Career Counselors

Expertise:

Cathlin Sandler is the Assistant Director of Career Development and Opportunities at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and brings nearly 15 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney in the public sector as a Deputy State Public Defender for the State of Colorado.

As a part of the CDO Team, Cathlin works with students who are seeking positions in a wide variety of legal environments specializing in the public sector, judicial settings, non-profit organizations, and other public interest agencies.  Cathlin also advises on government placements and private sector careers including law firms and corporations.  Cathlin has several professional contacts across all practice settings and has extensive experience helping people find direction and create plans to achieve their goals.

Background:

Cathlin Sandler has a non-traditional educational history and is a first-generation college graduate.  After earning her BA, Cathlin worked in the non-profit sector for several years in Development and Fundraising, Communications and Administration.  During her law school career, she continued her work in the non-profit sector as the Coordinator of a Street Law Program for the Minnesota Justice Foundation.  After interning for the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office in Minneapolis, Minnesota during her 3L year, Cathlin successfully secured employment in Colorado and began her long-term career as a Public Defender representing clients in a number of jurisdictions across the state.  During that time, Cathlin also served on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee for Problem Solving Courts and was a founding and dedicated member of a variety of problem-solving courts in Adams, Broomfield and Morgan Counties, including drug courts, veterans courts, DUI courts and gender specific problem solving courts.

J.D. Law, William Mitchell College of Law, 2007
BA, Professional Communications, 2000

Bar Admission

Expertise:
Gayle Keahey brings over 13 years of private sector law practice with two large firms and over 14 years of combined law and MBA career services experience working with thousands of students, alumni and employers across multiple employment sectors in both private and public sector. As Director of External Relations, Gayle focuses on strategic initiatives, building relationships with employers and attorneys in both private and public sectors, and in connecting students to opportunities and careers with law firms, corporations, government and public interest, consulting and accounting firms, financial services companies, start-ups, business entities, JD Advantage, and judicial opportunities. Gayle leads our On-Campus Interview Programs. She also collaborates with our team, Legal Externship Office, Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, and others at the law school on employment opportunities and employer diversity initiatives.

Background:
During law school, Gayle was a Legal Research & Writing Instructor for 1L students, competed nationally as a member of the National Trial Advocacy Team, and was selected to the Order of Barristers.  Gayle practiced civil litigation in Texas for 13 years, as an Associate and Participating Associate with Fulbright & Jaworski (now Norton Rose Fulbright) in Houston and as an Associate and then Partner at Vial, Hamilton, Koch & Knox in Dallas.  Before joining the CDO initially in 2007, Gayle also served as Director of Programs and Children’s & Family Ministries for a large church in Texas where she spearheaded numerous events, programs, teams, and volunteers.

From 2007-2014, Gayle served as Associate Director and Career Consultant at the Sturm College of Law’s Office of Career Development & Opportunities, where she advised students and alumni on a variety of career paths; managed the On-Campus Interview process and programs; served on our Judicial Clerkship Team; organized hundreds of career panels, programs and events; initiated a new student development program; and developed ongoing relationships with many legal and business employers to connect them with our students.

Prior to rejoining the CDO in September 2017 as Assistant Director for Private Sector and now as Director of External Relations, Gayle served for three years as Career & Talent Development Consultant and Lecturer for the McCombs School of Business MBA Career Management Team at the University of Texas at Austin.  At UT she advised and coached full-time MBA students, with emphasis in the areas of Finance (Investment Banking, Investment Management, Corporate Finance), Healthcare, Real Estate, Energy, Private Equity, and Venture Capital; taught a strategic career planning course for first-year MBAs; conducted employer outreach and led student treks; and managed a large peer advisor program.

J.D. University of Oklahoma College of Law, with honors
B.A. University of Denver, Phi Beta Kappa

Expertise:
Eric Bono is the Assistant Dean for Career Opportunities at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and has significant experience advising JD students, LLM students and Masters students on a variety of career paths including those in law firms, in-house legal departments, government agencies, accounting firms, and corporations. He has a number of professional contacts across all of these sectors. Dean Bono has also advised hundreds of students on state and federal judicial clerkships and has a large network of judges and judicial clerks.

Background:
Dean Bono has a diverse background practicing law and working in higher education. Dean Bono worked at the University of Colorado Law School from 2006 – 2011 where he served as the Director for the Private Sector and Judicial Clerkships in Colorado Law’s Office of Career Development. Before that, he practiced general litigation and employment law in Denver at the law firms of Holme Roberts & Owen and Baird & Kiovsky. Prior to law school, Dean Bono was an Admissions Counselor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and an Assistant Director of Admissions at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. In his spare time, Dean Bono enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and spending time with his family.

J.D. Ohio State University 2001
B.A. Denison University 1995 summa cum laude

Expertise:
Katelin Ybanez brings in-house, law firm, private sector, and public sector experience to the Sturm College of Law’s Office of Career Development & Opportunities (CDO). As a Career Consultant, Katelin works with students and graduates who are seeking positions at law firms or in the public sector, including judicial clerkships and fellowships. She also facilitates programming designed to expand career opportunities for students and alumni.

Background:
Prior to joining the CDO, Katelin served as a trusted legal advisor and advocate for clients throughout the public and private sectors. Although she most recently worked in-house, Katelin also spent several years at law firms in Chicago, Illinois where she primarily focused her practice on labor and employment law. Katelin also has extensive experience working with clients in the education sector, particularly with respect to personnel matters, Title IX, board governance, and traditional labor relations.

Throughout her career, Katelin has been recognized for her skills in research, writing, and advocacy and successfully argued for a new constructive filing rule in the Ninth Circuit through her clinic work in law school. She credits this experience as providing a strong foundation for her legal career.

Juris Doctor, Pepperdine University School of Law (now Pepperdine Caruso School of Law)
Master of Dispute Resolution, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law (now Pepperdine Caruso School of Law)
Bachelor of Arts, Public Relations and Political Science, Gonzaga University