He’s a Western-hat wearing, cowboy-boot strolling, cigar-butt chomping, shearling-coat and jean-clad lawyerwhen he’s not standing in front of a judge.
John McNamara — the self-described “free-range lawyer” — is a third-generation Denver native who has practiced law his way in Denver for more than 35 years.
His free-range lawyer philosophy is “not constrained to a stiff-lawyer attitude or tied to billable hours,” McNamara said while cowboy-boot strolling down South Gaylord Street and greeting merchants by name.
“Billable hours ruined the legal profession,” he said. “The profession should try to change to a flat- fee system so the customer knows what to expect upfront.”
He also does house calls.
“I’m like the old family doctor who comes to your house with a medical bag,” McNamara said.
This free-range lawyer (even his shingle outside his South Gaylord office says so) has extensive jury-trial experience in all phases of commercial, criminal and civil litigation. Before forming McNamara Law Firm, he was a litigation partner at Baker & Hostetler.
His clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as locally owned banks and small businesses.
“I’ve tried over 200 cases all the way through trial,” he said, chewing on his signature unlit cigar.
Sunday funnies.
Frank Schuchat, the Denver stand-up comedian/lawyer who feeds me funnies from time to time, sent over a couple of quips, in keeping with the holidays:
• “Quantitative easing — that’s when I loosen my belt after a holiday meal.”
• “The bad economy has forced me to cut back. I’m shopping at Half Foods.”
• “My New Year’s resolution was going to be stop telling jokes about politicians, but then I thought, what kind of message would that send to our troops?”
Truck trick.
Sharp-eyed TV viewers may have picked up the Colorado connection in the new Chevy truck commercial, where a Silverado pickup outpaces a huge tanker truck on a mountain pass.
That’s Loveland Pass, and Bob Wilson at the Colorado Department of Transportation confirms the footage was shot in August, with cooperation from CDOT crews on the pass and the State Patrol.
The patrol issued the filming permit and had troopers on the roadway to stop traffic to allow the vehicles to get into position. The production company also supplied its own traffic control.
“Our foreman tells me the delays were relatively minor, and the drivers who were stopped didn’t complain,” Wilson said.
More foodie fodder.
The Yard House, the restaurant chain founded by University of Denver alum Steele Platt, will open its 16th Street Mall location (in the Sheraton Hotel) on Dec. 19.
The new 11,000-square-foot space will offer 130 beers on tap. Open daily for lunch, dinner and late-night dining.
• Checked out Quaker Steak & Lube recently at 10392 Reed St. in Westminster. It’s a fun place filled with racing decor and rooms separated by clientele — bargoers vs. families.
Highly recommended: a sampling of the 22 types of wings on the menu.
• Open: Ototo Food & Wine Bar, sister restaurant to Sushi Den and Izakaya Den, opened in the 1501 S. Pearl St. space shortly occupied by Den Deli. Ototo specializes in a lengthy wine list, along with tapas and sashimi.
• Closed: Pappadeaux, the Louisiana-influenced eatery at 9145 Sheridan Blvd. in Westminster.
Kiddie chef crowned.
Donovan Duggins, a 12-year-old Wichita resident, earned top-chef honors during the fifth-annual Red Robin Kids’ Cook-Off Championship in Denver.
Duggins competed with nine other kiddie-chef finalists in an “Iron Chef”-style competition. As the grand-prize winner for his Mount Vesuvius Burger, Duggins’ creation will be sold in all U.S. Red Robin restaurants in the summer.
The gut-busting burger is a beef patty on a sesame-seed bun with crumbled blue cheese, bacon, provolone and his own “lava sauce,” made of sweet barbecue sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder and paprika.
EAVESDROPPING
Two men at Washington’s Sports Bar & Grill in Fort Collins:
“Have you heard Elvis Costello’s new CD?”
“No. Am I the only one who noticed that he can’t sing?”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the “Caplis & Silverman” radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
