Lino S. Lipinsky de Orlov

Commission: meets standards (11–0)

The State Commission on Judicial Performance finds that Judge Lino S. Lipinsky de Orlov MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, by a vote of 11 - 0. Colorado’s statutory judicial performance standards are integrity, legal knowledge, communication skills, judicial temperament, administrative performance, and service to the legal profession and the public.

Judge Lipinsky has been on the Colorado Court of Appeals for just over three years, and this is his first time standing for retention as a Court of Appeals judge. During much of his tenure, the Covid-19 pandemic required virtual oral arguments. Judge Lipinsky was thoughtful, well-prepared, and respectful during oral arguments. In addition, his written opinions are clear, well written, and adequately detailed. Judge Lipinsky excels at improving administrative systems. He frequently discusses cases with his clerks to obtain alternate viewpoints. Judge Lipinsky is an experienced case manager who completes cases in a timely manner. He works with the court’s technology committee to anticipate the court’s future needs and has taken on additional cases to help clear the pandemic-generated backlog. Like most judges with a background in corporate civil law, Judge Lipinsky has limited experience with criminal, domestic relations, and personal injury cases. He expressed a commitment to continued work in this area, and we are satisfied that his work with other judges and continuing education have improved his knowledge. The Commission finds Judge Lipinsky is a valuable addition to the Court of Appeals.

To conduct our evaluation, the Commission interviewed Judge Lipinsky, reviewed his self-evaluation, observed oral arguments, read a selection of his legal opinions, and considered survey responses from attorneys and judges. Survey respondents agreed Judge Lipinsky meets judicial performance standards. 88% of attorneys and 92% of judges who responded to that question answered “yes”. He received an overall score of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Judge Lipinsky received positive comments for his collegiality from fellow jurists.

Appointed in January 2019, this is his first public retention review. The judge received an A.B. magna cum laude, with honors, from Brown University. He earned a J.D. from the New York University School of Law and was a member of the law review. He chaired the Denver litigation department of an international law firm and was the former President of the Faculty of Federal Advocates where he co-authored the U.S. District Court for Colorado pro bono panel initiative. Judge Lipinsky frequently speaks and writes on legal issues relating to technology, discovery, employment law, and ethics. We commend his extensive work on the ethical rules for judges and lawyers which can potentially instill greater public confidence in the court. Judge Lipinsky is heavily involved outside the court, notably in the Access to Justice Commission, designed to expand access to, and enhance the quality of, justice in civil legal matters for low-income litigants. He founded the appellate courts’ liaison committee with the Pledge to Diversity to educate diverse law students about opportunities in the legal profession.

State evaluation page · 2022 survey report (PDF)