Augustus B. Flottman

If you want to locate Augustus Flottman during wintertime, you’ll have to look for him on a mountain in Colorado. You’ll find him on the quiet backside of a mountain in the Fraser Valley, where the snow is untouched by the tourists and amateurs who scrape down the well-maintained front. From where Gus looks down, the evergreens densely pack a canvas of deep powdery snow — and everything is silent.

“It’s incredible,” Gus explained. “My favorite places in the world are at the top of Vasquez Ridge and Bell Fourche on the Mary Jane peak at Winter Park. They’re only accessible by a mile long hike at an elevation of 12,000 feet. The view is stunning, but the air is thin and the skiing is physically demanding. When you finally reach the bottom, your legs are on fire from those sharp turns among the trees, and you get that rush of endorphins like a runner’s high. There’s no better feeling out there.” Gus simply can’t escape the gravity of the mountain’s beauty when he’s out there.

Often, Gus is in the company of his friends and family. In that case, his ski jacket is packed with cans of Coors, or as Gus calls them, “Rocky Mountain sandwiches.” The laughing and catching up definitely makes for a good time, but Gus is always sure to plan a few trips alone. That is when he takes the time to soak it all in; just him and the mountain. It’s when he connects with nature and reflects on where he is in life. Think of it as downhill therapy at 60mph.

Gus fell in love with Colorado after visiting his older brother, who attended college there. “I knew after I saw the campus and the mountains that I was going to Boulder. In fact, I don’t think I applied to any other school.”

Always the inquisitive type, Gus studied history for his undergrad at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Fascinated with learning about historic conflicts and ancient civilizations, Gus discovered early on that he also had a penchant for research. Driven by curiosity, Gus could effortlessly dive into any topic that piqued his interest and retain what he learned.

Everything had Gus on track to be a history professor, but he always had a suspicion that his research skills could be used elsewhere. When Gus was in the early years of grade school, his mother left her position as an English professor at Xavier University to go to law school. He remembers attending class with her some days. He’ll never forget when he was about ten years old sitting at the computer in the law library conducting hours of research on Legos and then savoring the everything bagel with butter his mother would get for him after class at Bagel Brothers on Calhoun Street.

It’s no surprise that Gus loves a challenge. In fact, he seeks them out, whether on a mountain or in the courtroom. For a young attorney, he’s already tried an unusually high number of jury trials at the federal level, and hopes to be a go-to-guy for similar cases going forward.

It was interesting to listen to Gus recount what it’s like to try a case in federal court. He described the red carpet sprawled beneath thirty-foot ceilings, the ornate woodwork surrounding the judge’s bench, and the pressure of high stakes litigation. It was a reflection that shared the same excitement as when he described the mountain, only this time, it was the beauty of the courtroom and gravity of the justice that inspired his awe.