Attorney Profiles

Mari K. Perczak 
Denver, Colorado
Attorney and Shareholder
phone (303) 779-0077
fax (303) 779-4924
email Email Me

Mari Perczak has twenty years experience as a Colorado trial lawyer. Ms. Perczak has successfully handled many large construction defect cases for Colorado homeowners and homeowner associations.  Hard-working and dedicated, Ms. Perczak has obtained many favorable verdicts and settlements.  In 2009, Ms. Perczak and her co-counsel, Scott Sullan, secured a $24.3 million settlement on behalf of a 320-unit Arapahoe County homeowners association involving foundation distress, water intrusion and drainage defects, and a $12.5 million settlement on the third day of trial for an Aurora homeowners association involving 282 units with stone veneer, siding, window and drainage defects.  Also in 2009, Perczak and Sullan secured a $7.35 million settlement on behalf of a downtown homeowners association with 57 commercial and residential units involving defective courtyard podium slabs, leaking windows and stucco defects.  Between 2005 and 2009, Ms. Perczak and Mr. Sullan secured a $19.5 million settlement for a 56-unit southwest Denver homeowners association involving water intrusion through a poorly-constructed building envelope and stucco facade, a $4 million settlement on behalf of a mixed-use downtown property development with moisture intrusion, mold and EIFS  defects, and a $2.5 million judgment following a jury verdict against a siding contractor. Ms. Perczak's experience and aggressive work also generated a $5.3 million settlement in a case involving structural framing defects and improper application of artificial stucco for a Denver homeowners' association.

Ms. Perczak's practice focuses on representing homeowners and homeowner associations in construction defect and defective building products cases. Ms. Perczak has successfully resolved construction defect lawsuits involving:

  • Structural failures and foundation movement
  • Water intrusion and building envelope failures
  • Cracking and improperly applied real and artificial stucco (EIFS)
  • Improperly applied artificial stone veneer
  • Roof leaks and failures
  • Inadequate drainage
  • Roadway failures
  • Building product defects, including leaking windows
  • Engineering errors

Ms. Perczak was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1961. She moved to Colorado in 1966 and graduated magna cum laude from Colorado State University in 1983 with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science. She attended law school at the University of Denver while she clerked for two litigation law firms. She graduated near the top of her class in 1986 and began her trial practice at a distinguished Denver law firm.

Since 1997, Ms. Perczak's practice has centered on representing clients in complex construction defect cases. She has successfully resolved through settlement or trial over one hundred cases. She also has handled many cases before the Colorado Court of Appeals and Colorado Supreme Court.

Ms. Perczak presents educational seminars to attorneys and property managers on issues relating to construction defect litigation, trials and evidence preservation.  She has served on educational committees for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and was a nominee for CAI's Board of Directors. 
  

Ms. Perczak was the United States Department of Energy's lead trial counsel in the condemnation action for the Standley Lake Protection Project. The trial, involving several land parcels, resulted in a verdict adopting the Department of Energy's valuation. Ms. Perczak also served as Assistant City Attorney for the City of Westminster in the early 1990s.

Ms. Perczak has earned the top-rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, the nation's best-known legal directory. The rating reflects a lawyer's expertise, competence and adherence to ethical and professional responsibilities. Ms. Perczak is a member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations. Ms. Perczak is married with three children.  Mari and her two daughters spend their free time competing in equestrian events.

 

Year Joined Organization:
2007
Areas of Practice:
Construction Defect
Products Liability
Litigation Percentage:
100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
Colorado, 1986
U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1986
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1986
Education:
University of Denver College of Law, Denver, Colorado, 1986
J.D.


Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 1983
B.A.
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa


Published Works:
Recovering "Actual Damages" Under Colorado's Construction Defect Action Reform Act, Parts I and II, The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 38, Nos. 5 and 6, 2009


Classes/Seminars Taught:
Recovering "Actual Damages" Under Colorado's Construction Defect Action Reform Act, Continuing Legal Education of Colorado, 2008


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Denver Bar Association
Member


Colorado Bar Association


American Bar Association
Member


Rocky Mountain Chapter, Community Associations Institute


Past Employment Positions:
Mari K. Perczak, LLC, Shareholder (while with Mari K. Perczak, LLC, she frequently acted as Associated Counsel with Vanatta, Sullan, Sandgrund, Sullan & Smith PC), 2005 - 2007


City of Westminster, Assistant City Attorney, 1994



 
Serving home owners and homeowner associations in Metro Denver and on the Front Range, in the High Country and along the Western Slope of Colorado, including Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins, Littleton, Broomfield, Centennial, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Brighton, Vail and Aspen and Jefferson, Douglas, Arapahoe, Boulder, Weld, Adams, Grand, Mesa, Mineral, Eagle, Garfield, Animas, Summit and El Paso counties.

Sullan2, Sandgrund, Smith & Perczak, P.C. - Construction Defect Litigation