Grace Colato Martinez
Grace Colato Martinez
Grace Colato Martinez
Biography
Grace practices with the Business and Commercial Disputes Practice Group, guiding clients through all stages of litigation. Grace has worked with companies on both the plaintiff and defense side of complex business disputes, including claims for breach of contract, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference, and trademark and copyright infringement. Grace also handles matters involving non-compete agreements, non-disclosure agreements, arbitration agreements, and employment contracts. Grace’s clients range from multi-national corporations to middle-market companies, small businesses, and nonprofits across a variety of industries. Grace also aids individuals needing pro-bono assistance. Grace offers her clients an approach grounded in excellent legal research and critical analysis, empowering her clients to make the most strategic decisions throughout the litigation process to achieve their desired result.
Before joining the firm, Grace served as a law clerk for the Honorable Stephen R. Bough and the Honorable Willie J. Epps, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Clerking afforded Grace the opportunity to experience the federal judiciary firsthand; conduct legal work on a variety of civil, criminal, and administrative law matters; and hone her analytical skills.
While in law school, Grace served as the managing editor of the UMKC Law Review and as co-president of the Hispanic Law Students Association. Grace also served as an intern for the Honorable Karen King Mitchell of the Missouri Court of Appeals – Western District and for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Upon graduation, Grace founded the UMKC Law’s Diverse Alumni Network.
Civic Involvement & Honors
- Missouri Up & Coming Lawyers, pro bono, 2023
- UMKC Law Foundation Board, Trustee
- UMKC Law Diverse Alumni Network, Founder
- Mattie Rhodes Center, Board Member, 2020 – 2022
- Missouri Bar Leadership Academy, 2020 – 2021
- Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy, 2018 – 2019
- CALI Award Recipient—top grades in Torts, First Amendment, Contracts 1, Civil Procedure 2, Lawyering Skills 2, Transactional Lawyering Skills, Consumer Protection
Professional Affiliations
- Hispanic Bar Association of Greater Kansas City, Immediate Past President
- Missouri Bar Association
- Kansas Bar Association
- Kansas City Missouri Bar Association
Admissions
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Kansas, 2021
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Missouri, 2018
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
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U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
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U.S. District Court, District of Kansas
Education
University of Missouri-Kansas City, J.D., summa cum laude, 2018
University of Missouri-St. Louis, M.A., 2013
Georgia State University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2011
Related Practice Areas
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Business & Commercial Disputes
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Resources
Publications
- Co-author, “Thompson Reuters Practical Law: Contract Basics for Litigators: Missouri,” with Practical Law Commercial Litigation, December 14, 2022
- “Judge Laurie Smith Camp,” Judicial Division Record - American Bar Association, January 2021
- “Hon. Fernando J. Gaitan Jr.,” The Federal Lawyer, January/February 2020
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