She has represented clients across multiple industries, including food service, health care, construction, real estate and manufacturing. Elizabeth has represented clients at all stages of litigation, including administrative proceedings and appeals, seeking or defending a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction, and trial or arbitration.

Elizabeth regularly represents public and private entities in commercial disputes, including commercial landlord/tenant disputes, breach of contract and fraud claims, and shareholder disputes. She also provides representation to public and private entities in employment litigation and business torts cases, with an emphasis on the enforcement of non-competition agreements and the protection of trade secrets in Colorado and other states. She advises employers concerning most aspects of the employer-employee relationship, including:

•claims of discrimination and harassment,
•wage and hour violations,
•retaliatory discharge,
•disability and family leave issues,
•whistleblower claims and protections,
•wrongful termination,
•employment contracts and separation agreements, and
•responding to workplace complaints and conducting internal investigations.

In addition to her normal areas of practice, Elizabeth is a member of the firm’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Team, an interdisciplinary team of lawyers, formed quickly after recognizing the complex legal issues that businesses would confront as a result of the coronavirus. This group has issued legal alerts and newsletters on the topic and has hosted multiple webinars to address a range of concerns. The group remains committed to monitoring the issues and bringing as much clarity and guidance to clients as possible. More information is available in the COVID-19 Resource Center.

Representative Presentations and Publications

• Employees' Refusal to Work Over Coronavirus Concerns, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (May 14, 2020)
• Updated EEOC Guidance for Employers Permits Testing for COVID-19, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 30, 2020)
• A Roadmap to Reopening or Resuming Business in the Midst of a Pandemic, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 22, 2020)
• Keeping Up with Professional Development During the Pandemic, Quoted, HR Magazine (April 13, 2020)
• Will COVID-19 Put the Brakes on Cannabis Businesses...or Pump the Gas? Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 31, 2020)
• Managing Business Needs During a Pandemic, Co-Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Teleconference (March 24, 2020)
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Summary of the Employment Provisions of the New Law, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 19, 2020)
• Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Tricky Workplace Legal Questions, Quoted, Denver Post (March 17, 2020)
• Making Bank: The People’s Guide to Salary Negotiations, Co-Presenter, Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce (March 11, 2020)
• COVID-19 Presents Legal Issues for Employers, Quoted, BizWest (March 9, 2020)
• Is Your Website Accessible? Number of ADA Title III Lawsuits on the Rise, Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (February 18, 2020)
• Making Bank: The People’s Guide to Salary Negotiations, Co-Presenter, Mi Casa Resource Center (November 19, 2019)
• Jumping Ship: Employee Mobility and Restrictive Covenants in Colorado, Co-Presenter, Employment Law Conference (October 3, 2019)
• Making Bank: The People's Guide to Salary Negotiations, Co-Presenter, Colorado Women's Bar Association CLE Event (October 2, 2019) (Workshop created and delivered by Diana Mead and Elizabeth Wylie to teach negotiation skills to women following passage of Colorado Equal Pay Act)
• Use of Demonstrative Evidence at Trial: Means and Methods, Co-Presenter, Colorado Litigators' Summit (September 27, 2019)
• Many Stories, One Vision, Moderator, Women's Foundation of Colorado PEP Committee Breakfast (September 17, 2019)
• EEO-1 Deadline: Reporting Wage Information, Author, Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce Blog (September 12, 2019)
• Jumping Ship: Employee Mobility and the Protection of Proprietary Business Information in Colorado, Co-Presenter, Business Law Institute, Colorado Bar Association (September 12, 2019)
• 'Ban the Box' Begins, Quoted, Law Week Colorado (September 2, 2019)
• Law Banning Initial Inquiries Into Colorado Job Seekers' Criminal Histories Takes Effect Sept. 1, Quoted, Denver Business Journal (August 30, 2019)
• Making Bank: The People’s Guide to Salary Negotiations, Co-Presenter, Women's Foundation of Colorado (August 22, 2019)
• HR Compliance a Running Theme in Passed Bills, Quoted, Law Week Colorado (May 13, 2019)
• Jumping Ship: Employee Mobility and Restrictive Covenants in Colorado, Presenter, Colorado Bar Association (January 2019)
• Maintaining the Brain Trust: The Why, What, When, Where, and How of Mental Health Accommodation, Presenter, FedEx Express Global Learning Institute (November 2018)
• Anatomy of an Investigation, Presenter, Mile High Society for Human Resource Management (October 2018)

Professional Recognition and Awards

•Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
•100 Women Who Inspire Us, American Bar Association Litigation Section (2019)
•Lawyer of the Year, Law Week Colorado (2019)

Community Involvement

•Women's Foundation of Colorado
•Board of Trustees (Present)
•PEP Committee, Co-Chair (2018-Present)
•Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce
•Board Member (Present)
•Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program
•Mentor (2019)
•Colorado High School Mock Trial Program
•Coach (2018-Present)
•Susan G. Komen Foundation Colorado
•Board of Directors (2015-2017)
•Downtown Denver Partnership
•Jury Awards Commission (2017)
•Legal Center for People with Disabilities
•Volunteer Attorney (2000-2001)

Other Professional Experience

•Messner Reeves LLP, Partner (2016-2019)
•Hamil Law Group LLC, Of Counsel (2015-2016)
•Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell LLP, Attorney (2012-2015)
•Hamil/Hecht LLC, Attorney (2003-2008)
•The Legal Center for People with Disabilities, Senior Attorney (2001-2003)
•Sherman and Howard LLC, Litigation Associate (1996-1998)
•Baker Botts, LLP, Litigation Associate (1994-1996)
•U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Law Clerk (1993-1994)

Related News & Events

• May 11
Partner Elizabeth Wylie Joins The Women's Foundation of Colorado Board of Trustees

• Mar 12
Denver Partner Elizabeth Wylie Appointed to Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

• Jan 14
Denver Partner Elizabeth Wylie Named a Law Week Colorado Lawyer of the Year

• Jan 06
Lawyers of the Year: Elizabeth Wylie
Law Week Colorado

• Nov 19
Elizabeth Wylie Recognized as One of the ABA's 100 Women Who Inspire Us

• Jul 08
Elizabeth Wylie Joins Snell & Wilmer as Partner in Denver Office

Related Publications

• May 14
Employees' Refusal to Work Over Coronavirus Concerns

• Apr 30
Updated EEOC Guidance for Employers Permits Testing for COVID-19

• Apr 22
A Roadmap to Reopening or Resuming Business in the Midst of a Pandemic

• Mar 31
Will COVID-19 Put the Brakes on Cannabis Businesses...or Pump the Gas?

• Mar 19
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Summary of the Employment Provisions of the New Law

• Feb 18
Is Your Website Accessible? Number of ADA Title III Lawsuits on the Rise