Miranda K. Hawkins is a partner with Hawkins Gordon law firm, where she specializes in estate planning, charitable planning, and trust and estate administration. Miranda is also the current chair of The Denver Foundation’s Professional Advisors Council (PAC) and served as a panelist for the 2021 and 2022 Professional Advisors Fall Workshops.
Miranda has received numerous awards for her work in trusts and estates, having been selected to The Best Lawyers in America (2024-2025), Colorado Super Lawyers (2018 – 2024) and awarded the “AV” Preeminent Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating and the Five Star Investment Professional Award (2020 – 2024).
We had the chance to chat with Miranda and find out why she’s involved with the PAC.
Can you tell us about your experience as a professional advisor, and how you got involved in that world?
I’ve been a lawyer for 25 years. For the first part of my legal career, I was a litigator specializing in ERISA and fiduciary liability litigation. After about 7 years, I realized that the constant conflict that comes with litigation was not for me, and I began to research other practice areas, such as estate planning. As part of my research, I spoke with estate planning attorneys about this practice area, and it quickly became apparent that they all shared one thing in common – they all seemed to truly like what they did.
This inspired me to pursue estate planning. In 2007, I joined the Goddard & Goddard estate planning firm, which then became Goddard Hawkins, and is now Hawkins Gordon.
At our firm, we provide practical legal advice and counseling in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate, and estate and gift tax planning. We advise a wide variety of clients, from individuals and families who simply need to plan for their young children to families who need sophisticated estate and gift tax planning.
Like the estate planning attorneys I spoke with long ago, I love what I do, and I look forward to coming to work every day. My favorite part of my job is giving my clients the peace of mind that they have planned for their families and loved ones in the best way that they can.
How did you get connected to The Denver Foundation?
I first became connected to The Denver Foundation through my clients who worked with The Denver Foundation to establish donor-advised funds or endowments as part of their estate planning. That connection grew when Bill Schmidt and Ben Perry introduced me to the PAC.
What are your philanthropic priorities (personally or professionally)?
My personal and professional philanthropic priorities are intertwined. I have a personal passion for serving the community and to see women succeed professionally. I recently served as President of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, which is the second largest women’s bar association in the country and whose mission is to advance women as leaders in the law and the interests of women and children generally.
This month our entire firm volunteered for the Metro Volunteer Lawyers estate planning clinic to help low-income seniors with their estate planning.
How have you deepened the relationship with The Denver Foundation and how has it benefited your business?
I have deepened my relationship with The Denver Foundation by being an active PAC member. By attending PAC events over the years, I have gained more knowledge about the different options that TDF offers for charitable giving, and I have had the opportunity to develop relationships with specific people at TDF, such as Tanner Edwards (Advisors Relations Officer) and Ben Perry (Senior Director of Philanthropic Investments).
I can then pass this knowledge directly on to my clients who have charitable goals and seamlessly connect these clients with the right person at TDF. The Denver Foundation makes it so easy to help clients navigate the charitable giving process by educating them, involving them throughout the process, and keeping their passion at the forefront. The Denver Foundation is a trusted advisor that helps my clients combine their passion with their estate planning. All of this helps me to better serve my clients.
The Denver Foundation is a trusted advisor that helps my clients combine their passion with their estate planning. All of this helps me to better serve my clients. - Miranda K. Hawkins
What can others gain from the PAC?
This is a great question because it directly relates to our two goals for the PAC this year. First, we want to continue to strengthen the PAC community. By being part of the PAC, you gain a trusted professional community of like-minded advisors who share the common goal of giving back to the community. The PAC is a wonderful network and referral source. Attending the quarterly PAC meetings, workshops, and other events with the PAC community is something I truly look forward to throughout the year. Second, as we celebrate and honor The Denver Foundation’s 100th anniversary this year, PAC members will learn more about the history of The Denver Foundation and its future strategic priorities. We are Denver Foundation experts for our own clients. This is such a special year to be a part of the PAC because it is the Denver Foundation’s 100th anniversary– a century of impact!
