Charles Testa

40 Under Forty – 2024 Honoree

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Associate Attorney

Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?

I would tell my younger self to put myself out there more often and take more risks. As a natural introvert, I never saw myself in a career where I regularly had to get up in front of strangers and speak on someone’s behalf. Knowing now how gratifying it is and how, with practice, I was able to develop those skills, I think back to opportunities I may have passed up out of fear or anxiety.

Who do you count as your greatest mentor(s) that have helped you succeed in your personal and professional life?

There are too many to name, but I’ve been blessed to work with and learn from so many talented attorneys. In my first few years as a public defender, I learned everything I know by watching those around me, both in and out of the courtroom. Attorneys like Allen Chaney, Stu Rubenstein, Sarah Steele, Chris Carraway, Montana Fay, and Katie Rosen helped me not only to improve my skills as an attorney but to cultivate positive relationships with my clients. Being able to watch and imitate them was crucial to my early development as an attorney.

I was privileged to grow up surrounded my amazing role models. My mother went back to college while I was in elementary and middle school, and my father made a career shift in his 50s to finally pursue his passion for teaching. My older brother has worked in education for over a decade and has recently found his dream job in student affairs. Growing up with so many people who were not afraid to pursue their passions no matter how hard it was inspired me to do the same.

Where do you see yourself and what will you be doing with your life after 40?

In some ways I hope I am where I am today. My passion will always be for representing people accused of crimes and facing the overwhelming weight of government prosecution, and I hope to continue doing that for my entire career. I can only hope that I continue to improve as a lawyer to better advocate for my clients.

I hope to continue serving on the board for the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar and to take on a larger role over the next few years, to help establish resources for young attorneys who need the same type of mentoring that I was lucky enough to have at my disposal.

Finally, I hope to find new ways to contribute to my community and support causes I care about, either through volunteer work, donations, or advocacy. If, by 40, I can look back and say that I’ve made some tiny changes to the world around me or in the lives of others, I will consider that a success.

View the 2024 – 40 Under Forty honorees.

Visit the 40 Under Forty website.

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