Records show Denver attorney pressed for former firm

Denver City Attorney Miko Brown pressed for her former law firm to receive legal work related to a death at Denver International Airport, communications obtained by CBS Colorado show. Airport insurer AIG initially declined to retain Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell but reversed that decision four days after Brown pushed back.

AIG ultimately hired Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell and a national law firm to represent Denver. Because the matter falls under the airport’s insurance coverage, AIG is responsible for the firms’ legal bills.

Communications before AIG’s approval

Brown was a Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell partner from 2007 through 2017 and became Denver city attorney in 2025.

On May 15, Brown texted Kevin Cain, a senior airport lawyer, that she was gathering information for the firm. She directed Cain to partner Jessica Scott and described Scott as well suited for the work. Brown also indicated that Scott was conducting conflict checks to determine whether the firm could accept the case.

Three days later, Scott emailed Cain seeking details about Denver’s AIG policy and whether the insurer would require compliance with its billing rules. Brown later told city employees that AIG had agreed to let Denver select outside counsel and that Scott would handle the matter if the firm cleared its conflicts check. AIG held the authority to approve outside counsel for the insured case.

Ethics review underway

The legal work followed a May 8 incident in which Michael Mott, 41, crossed an airport perimeter fence, entered an active runway and was struck and killed by a departing Frontier Airlines jet. His death was ruled a suicide. Passengers later threatened lawsuits against Denver.

Denver’s Board of Ethics voted 3-0 to investigate two complaints alleging that Brown tried to direct legal work to her former firm. The vote opened a formal investigation but was not a finding that Brown violated the city ethics code. Brown declined interview requests and questions about the communications.