Sam Maynes
Sam Maynes was born in Silverton, CO, in 1933. He graduated from Durango High School in 1951, attended Colorado College, and received his undergraduate degree in 1955. Maynes went to the University of Colorado School of Law and received his L.L.B. in 1958. While there, he met his future wife of 45 years, Jacqueline "Jackie" Stahl.
In 1959, Maynes joined the firm of Larry McDaniel and Byron Bradford and tried his first high-profile case that year. Maynes defended a carnival worker charged with assaulting his date, a well-known beautician in town. The man was freed on a technicality, and the trial established his reputation as a good lawyer.
In 1964, Maynes was appointed as the attorney for the Southwestern Water Conservation District. At that time, Maynes had little experience when it came to water law. Despite his inexperience, he quickly became acquainted with water issues and lawyers in the water law community.
Maynes was one of the nation's foremost water law experts and recipient of the Bureau of Reclamation's Citizen Award and the Durango Area Chamber Resort Association's Citizen of the Year award. U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-CO) paid tribute to Maynes in November 2004 on the House floor.
Soon after obtaining the position for the Southwestern Water District, Maynes became general counsel for the little-known Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Maynes' legal and political help, together with the leadership acumen of Tribal Chairman Leonard C. Burch, helped the Southern Ute Indian Tribe come back from relative impoverishment to become one of Colorado's biggest gas producers and one of the nation's wealthiest tribes.
Maynes and his wife were vice president and president, respectively, of the Southwest Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Society, which raised money to help people with MS.
In 1959, Maynes joined the firm of Larry McDaniel and Byron Bradford and tried his first high-profile case that year. Maynes defended a carnival worker charged with assaulting his date, a well-known beautician in town. The man was freed on a technicality, and the trial established his reputation as a good lawyer.
In 1964, Maynes was appointed as the attorney for the Southwestern Water Conservation District. At that time, Maynes had little experience when it came to water law. Despite his inexperience, he quickly became acquainted with water issues and lawyers in the water law community.
Maynes was one of the nation's foremost water law experts and recipient of the Bureau of Reclamation's Citizen Award and the Durango Area Chamber Resort Association's Citizen of the Year award. U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-CO) paid tribute to Maynes in November 2004 on the House floor.
Soon after obtaining the position for the Southwestern Water District, Maynes became general counsel for the little-known Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Maynes' legal and political help, together with the leadership acumen of Tribal Chairman Leonard C. Burch, helped the Southern Ute Indian Tribe come back from relative impoverishment to become one of Colorado's biggest gas producers and one of the nation's wealthiest tribes.
Maynes and his wife were vice president and president, respectively, of the Southwest Colorado Multiple Sclerosis Society, which raised money to help people with MS.