Education
Leslie graduated cum laude in 1980 from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. In 1984, she received her Juris Doctorate from the University Of Denver Sturm College Of Law and was admitted to the bar in Colorado.
Leslie has participated in numerous legal and leadership trainings, including the Executive Leadership Course at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 2008 and the Leadership Program of the Rockies in 2009.
Experience
Public Sector
Leslie began her legal career as a deputy district attorney at the Denver District Attorney’s Office. She handled hundreds of criminal cases and conducted dozens of jury trials, including 10 first degree murder trials. In 2005, Leslie became the Assistant District Attorney at the District Attorney’s Office for the 18 th Judicial District. Leslie selected and presented cases to the district and county grand juries. She served as the District Attorney’s representative on the Community Corrections Board, and with the Mental Health Court and Drug Court. Leslie has testified before the state legislature on matters relating to sentencing laws and juvenile law and has spoken to community groups about all aspects of criminal law.
Private Practice
In 1992, Leslie left the Denver prosecutor’s office and was a partner in the law firm, Chambers, Dansky & Hansen, P.C. Leslie and her partners developed a litigation firm that specialized in family law, criminal defense, and employment law. She worked with families as a guardian ad litem for children whose parents were divorcing and was regularly appointed to this position by Denver judges with whom she had worked as a prosecutor. She represented domestic violence victims and grandparents seeking custody of their grandchildren. In 2000, Leslie started her own firm, Leslie Hansen, PC. and continued to focus exclusively on family law. Leslie continued her advocacy on behalf of children and families and handled all types of domestic relations cases. In late 2012, Leslie left public service and returned to private practice, again specializing in family law and types of domestic cases.
Leslie’s background as a prosecutor with extensive litigation experience gives her a unique perspective on family law cases. She knows that it is usually best for couples involved in a dissolution of marriage or a dissolution of a civil union to settle their case by reaching an agreement they can both live with, without resorting to litigation. Whenever possible, couples should decide how to divide their assets and debts and decide what is best for their children as co-parents. When there are children involved, their best interests must be the number one priority for the parents and for the family law attorney. Leslie brings the right combination of strength and compassion to the practice of family law.
Professional & Community Associations
Member, Colorado Bar Association
Member, Douglas County Bar Association
Board Member, Voices of Victims, 2010-present
Board Member, Community Corrections Board, 18 th Judicial District, 2005-1012
Member, Center for Legal Inclusiveness, 2010-2012
Board Member, Roxborough Metropolitan District, 1997-2000
President, Parent Teacher Involvement Committee, Roxborough Elementary
Vice President, Parent Teacher Involvement Committee, Roxborough Elementary
Trainings & Seminars
New Detectives Academy, Discovery in Criminal Cases, 2010, 2011
New Detectives Academy, Grand Jury Process, 2010
Aurora Police Academy, Search and Seizure and the 4th Amendment, 2010
Aurora Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, Littleton Police Department, Greenwood Village Police Department, Englewood Police Department, Parker Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Elizabeth Police Department, Englewood Police Department, Legislative Update, Criminal Law, 2009, 2010, 2011
District Attorney Citizen’s Academy, Anatomy of a Trial, 2010, 2011, 2012
