Ryan Kalamaya Trial Lawyer

If you’ve come to this page, you’ve likely heard about me from a former client or another attorney and want to know more. Welcome.

I am a 5th-generation Coloradoan who grew up in Longmont, thinking I would be a professional baseball player. I made it as far as playing in college. I got there by sending out 100s of VHS tapes (remember those?) of me hitting home runs to college recruiters. Even though a great hitter fails more than 50% of the time, I never included a clip of me striking out in those VHS tapes. Why? Everyone wants to highlight their home runs.

But life isn’t just home runs. My work inherently requires me to be involved in the most painful, stressful, and emotional situations in a person’s life. Instead of writing about all my professional home runs like other lawyers, I think you’ll get a better sense of what kind of lawyer I am and whether I would be a good fit for resolving your problem by telling you about three specific instances when I experienced a challenging time and changed as a result.

Baseball & Depression

Baseball used to define me as a person. I led Colorado in various categories in high school and got to play at Coors Field. I was featured in the news all the time. I was cocky. I was brash. And I was in for a rude awakening.

I arrived at the University of Virginia and fell flat on my face. It was the first time my batting average was lower than my GPA. I had poured everything I had into baseball. No matter how much I worked, I knew it wasn’t enough.

After a game where I struck out 4 straight times, I got in my car and drove around rural Virginia. Eventually, I found my way to a parking lot for a pretty lake among rolling hills. Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat there in my car feeling sorry for myself. I gripped the steering wheel and screamed with frustration. No matter how much I worked, I knew it wasn’t enough. I knew my career was going to be over soon. The problem was that I had no idea who I was besides a mediocre college baseball player or what was next.

I sunk into a deep depression. It was hard to get out of bed each morning. I knew my career would be over soon, but I had no idea who I was or what was next. My parents taught me never to quit anything. However, baseball, my first love in life, made me miserable. After my second year, I left the team. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

I made new friends. I traveled the world for a year. I decided to follow in my dad’s footsteps and become a lawyer.

Starting Kalamaya | Goscha

Nearly a decade later, I faced another transition when I was an associate attorney at a law firm in Aspen.

My office phone rang. It was the managing partner. “I need to see you in my office,” he said.

I walked in. I dreaded this conversation for the past few months and knew it wouldn’t be easy. There were a lot of positives about working for someone else, but I wanted more. I wanted the freedom to do things differently. I wanted to be the boss and call the shots. He told me to think about whether I was in or out.

Instead of going back to my desk, I jumped on my mountain bike and went for a ride to clear my head. My wife was pregnant with our first kid. It wasn’t the optimal time for me to launch a new law firm. “Am I crazy? What if I fail?”

Several days later, I walked back into the managing partner’s office and told him I was leaving. The following 72 hours were a whirlwind. Egos were bruised, and feelings hurt. But that’s inevitably part of the process in what was essentially a business divorce.

I’m still friends with everyone at my old firm. Time has healed any hard feelings. They do their thing; I do mine. We’re all in better places than before.

Mental Illness and Grieving

My sister suffered from mental illness throughout her adult life. She was bi-polar. I use the word “was” because she tragically passed away when she was 39. She struggled with substance abuse, which led to her death. Substance abuse was her way of self-medicating the mental and physical pain she dealt with daily. 

When I first got the call from a neighbor who found her, I was shocked. I knew she was struggling but was in denial about how severe her problems were in the end. She hid her drinking from everyone because she knew what a trigger was for all of us. 

I learned that grief is not linear. I felt guilty. Then I became angry. I was angry for a long time. My anger was interrupted by intense waves of sadness. I randomly broke down in front of my kids. I reached a point of acceptance and forgiveness. I accepted that nothing ever stays the same. Endings are a part of life and bring new opportunities. 

I now look at my parents and kids differently. I understand loss — whether it be of a marriage, partner, physical ability or loved one — and can empathize with what my clients face. I am a better husband, father, and lawyer because of my sister’s death.

How I Can Help You

Anyone that comes to me faces a monumental transition in their life. Each person brings a story and an essential personal history when they call me. They have scars – emotional and physical – that are unique and life-changing.

Any lawyer can tell you how slick they are in the courtroom or how smart they are. We can all boast about various awards or lists we have been named to. If that’s important to you, read my reviews or compare my professional home runs to others.

If you want to be understood and have your story told, shoot me a message or call. I know the anxiety of starting a new chapter in your life. I know what it feels like to be depressed and overwhelmed with fear. As a married father of two, I know about the sleepless nights and stresses of being a parent. I understand the commitment, challenges, and responsibility of running your own business. I appreciate what it is like to deal with loss, grieving, and redefining who you are.

Community Service

I spend a significant amount of my time helping local non-profit organizations and giving back to the community. I am the Chairman for the Board of Directors of Alpine Legal Services, a legal organization ensuring access to justice for those less affluent in the Roaring Fork Valley.

I have served on the board of directors for 5Point Film, an adventure-film festival based in Carbondale. I was president for the Ninth Judicial Bar Association, the local bar association for Garfield County.

Thought Leadership

Along with my business partner, Amy Goscha, I host Divorce at Altitude, a weekly podcast that provides tips and tactics to navigating divorce, parenting, relationships and breakups. Episodes include conversations with experts such as CPAs, mediations, custody evaluators, and more.

I have been invited to speak at legal conferences on various complex topics such as business valuations, custody/parenting evaluations, and discovery strategies in divorce cases.

In addition to being a podcast host, I am a published author. You can find my COLORADO LAWYER article, What’s Your Plan? Examining Mental Health Experts in Family Law with John Zervopolous by clicking here.

More About Me

I am an avid skier, mountain biker and rafter. I can frequently be found driving my family around the American West in a Sprinter van looking for our next campsite, put-in or trail-head.

I lived for a year in England before backpacking across the world, and have visited over 30 countries across 6 continents.

Client Reviews