CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW
The Firm
McCabe Law is a Boulder-based criminal defense firm providing strategic, trial-ready representation for adults and juveniles throughout Colorado. Led by founder Janene McCabe, the firm combines more than 25 years of criminal law experience and over 100 jury trials with a deliberate, client-first approach that treats every person as an individual, never a case number.
The firm handles serious criminal matters from misdemeanors and DUIs to domestic violence, sexual assault, and complex felony cases, with particular depth in juvenile criminal defense. McCabe Law is built around one core belief: that the people who need a defense attorney most deserve the kind of advocacy that actually shows up for them in the courtroom.
WHERE IT BEGAN
Built for Trial
Founded by Janene McCabe
Janene McCabe spent nearly two decades in the Colorado State Public Defender’s office before founding McCabe Law. In that time she tried case after case, worked across Arapahoe and Adams Counties, led county court teams, directed technology litigation at the state level, and trained and mentored attorneys across Colorado. She became the Colorado State Public Defender of the Year in 2009.
What she saw in that career shaped what she built when she left it. Too many clients were processed rather than represented. Too many firms avoided taking cases to trial. Too many people facing serious accusations were left without an advocate who genuinely prepared, genuinely fought, and genuinely cared about the outcome.
McCabe Law was created to be something different: a firm built around trial readiness and personal attention, where every client receives a real defense strategy and a lawyer who knows them, knows their case, and knows the courtroom. The firm grew through reputation and referrals, earning trust from families, juveniles, and individuals who needed someone genuinely in their corner.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Mission and Values
Our Mission
To provide exceptional criminal defense representation with personal attention and genuine care. We treat every client as an individual, not a case number, and work tirelessly to help them navigate difficult times and move forward with confidence.
Our Vision
To be a trusted advocate in our community, known for excellence, integrity, and compassionate representation. Our goal is not only to resolve cases effectively, but to help clients build a stronger future beyond the courtroom.
Our Values
- Hard Work: We prepare thoroughly and fight diligently for every client, no matter the complexity of the case or the odds.
- Honesty: We provide straightforward advice and realistic guidance. Clients deserve the truth, not reassurances that do not serve them.
- Professionalism: We uphold the highest standards in and out of the courtroom, in how we work and in how we treat people.
- Respect: Every client is treated with dignity and individual attention. The criminal justice system can be dehumanizing. We push back against that in every interaction.
THE ATTORNEYS
Our Team
Janene McCabe | Founder and Lead Attorney
Janene McCabe is a determined and aggressive trial attorney with a record of over 100 jury trials and more than 25 years of criminal defense experience. She founded McCabe Law to deliver the kind of individualized, trial-focused representation she knew clients deserved and too rarely received.
Janene spent 18 years with the Colorado State Public Defender, practicing in Arapahoe and Adams Counties before being named Director of Technology Litigation at the State Office, a role in which she helped attorneys across Colorado integrate modern technology into their practice. She held supervisory positions, led county court teams, provided training and mentorship, and taught at the annual Public Defender Conference as well as regional and local trainings.
In 2014 she joined the board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, was elevated to the Executive Board in 2018, and served as Board President from 2022 to 2023. She was asked to join the National Association of Public Defense steering committee in 2015 and became chair of the organization’s Fines and Fees Committee, which focused on the unconstitutional jailing of people who lacked the ability to pay court costs. That work took her to Washington D.C., where she testified before the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
Janene earned her B.S. from Illinois State University in 1993 and her J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 2001. She is admitted to practice in Colorado and the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. She is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, and the National Association of Public Defense.
Josiah Cohen is a formidable advocate whose skills span both trial litigation and post-conviction work. Fluent in Spanish, he brings a commanding courtroom presence, persuasive argumentation, and meticulous attention to detail to every case he handles.
Beyond the trial level, Josiah is equally respected for his legal writing. His appeals and post-conviction briefs are marked by clarity, rigor, and a deep command of constitutional principles. He brings the same intensity to a motion as he brings to a jury argument, crafting arguments that are both strategically precise and genuinely compelling.
Josiah earned his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School in 2021. He is admitted to practice in Colorado and is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Alison Gordon is a creative and tenacious criminal defense attorney with a strong and growing reputation in Colorado’s juvenile defense community. Her experience across every phase of litigation and post-conviction work gives her a comprehensive perspective when building goal-oriented strategies, particularly in cases involving young people and system-involved youth.
Alison combines empathy and clear communication with serious courtroom grit. She takes pride in achieving the best possible outcomes whether clients are facing new charges or seeking a second chance after conviction. In 2025 she was recognized as the Boulder County Bar Association Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year.
Alison earned her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School in 2019 with a Certificate in Juvenile and Family Law. She is licensed in Colorado and in the U.S. District Courts for Colorado and Wyoming. She is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Boulder County Bar.
Ian McDavid is a Colorado native from Manitou Springs who came to criminal defense through a lifelong interest in trial advocacy, first competing at the national level in mock trial in high school, then developing a deep passion for the work in law school. After earning his J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School in 2017, he took a position with the Office of the State Public Defender in Adams County, where he represented thousands of individuals across a full spectrum of charges, from misdemeanors and DUIs to serious felonies including white collar theft and attempted murder. He has completed over 40 jury trials and entered private practice in 2021.
Ian is known for his steady hand, sharp analytical mind, and genuine commitment to the people he represents. He has a particular gift for clear communication, translating legal complexity into terms that empower clients and build trust. He shows up with purpose and integrity in every case.
Outside the courtroom, Ian is an endurance athlete who has climbed 15 of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks, completed the 213-mile John Muir Trail in 2020, and climbed Mount Rainier in 2022. He earned his B.A. in Languages, Literatures and Cultures from Colorado State University in 2013. He is admitted in Colorado and the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, and is a member of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar and the Boulder County Bar Association.
Nori Veit | Administrative Professional
Nori Veit provides essential operational support to the firm’s attorneys through careful case organization, proactive file management, and a detail-driven approach that keeps every case moving efficiently. She ensures filings are delivered on time and assists with discovery review to help the team stay organized and prepared at every stage.
A University of Denver graduate originally from Crested Butte, Nori brings the discipline and precision she developed in the mountains to her work at the firm. She is an avid downhill and cross-country skier and enjoys road and mountain biking. Prior to joining McCabe Law, she volunteered with a nonprofit organization in Aurora that assists individuals in need of legal services, a background that reflects her genuine commitment to access to justice.
As a Spanish speaker, Nori is a valued resource for the firm’s Spanish-speaking clients, helping ensure clear communication and a welcoming experience throughout their engagement with the firm.
WHY MCCABE LAW
What Makes Us Different
- More Than 25 Years of Criminal Law Experience: Janene McCabe has been in criminal defense courtrooms since the 1990s. That depth of experience informs every case the firm takes on.
- Over 100 Jury Trials: Most criminal defense firms settle. McCabe Law prepares to try. That orientation changes the dynamic with prosecutors and changes outcomes for clients.
- Genuine Individualization: Every client receives a defense strategy built around their specific circumstances, not a template pulled from a previous case.
- Depth in Juvenile Criminal Defense: The firm has specialized expertise in the juvenile system, with Alison Gordon holding a Certificate in Juvenile and Family Law and a practice specifically focused on young people and system-involved youth.
- Spanish-Speaking Representation: Both Josiah Cohen and Nori Veit serve Spanish-speaking clients, ensuring that language is never a barrier to effective communication or quality representation.
- A Dynamic Team Led by an Experienced Trial Attorney: Four attorneys with different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives, united under a founder who has tried nearly 100 cases and sat on the boards of the most respected criminal defense organizations in Colorado.
OUR CLIENTS
Who We Serve
McCabe Law serves adults and juveniles throughout Colorado who are facing criminal charges and need a defense attorney who will genuinely prepare, genuinely advocate, and genuinely fight for their future. The firm also represents individuals seeking or defending against Civil Protection Orders.
Client Types
- Adults facing criminal charges at any level, from misdemeanor to serious felony
- Juveniles and their families navigating the juvenile justice system
- Individuals seeking or defending against Civil Protection Orders
- Clients who have been through the system before and need post-conviction advocacy
- Spanish-speaking clients who require representation in their primary language
Geographic Focus
McCabe Law is located in Boulder, Colorado and serves clients throughout the Front Range in Boulder, Broomfield, Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Larimer, Weld, and Denver Counties.
DEFENSE WORK
Practice Areas
McCabe Law handles the full spectrum of criminal defense matters, with particular depth in juvenile defense, serious felonies, and cases where trial is a realistic and necessary path forward.
Areas of Practice
- Juvenile criminal defense
- Domestic violence
- Sexual assault
- Physical assault
- Drug cases
- DUI and traffic offenses
- Misdemeanors
- Serious felonies
- Civil Protection Orders
- Post-conviction relief and appeals
EXPERIENCE AND RECOGNITION
Proven Record
McCabe Law’s record speaks through decades of courtroom experience, the depth of its attorneys’ credentials, and the trust of clients and families who came to the firm during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Credentials and Experience
- 25-plus years practicing criminal law
- Over 100 jury trials
- Janene McCabe: Colorado State Public Defender of the Year, 2009
- Alison Gordon: Boulder County Bar Association Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year, 2025
- Janene McCabe: Testimony before the United States Commission on Civil Rights on the unconstitutional jailing of people unable to pay court fees
- Janene McCabe: Board President, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar, 2022 to 2023
- Alison Gordon: Board of Directors, Boulder County Bar Association
Community Reputation
Alison Gordon has been recognized in the community for her work and commentary on Colorado’s municipal courts, including her insight into how certain court systems have become more focused on penalizing poverty than on public safety, and on the overuse of domestic violence charges in minor situations. Her voice reflects the firm’s broader commitment to using criminal defense as a tool for genuine justice, not just case resolution.
McCabe Law is a proud partner of the Korey Wise Innocence Project at the University of Colorado, supporting the fight to correct wrongful convictions and advocate for those failed by the system.
THE HISTORY
Timeline
- 1990s: Janene McCabe begins her criminal defense career
- 2001: Janene joins the Colorado State Public Defender
- 2009: Named Colorado State Public Defender of the Year
- 2014: Joins the board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
- 2019: Leaves the Public Defender’s office after 18 years
- McCabe Law founded to deliver trial-focused, individually attentive criminal defense
- 2018: Elevated to the Executive Board of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
- 2022 to 2023: Serves as Board President, Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
- Present: Firm continues to represent adults and juveniles across Colorado from its Boulder home base
INSIDE THE FIRM
How We Work
McCabe Law is intentionally small. With four attorneys and a dedicated administrative professional, the firm operates as a tight, highly connected team. There is daily collaboration, open exchange of ideas, and a collective focus that every case benefits from.
The balance of the team reflects how the firm works: decades of experience providing strategic depth and seasoned judgment alongside the energy, intellectual curiosity, and determination of younger attorneys who push cases hard and think creatively. That combination, experience and enthusiasm working together, defines the practice.
The work is demanding. Clients arrive at some of the most difficult moments of their lives, facing serious accusations, life-altering decisions, and the weight of a system that can feel overwhelming. That reality shapes every decision about how the firm operates, who it hires, and what standard it holds itself to.
What It’s Like to Work Here
Working at McCabe Law means taking ownership of your cases, thinking independently, solving problems in real time, and meeting high performance expectations without constant oversight. Accountability and autonomy go together. Every member of the team is trusted to manage their responsibilities and contribute meaningfully without hand-holding.
The firm does not hire for credentials alone. Character matters more. McCabe Law looks for people who are intellectually sharp, genuinely compassionate, independent, resilient, and positive in high-stakes situations. Technical skill is expected. But mindset is what actually makes someone effective in this work.
The team shares a deep respect for the law, a commitment to helping the accused, and an appreciation for the different perspectives and backgrounds each person brings to the practice. In a firm this size, every person shapes the culture and every case reflects the collective effort.
How To Hire Us
Hiring McCabe Law is straightforward and designed to get your case moving quickly.
Start by contacting our office to schedule a free consultation. During that conversation, we’ll take the time to understand your situation, answer your questions, and walk you through your legal options.
If you decide to move forward, we’ll provide a clear and transparent fee agreement for your review. Once the agreement is signed and the retainer is received, our team begins work immediately, developing your defense strategy and taking the first steps to protect your future.
From day one, you can expect responsive communication, thoughtful guidance, and a team that is fully committed to your case.
BEYOND THE COURTROOM
Community
McCabe Law is committed to supporting families and juveniles through some of the most difficult moments of their lives, ensuring access to fair representation and informed legal guidance beyond the walls of the firm itself.
The firm is a proud partner of the Korey Wise Innocence Project at the University of Colorado, contributing to the effort to identify and correct wrongful convictions and advocate for people who have been failed by the system. That partnership reflects the firm’s belief that criminal defense is not just about individual cases. It is about the integrity of the justice system itself.