Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson

United States 2025

National Rankings

Metro Rankings

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General Information

Practice Areas

Individuals recognized in Best Lawyers

Client Comments

Year founded: 1979

This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

The business and commercial law practice of Williams Weese Pepple & Ferguson has been a respected institution for more than four decades. Over the years, we’ve earned a reputation for placing the highest value on close personal relationships with our clients and working tirelessly to achieve successful and efficient outcomes. We practice in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain region, and beyond. Our attorneys offer expertise in commercial and regulatory litigation, employment, energy, natural resources, the environment, oil and gas, federal lands, ski resorts, real estate, tax, corporate counseling and transactions, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, data privacy, and technology transactions. With our attorneys’ experience in big law firms, we are known for efficiently and expertly handling big-firm-sophisticated work with small-firm client service and attention.

Rankings

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson is nationally ranked in 1 practice areas and metro ranked in 13 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 2

Tier 2 for Natural Resources Law

Metro Rankings

Colorado

Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Individuals

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management

Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law

About Our Clients

Our clients include public and private companies, private equity funds, individuals, investors, trade associations, lenders, and developers.

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.

Energy Regulatory Law

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson's energy and environment team is best-in-class. They have significant experience spanning energy and environmental law areas. They have a unique ability to problem solve and navigate the most complex of issues.

Administrative / Regulatory Law

In my view, Zeke Williams is a proven expert and superior legal professional in the fields of environmental and federal regulatory law and has been of great service and value to Aspen Skiing Company.

David Corbin – Aspen Skiing Company

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Zeke Williams took on a seemingly impossible impasse with the Forest Service on our behalf , addressed the issues promptly and professionally, and paved the way to a much better working relationship with the Forest Service. We are very grateful for our affiliation with Zeke and his firm.

John Doherty – Lake of the Woods Resort LLC

Administrative / Regulatory Law

The lawyers at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson are top-notch professionals who provide great customer service and obtain the best possible results.

Employment Law - Management

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson is our go-to firm for Employment Law and Employment Litigation.

Environmental Law

The lawyers at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson are top-notch professionals who provide great customer service and obtain the best possible results.

Environmental Law

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson is highly specialized in NEPA issues and projects, providing smooth and efficient counsel throughout the NEPA process while assisting in minimizing client risk.

Energy Regulatory Law

The lawyers at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson are top-notch professionals who provide great customer service and obtain the best possible results.

Commercial Litigation

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson does absolutely remarkable work. They are experienced, professional, and extremely skilled litigators.

Natural Resources Law

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson has an experienced and very skilled group of natural resource law practitioners. They have expertise in federal land law issues, air quality, and general oil and gas.

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson has an excellent administrative and regulatory law practice with a deep bench of expertise that provides for cost-effective counsel. Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson is adept at providing practical and actionable guidance to its corporate clients. Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson attorneys are approachable, professional, and truly care about the success of their clients. Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson is one of the best firms I have ever worked with.

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Williams Weese has top notch expertise and always delivers in a timely and professional manner.

Geraldine Link – National Ski Areas Association

Natural Resources Law

The lawyers at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson are top-notch professionals who provide great customer service and obtain the best possible results.

Litigation - Labor and Employment

I highly recommend Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese for representation for legal matters including Real Estate, Construction and Employment.

Kevin Ott, Sr. Vice President – HITT Contracting

Real Estate Law

Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese is top flight -- I am totally satisfied!!!

Energy Law

Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese has excellent and experienced energy lawyers who can provide full service support to energy companies.

Administrative / Regulatory Law

The Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese lawyers provide excellent legal services on administrative law issues. They are top notch.

Tax Law

I think Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese is cutting edge. I always want them to be looking for the next best way to lawfully pass wealth.

Tax Law

Taylor M Dix of Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese is a true professional. He has treated our company with so much priority and care that we are blessed to have access to such an attorney and law firm. We recommend everyone to use Lewis, Bess. You will be truly pleased!

Joshua Macciello

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Lewis, Bess, Williams & Weese are trusted partners of the ski industry on regulatory and natural resources law. Their team's expertise, professionalism, and effectiveness make them an invaluable resource in an ever-changing and increasingly complex legal environment.

Geraldine Link – National Ski Areas Association

Tax Law

I worked with two of the attorneys in the estate and tax planning group at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson and have referred friends to them as well. The expertise is second to none and above what I've seen at other regional firms. Combined with the rates that are substantially less than big law and it's a great combination.

Tax Law

I have nothing but good things to say about my experience with Lewis Bess, with Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson. The attorney I work with, his team and support staff, have been nothing but professional, and timely and have been cost-effective for the product delivered compared to other firms I've used. I have no hesitation recommending them with exemplary marks.

Taylor Kirkpatrick

Administrative / Regulatory Law

Zeke Williams at Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson, is an excellent attorney, highly knowledgeable , skilled, experienced and well practiced in the fields of natural resources, environmental and administrative law, particularly with respect to NEPA reviews and compliance. Zeke is also a pleasure to work with and relates well to his direct client representative, our staff more broadly and those within the regulatory agencies with whom we work.

David Corbin – Aspen Skiing Company

Natural Resources Law

Most of my work with Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson has been with Zeke Williams. He is a very fine lawyer with excellent knowledge of his subject matter, very quick response times, great contacts in the government agencies with which we worked, great flexibility in working with clients and their staffs and a manner and demeanor that served to produce excellent results. I would recommend him to any person or business needing services related to natural resources issues with governmental agencies at every level of government.

William Baum – Intrawest Resort Holding Company, Inc.

Administrative / Regulatory Law

I have the pleasure of working with several excellent attorneys from Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson. Without exception, they all provide high quality legal services and consistently obtain great results for my company.

Litigation - Labor and Employment

Mr. Charles Weese is an outstanding counselor not intent on drawn-out litigation, and very successful in resolving difficult issues in a professional and cost-effective manner. He is also an excellent and effective trial attorney in the event settlement is not practical or possible.

Kevin Ott, Sr. Vice President – HITT Contracting

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 2

Tier 2 for Natural Resources Law

Regional Rankings

Colorado

Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Individuals

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management

Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law

Tier 1 for Environmental Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Tier 1 for Natural Resources Law

Tier 2 for Litigation - Construction

Tier 2 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Tier 2 for Real Estate Law

Tier 2 for Tax Law

Tier 2 for Trusts and Estates

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.

Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law - Management
Energy Law
Environmental Law
Land Use and Zoning Law
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Natural Resources Law
Oil and Gas Law
Privacy and Data Security Law
Real Estate Law
Tax Law
Trusts and Estates

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^®

Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson has 9 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Williams, Weese, Pepple & Ferguson eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.

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