Connie Talmage Receives 2025 Legal Legacy Award

Photo courtesy of Hartmannphoto, LLC

The Legal Legacy Award honors an attorney whose enduring service and leadership have fostered a culture within their firm or the broader legal community that elevates the importance of pro bono legal work. This year’s recipient is Constance C. Talmage.

A true legend in Colorado’s pro bono and Access to Justice community, Connie Talmage has dedicated more than two decades of her legal career to mobilizing private law firms across the state in support of high-impact litigation efforts that create opportunities for children and underserved communities. Retiring in 2023 as Executive Director of the Colorado Lawyers Committee, Connie leaves behind a legacy of extraordinary achievement. Under her leadership, the organization evolved into a powerful force for good, championing justice and equity throughout the state.

Connie has inspired generations of legal professionals—young and seasoned, lawyers and nonlawyers alike—to give their time and talents to improve the lives of others. Her influence extends far beyond the Colorado Lawyers Committee, through deep partnerships with the Colorado courts, bar associations, advocacy organizations, law firms, and law schools. She is widely regarded as a brilliant strategist, a relentless organizer, and an inspirational mentor.

Throughout her career, Connie has held numerous leadership and advisory roles that underscore her steadfast commitment to justice, inclusiveness, and public service. Connie’s dedication includes service as President and Board Member of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association Foundation and five years on the Board of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association. She was a member of the Colorado Access to Justice Commission for seven years, serving two years as Chair, and served on the Board of the Colorado Judicial Institute for two decades. She served on the Board of the Center for Legal Inclusiveness and the Colorado Bar Association Foundation, which she still chairs. Her contributions extend to organizations outside the legal community as well. She has been a driving force at Make-A-Wish® Colorado, serving on its Advisory Board, Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and as Board Chair. For over 24 years, she has also supported the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Foundation as an Advisory Board Member.

The Colorado Lawyers Committee is profoundly grateful to Connie for her visionary leadership and tireless dedication—too vast to fully capture here. We are honored to recognize her extraordinary impact with the Legal Legacy Award.