Denver Attorney Caroline Dickey to Become Partner
Barnes & Thornburg will promote the labor and employment lawyer effective January 1, 2027.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Human Resources
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The law firm Barnes & Thornburg is promoting Denver-based attorney Caroline Dickey to partner effective January 1, 2027. She is part of a larger class of 25 lawyers receiving promotions at the firm.
Why it matters
The promotion reflects the growth of the firm in the Denver market as it continues to expand its labor and employment law capabilities. This move highlights the firm's strategic focus on developing internal talent alongside its aggressive recruitment efforts.
The firm hired 160 lawyers and 80 partners in 2026, while adding practice groups that include a 39-lawyer public finance team. The recent promotion class involves 25 lawyers across 10 offices and 6 practice areas.
The players
Caroline Dickey
She is a Denver-based labor and employment lawyer who manages litigation and employer counseling.
Barnes & Thornburg
It is a national law firm that provides legal services across various practice areas including public finance, health care, and insurance.
The details
Caroline Dickey handles litigation and employer counseling within her labor and employment practice. Her advancement is part of a broader organizational initiative that included the integration of 14-lawyer health care and 12-lawyer insurance recovery teams throughout 2026.
Timeline
The firm hired 160 lawyers and 80 partners during 2026.
Caroline Dickey will become partner effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Market Landscape
This promotion follows the firm's 2026 lateral hiring expansion which saw the addition of 160 lawyers across multiple practice groups. It positions Barnes & Thornburg to bolster its competitive standing in the Denver legal market by integrating new talent with seasoned internal partners.
Local clients in the Denver area can expect continued stability and potentially expanded legal resources from the firm's employment practice. The firm's recent expansion efforts suggest a greater depth of specialized expertise will be available for regional business counseling.
The takeaway
Advancement within large law firms is often tied to the broader organizational growth strategies implemented during the prior fiscal year. Professionals in service sectors should monitor these internal promotion cycles to better understand the strategic priorities of their legal service providers.
What happens next
Caroline Dickey will officially begin her role as partner on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more information on legal staffing and industry growth, visit Human Resources.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ColoradoBiz.
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