Kutz & Bethke LLC principally represents Colorado charter schools. We also work and participate in state and national organizations that support the charter school movement. We have more recently undertaken representation of other public education organizations, including facility schools and preschools.
History
The firm was founded in 1997 and has practiced school law actively since that time. The firm founders, Kristin Kutz and William Bethke, both had extensive experience in education and civil rights law — especially employment and labor law, special education, disability law, and alternative dispute resolution. Beginning in 1994, William Bethke undertook pro bono representation of charter school organizing groups and early charter schools. By 1997 that was becoming a more significant part of the practice, and now makes up the major part of the firm’s work. From time-to-time we have also represented facility schools and continue to grow that practice. Finally, as part of our charter-and-facility-school work, we have supported schools in dealing with preschool regulation and at times represented preschools.
Kristin Kutz retired in 2019. After several years of working as a sole practitioner, William Bethke added Vesna Milojevic to the firm, in 2024, as an associate attorney. John Bing has worked for the firm for many years as a paralegal and office manager.