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Alumni in Action: Jason Wesoky

Alumni in ActionJason WesokyIn his 20-plus years as a civil litigator, attorney Jason Wesoky has handled more than 30 trials in areas ranging from business, employment, and real estate litigation to insurance disputes, personal injury, and wrongful death cases. 

“I like representing people and helping people get out of situations that they find themselves in through no fault of their own,” explained Wesoky, who is a partner with the Denver law firm Ogborn Mihm. “I really enjoy litigation. A lot of people don’t, because it is designed to be adversarial; there is inherently a lot of conflict, but you do get to help people.”

Wesoky, whose father was a lawyer, also does a lot of appellate work.

“I like doing the appellate work because you focus on the legal side of things, where trial work is mostly focused on the factual side of things,” he said.

Wesoky grew up in the Cherry Creek School District, where he attended Willow Creek Elementary, Campus Middle Unit (now called Campus Middle School), and Cherry Creek High School, graduating in 1994.

“Creek is a great school. It’s rigorous,” he said. “Everything is a bit of what you make it, but there are tons of opportunities there, and a lot of really great people, many of whom I’m still friends with to this day.”

CCHS swim teamAt Creek, Wesoky played tennis and was a member of the Bruins swim team, which won the State Championship his freshman and senior years. He swam the 100-yard Butterfly and 200-yard Individual Medley.

“I was sort of good at it,” he recalls. “I enjoyed the success. Swimming was very good at keeping me focused and teaching me discipline and time management.”

Wesoky carried those skills with him to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he continued his swimming career at the collegiate level.

“I loved it. I think athletics presents you with an environment where the friends you make on that team are truly ‘ride or die’ friends for life,” he said. “We’re going to the Olympics this summer with some of my teammates and their families.”

Wesoky had planned to major in political science as a precursor to law school but found he didn’t really enjoy it. One of his teammates, who also planned to go to law school, encouraged him to study something he was more passionate about during his undergrad years. In 1998, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing and history.

Wesoky FamilyThen it was off to law school at Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington D.C., where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and earned his Juris Doctor in 2001. While in D.C., he met his future wife, whose parents had moved to Colorado. So just a year later, Wesoky returned to the Centennial state and eventually started a family, which now includes a son and daughter, who are both high school swimmers.

However, family and work don’t occupy all his time. Wesoky is a firm believer in having outside interests.

“You’ve got to have hobbies that challenge you and keep you in that amateur mindset. It’s good to not be good at something and figure it out,” he said.

As an adult, Wesoky took up Taekwondo, something he practiced for 20 years, earning his 5th degree black belt in the process. He also did some stand-up comedy and is now a Spec Miata racecar driver.

Jason Wesoky - racecar driver“Right now, it’s just local, there are three tracks in Colorado,” he said. “But hopefully I’ll be able to travel with it as I get older and work less.”

Wesoky says his hobbies help him maintain work-life balance and mental focus.

“Particularly in a demanding profession, it’s hard to turn your brain off. Your mind is going to wander to whatever you’re worried about or whatever you’re thinking about, whether it’s work, global issues, family, whatever. But if you’re in a racecar you can’t think about anything else, because you could die.”

Wesoky is grateful for the experiences he had in Cherry Creek Schools, and how they helped prepare him for his pathway of purpose in law. He has this advice for those who might be considering a similar path.

“As far as pursuing a law degree, I would give them advice that I didn’t get; Work for a few years after college, do something else for a while. If you find yourself drawn back to academics, law school is a great choice. It’s a very versatile degree.”

Posted 9/18/24.