Attorney
[email protected]

Elliott Hood represents school districts and hospitals in complex litigation before state, federal, and administrative tribunals. He has significant experience handling disputes involving special education, employment, civil rights, disability and accommodation, charter schools, torts, student discipline, and constitutional claims. Elliott has a strong appellate practice and often appears on behalf of clients in civil and administrative appeals before the Colorado Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, and Colorado State Board of Education.

Before joining Caplan and Earnest, Elliott was an attorney with a large Denver-based litigation firm, where he handled a variety of complex civil matters and appeared before state and federal courts across the country. He also is honored to have clerked for two highly respected judges, Judge A. Bruce Jones on the Colorado District Court and Judge Robert E. Bacharach on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit Court.

Prior to law school, Elliott taught fifth grade in Las Vegas as a corps member with Teach For America (TFA). During his second year of teaching, Elliott served as fifth-grade co-chair and received an excellence award for outstanding teaching and service to his school. Elliott left the classroom to become director of individual giving for TFA’s Chicago region, where he oversaw and grew a multimillion-dollar fundraising campaign. He remains very involved with Teach For America and serves on TFA’s Colorado Alumni Board.

In his spare time, Elliott enjoys cooking, staying active, reading, and spending time with his wife, Caroline, and their son, Alden. Elliott is also very active in his community. He serves on the Colorado Disability Funding Committee and the governing board of the CBA-CLE, and he has served as a senior member of several political campaigns.

Education

• Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D.
  Magna Cum Laude
  Public Service Distinction
  Northwestern Journal of Law & Social Policy, Articles Editor
• University of Colorado Boulder, B.A.
  With Honors Distinction

Admittances & Licenses

• State Bar of Colorado
• State Bar of Washington
• U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

Professional Credentials & Activities

• Member, Colorado Disability Funding Committee (appointed by Governor)
• Board Member, Colorado Bar Association CLE Board
• Board Member, Colorado Teach For America Alumni Board
• Colorado Bar Association
• Boulder County Bar Association
• Washington State Bar Association

Past Experience

• Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell LLP, Associate Attorney, 2015-2017
• Judge Robert E. Bacharach, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Law Clerk, 2014-2015
• Judge A. Bruce Jones, Denver District Court, Law Clerk, 2012-2014
• Judge Morton Denlow, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Legal Extern, 2012
• United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Summer Law Clerk, 2011
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Legal Extern, 2011
• Teach For America, Director of Individual Giving, Chicago Region, 2007-2009
• Clark County School District, Nevada, Teacher, Teach For America, 2004-2006