Kaela Zihlman’s practice focuses on complex financial divorces, premarital agreements, and appeals.  Recently, Kaela prevailed in her first appeal in the published Court of Appeals case, In re Marriage of Crouch, 2021 COA 3 (2021).

Prior to joining the firm, Kaela was a Senior Associate at Willoughby & Associates where she specialized in domestic relations litigation and premarital agreements. During that time, Kaela litigated high asset dissolution of marriage cases, allocation of parental responsibilities actions, and drafted and negotiated premarital agreements. Before entering private practice, Kaela was a law clerk for the Honorable Robert L. McGahey, Jr. (Ret.) of Denver District Court. During her time at Denver District Court, Kaela learned invaluable lessons about judicial discretion, including how judges considered evidence, weighed credibility, and made decisions in cases outside of the presence of lawyer and litigants. This insight allows Kaela to advise her clients about how judges evaluate evidence in individual cases, and how their orders could differ from the settlements that clients may be able to reach. Kaela is passionate about finding the best solutions for her clients inside and outside the courtroom with a drive to help families move forward from life changes in the least harmful way possible.

Outside of work, Kaela is a member of the Executive Council of the Colorado Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division where she serves as the Secretary and Chair of the Wellness Committee and is responsible for planning programming that helps young lawyers focus on their physical and mental well-being so they are empowered to provide the best services for their clients. She supports The Center in Denver, Colorado and Mount Evans Hospice in Evergreen, Colorado.

Kaela’s interests include traveling (she has proudly been to all of the continents except Antarctica and cannot wait to pick up where she left off because of COVID), reading any and all books she can get her hands on, and taking in as many patio brunches in Denver as possible.