Thomas R. WardCo-Founding Partner.

Thomas R. Ward is one of Colorado's most recognized criminal defense attorneys, with a practice centered on federal criminal defense, white-collar investigations, and complex criminal matters in state and federal court. He has represented individuals and corporations in cases ranging from federal grand jury investigations and DOJ prosecutions to healthcare fraud, PPP and mortgage fraud, tax evasion, wire fraud, and securities fraud. His federal drug practice includes extensive experience litigating the legality of federal wiretaps, among the most consequential battles in complex drug conspiracy cases. Tom has been named a Top 100 Colorado Super Lawyer, placing him among the top one percent of attorneys in the state, three consecutive years running, and has appeared in The Best Lawyers in America for both Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Criminal Defense: General Practice every year since 2015.

Career and Notable Results

Tom began his career at the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, trying cases from misdemeanors through serious felonies and serving as County Court supervisor before founding The Ward Law Firm in 2001. In private practice, he has secured acquittals across the full spectrum of criminal charges, including a first-degree murder jury acquittal in People v. Fisher (Denver District Court, 2006) and, more recently, a complete pretrial dismissal of federal charges in a multi-count FFL burglary prosecution. His trial record in People v. Baker led the Colorado Court of Appeals to reverse the defendant's securities fraud and theft convictions, establishing important limits on the use of expert witness testimony to prove materiality in Colorado securities fraud cases. In 2016, Tom co-founded the firm now known as Stuart & Ward LLP, which has been recognized annually in U.S. News - Best Law Firms as Tier 1 in Colorado in Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar since the firm's founding. His civil practice produced a landmark Colorado Supreme Court victory in Cuevas v. Public Service Co. of Colorado, 2026 CO 6, limiting utilities' ability to cap liability to non-customers through PUC-approved tariffs.

Federal Practice and Leadership

Tom has been a member of the CJA Panel for the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado since 2003 and was selected as Panel Attorney District Representative in 2024. In that role, he participates in monthly coordination meetings with PADRs from across the Tenth Circuit and the annual national PADR conference hosted by the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, where issues affecting Panel attorneys nationwide are addressed and resources for training and recruiting high-quality federal criminal defense practitioners are developed. He serves on the CJA Panel Standing Committee, co-chairs the Colorado Lawyers Committee's Criminal Justice Task Force, and sits on the NACDL's Rule 17(c) Task Force, focused on the use of federal subpoenas to obtain critical evidence in criminal defense matters.

Tom approaches every representation with a clear-eyed understanding that criminal charges reach far beyond the courtroom, affecting employment, professional licenses, family relationships, and emotional wellbeing in ways that compound the legal stakes his clients already face. His approach is non-judgmental and entirely forward-looking: whether through aggressive litigation or hard-fought plea negotiations, his singular focus is the best possible outcome for the client in their specific circumstances.