About

Mission

Rocky Mountain Civil Rights exists to defend the dignity, rights, and freedoms of individuals facing injustice. The firm is dedicated to holding powerful institutions accountable—whether governmental or private—and to securing meaningful remedies for those harmed by discrimination, retaliation, or abuse of authority. Grounded in the belief that justice must be accessible to all, Rocky Mountain Civil Rights serves as a source of strength, advocacy, and protection for those navigating some of life’s most difficult challenges.

Vision

Rocky Mountain Civil Rights envisions a legal system where every person—regardless of status, identity, or circumstance—has a powerful advocate in their corner. The firm is committed to transforming the experience of legal representation through a client-centered approach that prioritizes empathy, transparency, and empowerment. By focusing on each client's individual goals and lived experience, the firm strives not only to win cases, but to restore agency, dignity, and hope in the face of injustice.

About Nick

Nicholas A. Lutz is a dedicated civil rights attorney based in Denver, Colorado. He is the founder of Rocky Mountain Civil Rights, a law firm committed to advocating for individuals facing discrimination, government misconduct, and institutional abuses of power. Throughout his career, Nick has dedicated himself to defending his clients' rights against unconstitutional or illegal abuses of power. He is an expert in numerous aspects of civil rights law, including federal and state civil litigation, federal appeals, and alternative dispute resolution.

Prior to founding Rocky Mountain Civil Rights, Nick served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law, where he instructed law students in federal civil rights litigation in the nationally recognized Civil Rights Clinic.

Prior to his academic role, he worked at a private civil rights firm in Denver, focusing on cases involving police misconduct, prisoner rights, and employment discrimination.

Beyond his legal practice and teaching, Nick is actively involved in the legal community. He has served on the Executive Council of the Colorado Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division and on the board of the University of Denver's Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD).

Through his combined efforts in litigation, education, and community engagement, Nicholas A. Lutz continues to champion civil rights and mentor the next generation of advocates.

Publications & Teaching Engagements

Civil Rights Careers - Attorney Panel, University of Denver ACLU (October 16, 2024) (CLE)
Trauma Informed Lawyering: Taking Care of Victimized Clients and Yourself, Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (February 21, 2024) (CLE)
Civil Rights Litigation, Faculty of Federal Advocates (July 2022) (CLE)
Civil Tools for a Criminal Fight, Office of the Municipal Public Defender, Aurora, Colorado (September 29, 2021) (CLE/Training)
Section 1983, Senate Bill 217, and the Future of Civil Rights Practice in Colorado, Trial Talk, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association (October/November 2020) (publication)
Representing Victims of Police Violence, Rocky Mountain Victims Law Center (November 19, 2020) (CLE)
Litigation Nuts & Bolts: How a Complaint Gets to Trial, Colorado Bar Association (May 24, 2019) (CLE)
A Right to a Remedy: The Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel and the American Indigent Defense Crisis, University of Denver Criminal Law Review, Vol. 7 (2017) (law review article) (available at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1039&context=crimlawrev)

Representative Cases

Ajaj v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, et al.,15-cv-00992-RBJ-KAS (D. Colo. (Professor for student team that settled first-of-its kind case seeking damages on behalf of a devout Muslim prisoner under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for violations of his religious rights in federal prison)
Estate of Harmon, et al. v. Salt Lake City, et al., No. 23-4125, 2025 WL 1163268 (10th Cir. Apr. 22, 2025) (remand to district court pending after second successful Tenth Circuit Appeal)
Jacobs v. Leon, et al., 2021CV33817, (Denver District Court) (2021) (Excessive force – First case to successfully pursue failure-to-intervene claims against police officers under the Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, C.R.S. § 13-21-131) (settlement reached)
Estate of Finn v. City and County of Denver, et al., 21-cv-02160-RMR-SKC (D. Colo) (2021) (Police excessive force) (successfully defeated motion to dismiss to as to municipal liability claim against the City and County of Denver) (ongoing)
Jacoby v. Williams, et al., 19-cv-01001-CMA-NRN (D. Colo) (2019) (Prisoner rights; ADA, Eighth Amendment) (pro bono panel appointed – successfully settled)
Flores, et al. v. Victory Precatory Academy, et al., 18-cv-2916-RM-SKC (D. Colo) (2018) (Student Free Speech – Class action) (high six-figure settlement)
Chavez, et al. v. The Board of County Commissioners of Lake County, Colorado, et al. (multi-plaintiff sexual harassment/retaliation/1983) (high six-figure settlement)
Morrell v. CoreCivic, et al., 21-cv-01093-RM-NRN (D. Colo) (2021) (confidential settlement against private prison)

Bar Admissions

Colorado
U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
U.S. District Court for the District of Utah (pro hac vice)
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Professional Associations & Volunteerism

Executive Council, Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (2018-2022)
- Public Service Committee Chair
- Federal Limited Assistance Program (“FLAP”) committee member, pilot-tester, and volunteer (2021-2023)
- Award for Best Public Outreach Program (2022)
District of Colorado Civil Pro Bono Panel (2018-present)
District of Colorado Federal Pro Se Clinic (2019-present)
Colorado Bar Association
Denver Bar Association

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Email Nick

(720) 248-3997