John Barlow Spear

John Barlow Spear - Maynes, Bradford, Shipps, Sheftel LLP

John Barlow Spear retired as of counsel in the law firm of Maynes, Bradford, Shipps and Sheftel, LLP in the fall of 2018. Barry joined the firm in 1993 after beginning his legal career with Shand, McLachlan, Newbold & Spear, P.C., in 1983.
Barry’s law practice was devoted to utilities, real property, banking and transactional law, civil litigation and water law. His clients included Southwestern Water Conservation District, the Animas – La Plata Water Conservancy District, Empire Electric Association, Inc., La Plata Electric Association, Inc., the First National Bank of Durango, First Southwest Bank and Mancos Valley Bank. Barry provided transactional assistance to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and to the Tribe’s Growth Fund, primarily focusing on real estate and banking transactions, as well as land acquisitions for the Tribe.
Barry spoke on open meetings law and various real property law topics at seminars sponsored by the Southwest Colorado Bar Association. He volunteered and served on the boards of directors for numerous community non-profit organizations. He was a member of the American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, Colorado Bar Association, Inns of the Court, and the Southwest Colorado Bar Association (President: 1995, Donations Committee chair: 1997-2006)

Education

  • He received his law degree from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas (J.D. 1983, with honors) where he served as notes editor for the Washburn Law Journal. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Colorado (B.A. 1975) with a double major in psychology and journalism. Following his graduation from UNC, Mr. Spear worked as an editor and news reporter on newspapers in Colorado and California.

Admitted to Practice

  • State Bar of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Colorado
  • U.S. Supreme Court