People v. Gwendolyn Jean Shotwell. 19PDJ075. November 8, 2019. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ conditional admission of misconduct and suspended Gwendolyn Jean Shotwell (attorney registration number 32238) for one year and one day, all to be stayed upon successful completion of a one-year period of probation, effective November 8, 2019. The probationary requirements include completing an ethics course and complying with all terms of her criminal deferred judgment and sentence.
In April 2019, Shotwell pleaded guilty to two charges in Denver District Court. The first count was a fourth-degree felony charge of driving under the influence with three priors. The second count was a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence per se. Shotwell received a three-year deferred judgment and sentence with probationary conditions and community service. She also served ninety days in the Denver County jail RISE program and paid court costs and fees, and she is completing 160 hours of counseling. The numerous mitigating factors present in this case include that Shotwell was immediately suspended from the practice of law in June 2019 based on her felony conviction.
Through her conduct, Shotwell violated Colo. RPC 8.4(b) (a lawyer shall not commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects).
The case file is public per C.R.C.P. 251.31.