Education
Juris Doctor, Saint Louis University School of Law B.S. in Business Economics, Bradley University
Bar Licenses: Colorado Missouri (inactive) Mediator, certified pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rules 17 & 88
Community Involvement & Affiliations
CBA and DBA | Member Colorado Criminal Defense Bar | Member Saint Louis University Alumni Engagement | Member of Alumni Club, Denver, CO Member of International Association of Professional Writers & Editors
Ainsley E. Baum, Esq.
Partner
Ainsley was drawn to criminal defense appeals and post-conviction work by a desire to address injustice within the legal system. Her practice reflects an understanding that systemic failures and errors in individual cases can have lasting consequences for people and their families.
That commitment shapes her approach: listen closely, examine concerns carefully, and keep each client’s goals at the center of the work.
Ainsley Baum’s love of research and writing drew her to law school initially. While a student at Saint Louis University School of Law, Ms. Baum joined the Public Interest Law Group, worked on the Public Law Review, and worked in the Entrepreneurship & Community Development Clinic as a student worker.
After graduation, Ms. Baum worked for a family law firm and a land use and community development firm before finding her way to indigent defense as an appellate attorney. Since 2017, Ms. Baum has been representing parents on appeals of order stripping them of their parental rights.
Since 2019, Ms. Baum has been representing indigent criminal defendants in Colorado on appeals of their convictions, sentences, and post-conviction orders. Dedicated to indigent defense work, Ms. Baum routinely works with practicing trial attorneys to help research and draft pre-trial motions on behalf of the defendants.
During the pandemic, Ms. Baum discovered her love of puzzles and renewed her love of audio books. Ms. Baum has also dabbled in amateur pottery making over the years.
Practice Areas
Appellate
Civil Rights
Domestic Relations
Employment/Labor
Small Business
Education
Juris Doctor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, San José State University
Associate of Arts, English/Literature, Community College of Denver
Published Cases:
People in Interest of C.C., 519 P.3d 762 (Colo. App. 2022)
People in Interest of A.M. v. T.M., 480 P.3d 682 (Colo. 2021), reversing People in Interest of A.M., 486 P.3d 371 (Colo. App. 2020)
People in Interest of Z.M., 463 P.3d 330 (Colo. App. 2020)
Reversals and Remands:
People in Interest of C.C., 519 P.3d 762 (Colo. App. 2022)
People in Interest of X.P., 23CA0465, 2023 WL 12051834 (October 5, 2023) (affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding for further proceedings)
People in Interest of V.D.C., 23CA0369, 23 WL 12051846 (September 28, 2023)
People in Interest of A.S.M.,19CA1711, 2020 WL 14047415 (July 23, 2020)
People in Interest of A.M., 18CA1091, 2019 WL 13575547 (May 2, 2019)
A lifelong passion for helping the most disadvantaged members of American society has led Mr. Baum to dedicating his legal career to representing indigent clients.
While in law school, Mr. Baum spent two years as a student attorney in the University of Denver Sturm College of Law’s Civil Rights Clinic, part of the school’s prestigious Student Law Office. During that time, Mr. Baum represented inmates incarcerated in both the Colorado and United States prison systems, including several at the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ “Supermax” Penitentiary, in lawsuits alleging that prolonged solitary confinement violates both Due Process and the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.
Mr. Baum next spent several years in a small practice focusing on commercial litigation, domestic relations, and labor advisement. In 2016, Mr. Baum took the opportunity to renew his passion for Civil Rights as an Investigator for the Colorado Civil Rights Division, where he developed a thorough understanding of Colorado and United States anti-discrimination laws pertaining to employment, housing, and public accommodations.
After nearly two years investigating discrimination claims for the state, in early 2018 Mr. Baum returned to private practice, where he is more able to directly aid Coloradans, and to continue pursuing his passion for the advancement of Civil Rights. Since that time, Mr. Baum has focused his practice on representing clients in appeals contesting criminal convictions and adverse parental rights orders.
Mr. Baum is admitted to practice in Colorado and before the United States District Court for the District of Colorado and Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is also licensed to practice in Oregon but is currently on inactive status there.
Steven Baum, Esq.
Education
Juris Doctor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (Outstanding Student Lawyer Award, Civil Litigation Clinic)
Bachelor of Arts, Metropolitan State College of Denver
M.R. Dickey
M.R. Dickey is an associate attorney at Baum Legal Defenders, LLC, whose practice includes direct appeals, dependency and neglect appeals, and postconviction matters. Mx. Dickey is committed to helping indigent and marginalized individuals, advocating for their rights, and amplifying their stories.
Mx. Dickey earned their J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School, graduating in the top 20% of their class with a certificate in Civil Rights and Racial Justice. They were also selected by the law school faculty to receive the Don W. Sears Award in recognition of their contributions to classroom discussions and willingness to speak up for what matters. Their interest in the intersection of appellate law and civil rights is reflected in their studies of postconviction law, poverty law, and disability rights, as well as their involvement with organizations such as the Korey Wise Innocence Project.
In May 2025, Mx. Dickey represented indigent clients at the Brighton office of the Colorado State Public Defender’s Office under the Student Practice Act. During this internship, they advocated for clients in written and oral proceedings, including a hearing on a motion to suppress statements. This experience strengthened their commitment to client-centered representation that considers each individual’s circumstances and needs.
At Baum Legal Defenders, Mx. Dickey strives to represent their clients’ legal and extralegal interests holistically, combining thoughtful advocacy with an understanding of the circumstances affecting their lives. They were admitted to practice law in Colorado in October 2026.
Outside of work, M.R. enjoys crocheting, puzzles, watching sitcoms, and cuddling with their cats and their partner, Ryan.
Education
Juris Doctor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law (Outstanding Student Lawyer Award, Civil Litigation Clinic)
Bachelor of Arts, Metropolitan State College of Denver
Steven J. Taylor
Steven Taylor is an appellate attorney at Baum Legal Defenders. He represents parents in dependency and neglect appeals before the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court. He drafts opening briefs, reply briefs, and petitions for certiorari challenging termination of parental rights, adjudication, and allocation of parental responsibilities orders. He also handles criminal appeals on behalf of defendants before the Colorado Court of Appeals. His work centers on thorough record review and on protecting his clients’ constitutional rights.
Steve came to appellate practice after more than a decade in civil rights enforcement. He joined the Colorado Civil Rights Division in 2013 as an investigator, handling discrimination and harassment complaints in housing, employment, and public accommodations and facilitating mediations and conciliation conferences. He rose to manage the Division’s investigations, intake, and alternative dispute resolution operations, serving as liaison to the Attorney General’s Office, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the EEOC, and HUD. In 2020, he moved to HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, where he investigated housing discrimination, harassment, and VAWA complaints and trained lenders, real estate professionals, and government officials across Colorado and Wyoming. That career was about giving people without means access to a fair process, and he brings the same commitment to representing his clients. He began his legal career in family law at Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC, where he co-authored a chapter of The Practitioner’s Guide to Colorado Domestic Relations Law (Colorado Bar Association, 2012).
Steve earned his J.D. from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he received the Outstanding Student Lawyer Award from the Civil Litigation Clinic.
Outside of work, Steve is usually reading or running. He has completed half and full marathons, rides his road bike around Colorado, and earned a Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate in Guatemala.
Our Legal Philosophy
BAUM LEGAL DEFENDERS is dedicated to the highest standards of legal excellence in Colorado. Our mission is to provide robust defense and constitutional advocacy, ensuring that every client's rights are protected with unwavering integrity and professional precision.
We believe in a legal system that is both fair and effective. By combining deep expertise in appellate law with a commitment to constitutional rights, we strive to achieve favorable outcomes for our clients, maintaining the highest level of professional ethics and legal mastery.