Danaé D. Kinnett, JD
Counties served: Adams, Araphoe, Denver, Douglas, Broomfield, Boulder, El Paso, Jefferson
ATTORNEY
Kinnett & Cordes
600 Grant St., Suite 404
Denver, CO 80203
720-864-1303
About ME
Danaé Kinnett, formerly Danaé Woody, founded Kinnett & Cordes in 2014. Ms. Kinnett’s experience includes complex divorce litigation, child custody disputes, child support modification and enforcement, non-traditional family formation and dissolution, adoption, appeals, and estate planning matters. She is a mentor through the University of Denver's Professional Mentoring Program. Danaé has served as an Executive Council Member of the CBA Family Law Section (2015-2019), Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers’ Division (2019-2020), President of the CBA CLE Board of Directors (2021-2022), and President of the Denver Bar Association (2025-2026). Danaé was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2016-2023 and a Super Lawyer from 2024 to present, and has contributed several articles to The Colorado Lawyer and The Docket. Danaé previously headlined the CBA's “Unbundled Roadshow” and is a regular presenter of Continuing Legal Education seminars for lawyers and law students on topics ranging from ethics and civil procedure to the business of law.
Danaé's litigation experience has proven that in high conflict cases, court involvement is sometimes necessary in order to achieve the best result for her clients. However, Ms. Kinnett is committed to helping parties decrease conflict during domestic relations proceedings and encourages parties to find mutually acceptable solutions to their disputes, when possible. Litigation can become extremely expensive, emotionally taxing, and time consuming. Further, litigation often results in dissatisfaction for all parties and children involved, as a judge can never be truly familiar with the people involved in order to make a decision that seems fair to everyone. However, when parties are able to understand the law with the assistance of their attorneys and, when children are involved, focus on what is truly best for their children, many clients feel satisfied with the results of successful settlement negotiations. Many times, negotiated settlements also result in savings of several thousands of dollars in legal and expert fees.
EDUCATION
B.A., Psychology, California State University, Sacramento
J.D. University of Denver
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Colorado Collaborative Divorce Professionals
President, Denver Bar Association (DBA) Jul. 2025 – Jun. 2026
President Elect, Denver Bar Association Jul. 2024 – Jun. 2025
First Vice President, Denver Bar Association Jul. 2023 – Jun. 2024
President, Colorado Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CBA-CLE) Apr. 2021 – Jul. 2022
Treasurer, Colorado Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (CBA-CLE) Jul. 2019 – Jun. 2021
Chair, Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (CBA YLD) Jul. 2019 – Jun. 2020
Director, CBA-CLE Board of Directors Jul. 2018 – Present
Executive Council Member, Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Jul. 2015 – Jun. 2019
Member, CBA, CBA Family Law Section, DBA Oct. 2012 – Present
COLLABORATIVE TRAININGS
CCDP Level I Training, December 9, 2016
Presentations Given
SEMINARS:
• Program Co-Chair – Lawyering for the Rule of Law: Part 2, Colorado Bar Association CLE, June 16, 2026.
• Program Co-Chair – Lawyering for the Rule of Law: Part 1, Colorado Bar Association CLE, April 10, 2026.
• Presenter – “Crossing Over: Preparing the Family Lawyer for Appellate Cases Involving Domestic Violence and the Criminal Justice System,” 2025 Family Law Institute: Redefining Advocacy: Family Lawyers as Problem Solvers, Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 8, 2025.
• Program Co-Chair – Equity in Action: The Legal Landscape of Disability Rights, Colorado Bar Association CLE, July 25, 2025.
• Presenter – “Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid”, Hanging Your Shingle: Successfully Launching and Running Your Own Practice, Colorado Bar Association Solo/ Small Firm Section, August 18, 2023.
• Presenter – “The Games People Play – Hidden Assets and Hidden Income,” 2023 Family Law Institute, Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 11, 2023.
• Presenter – “New Models for the Family Law Process: Can We Do It Better?” The Annual Advanced Family Law Conference: Family Law Post-COVID: For Better or Worse? sponsored by the Colorado Chapter of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, December 2, 2022.
• Moderator – “Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid,” Successfully Launching and Running Your Own Practice: The Essential Guide, Colorado Bar Association CLE, sponsored by the CBA Lawyer’s Professional Liability Subcommittee and the CBA Solo/Small Firm Section, August 12, 2022.
• Program Co-Chair – Better Discovery: Taking a More Targeted Approach, Colorado Bar Association CLE, December 7-8, 2021.
• Panelist – Managing Partner CLE, sponsored by the Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, October 26, 2021.
• Moderator – Hanging Your Shingle, “From the Trenches: Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid,” sponsored by Colorado Bar Association CLE, July 22, 2021.
• Presenter – “Family Law Basics for the Non-Family Lawyer,” sponsored by CBA Young Lawyers Division/Family Law Section, March 16, 2021.
• Moderator – “From the Trenches: What Makes Us Successful as Solo and Small Firm Attorneys?”, sponsored by the Colorado Bar Association CLE Solo Small Firm Institute, June 12, 2020.
• Presenter – “Parenting Plan and Other Family Law Questions Answered in Light of COVID-19,” sponsored by the CBA CLE, April 21, 2020.
• Moderator – “You Be the Judge!”, CBA YLD + CBA-CLE Coffee Connect, February 11, 2020
• Presenter – “Ethical Considerations in Collaborative Law,” Level I Collaborative Divorce Training Seminar, Sponsored by Colorado Collaborative Divorce Professionals, December 6, 2019.
• Panelist – “Secrets to Litigation Success,” sponsored by the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program, October 16, 2019.
• Moderator – Hanging Your Shingle, “From the Trenches: Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid,” sponsored by Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 9, 2019.
• Presenter – “Unbundling Tips and Tricks”, Modern Representation 101 – A Win-Win for Lawyers and Clients, co-sponsored by the CBA Modern Law Practice Initiative, June 18, 2019.
• Presenter – “Young Lawyers’ Marketing Basics,” co-sponsored by CBA CLE and Colorado and Denver Young Lawyers Divisions, March 7, 2019.
• Panelist – “Litigation Sharks vs. Mediation Jets,” co-sponsored by the Colorado Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Section and Young Lawyers Division, February 1, 2019.
• Presenter – “Ethical Considerations in Collaborative Law,” Level I Collaborative Divorce Training Seminar, sponsored by Colorado Collaborative Divorce Professionals, November 30, 2018.
• Presenter – “Representing the Moderate Income Client,” sponsored by Denver Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, November 15, 2018.
• Moderator – “Toward Equity: Motivating Inclusiveness in Legal Workplaces,” co-sponsored by Colorado and Denver Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, November 8, 2018.
• Moderator – Hanging Your Shingle, “From the Trenches: Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid,” Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 2, 2018.
• Presenter – “Ethical Courtroom Conduct Through a Contemporary Lens,” Colorado Bar Association – CLE, April 3, 2018.
• Panelist – “Conversations in Family Law: Unbundled Pro Se Services and Managing Compassion Fatigue,” University of Colorado, March 22, 2018.
• Presenter – “Child/Therapist Privilege Issues in Domestic Relations Cases,” Metro Denver Interdisciplinary Committee, September 5, 2017.
• Panelist – Hanging Your Shingle, “From the Trenches: Practical Advice and Traps to Avoid,” Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 3, 2017.
• Moderator – “Striking the Balance: Ethical, Rewarding Law Practice and Present, Participating Parent,” Colorado Bar Association CLE, March 23, 2017.
• Presenter – “Starting Your Own Divorce,” Ralph Carr Judicial Center, October 2, 2015.
• Panelist – “Oh the Places You’ll Go, Career Paths With a JD,” University of Denver, September 17, 2015.
• Panelist – “Successful Starts for Solo or Small Civil Litigation Practice” University of Denver, February 24, 2015.
• Panelist – Cherry Creek Businesswomen’s Network, November 20, 2014.
• Panelist – Juvenile and Family Law Club Careers Panel, University of Colorado Law School, November 11, 2014.
• Guest Lecturer – Advanced Family Law Practicum (with James Garts, Esq. and Professor Amy Goscha) University of Denver, October 15, 2014.
• Panelist – “Bridging the Gap: Every-person Access to Professional Legal Representation,” Rocky Mountain Public Interest and Social Justice Retreat, September 20, 2014.
• Presenter – “Unbundled Legal Services/Limited Scope Representation as an Effective Business Model” Family Law Institute, Colorado Bar Association CLE, August 9, 2013.
• Presenter – “What is Unbundled/Limited Representation?” 6th Annual ADR Conference, October 30, 2012.
Unbundling Roadshow Seminars and Presentations:
• Colorado Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association Annual Retreat, Golden, CO, August 15, 2018.
• 20th Judicial District, Boulder Interdisciplinary Committee, December 6, 2017.
• Family Law Institute, Vail, CO, August 19, 2017.
• Faculty of Federal Advocates, Denver, CO, August 17, 2017.
• 15th/16th Judicial Districts, Lamar, CO, June 9, 2017.
• Domestic Relations Courts Best Practices Institute, Denver, CO, June 5, 2017.
• Colorado Bar Association, May 31, 2017.
• 2nd Judicial District, Denver, CO, February 28, 2017.
• United States District Court, District of Colorado, February 22, 2017.
• Denver Bar Association Courts Orientation, November 17, 2016.
• Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, Denver, CO, November 3, 2016.
• Colorado Bar Association, October 19, 2016.
• 8th Judicial District, Fort Collins, CO, September 21, 2016.
• Annual Judicial Conference, Vail, CO, September 13, 2016.
• 4th Judicial District, Colorado Springs, CO, May 17, 2016.
• Denver Bar Association Courts Orientation, November 19, 2015.
• 18th Judicial District, October 30, 2015.
• Colorado Bar Association, September 9, 2015.
• 10th Judicial District, Pueblo, CO, August 11, 2015.
• 14th Judicial District, Steamboat Springs, CO, July 17, 2015.
• Colorado Bar Association, May 7, 2015.
• 9th Judicial District, March 20, 2015.
PUBLICATIONS:
• Together We Belong: Fostering Connection and Civility, The Docket, August 2025.
• What in the World is Collaborative Divorce?, The Docket, December 2017/January 2018.
• I’m Considering Divorce, Now What? (Part I – Preparing for the Process) and (Part II – What You Need to Know During Your Divorce), Center For Shared Insight Blog, March 2017.
• Nicole Marie Black – Reestablishing the Bar as a Home for Young Lawyers, The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 44, No. 7, July 2015.
• Legal Resource Review (reviewing Amy. L. Jarmon, Time and Workplace Management for Lawyers), The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 44, No. 6, June 2015, with Heather Coleman.
• The Practical and Ethical Considerations to Integrating Unbundled Legal Services into Your Practice, Colorado Bar Association, Modest Means Task Force CLE Materials, March 20, 2015.
• How to Make a Modest Means Practice Work for You, Denver Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Blog, July 29, 2014.