Megan Hottman earned her B.A. in Corporate Communications, magna cum laude, and her Juris Doctorate, both from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. After law school, she accepted two consecutive judicial clerkships; one in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, Missouri and one in Jefferson County District Court in Golden, Colorado. As a judicial law clerk, Hottman was responsible for drafting judicial orders, doing legal research for the judges, and serving as bailiff during jury trials. Hottman then joined a firm in Boulder, where she gained valuable experience working on large national-level consumer fraud mass actions, as well as individual personal injury cases.
At the age of 29, she did what people told her was not possible - she hung her own shingle and formed Hottman Law Office (HLO), aka "TheCyclist-Lawyer.com." This practice, she says, "is the perfect combination of passion and profession - love of cycling and legal education culminated in this practice; I'm doing what I was meant to do." For the next year, Hottman ran her practice while simultaneously racing professionally on the road and track -competing in World Cups and racing in 2011 for a new women's pro team, "Primal-MapMyRide." In 2012, she turned her attention to building up her practice, focusing exclusively on cycling law.
Cycling Expertise
Hottman has represented over 160 cyclists in their individual cases, as well as provided counsel to other lawyers, to cycling groups, bike shops, and organizations. She has authored countless articles and also co-authored a cycling-law resource book, Bicycle Accidents, Crashes & Collisions: Biomechanical, Engineering, and Legal Aspects (Rev.Ed), (Aug 2016).
In addition to representing her own clients, she has been endorsed as a cycling expert by other lawyers. She is known by Colorado cyclists as well as her fellow attorneys as THE go-to lawyer for anything cycling-related. She handles cases in all 50 states, and is licensed in Missouri, Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska. She provides frequent legal education seminars on biking laws, trends she sees in her cases and those nationwide, and education to both novice and veteran riders alike. She also provides educational and training opportunities to law enforcement officers.
In March 2015, Hottman and her practice were featured in an article titled "Broken Spokes" in Outside Magazine. A few months later, she was also featured on HBO Real Sports, in a "Bike Wars" episode. Visit our Media page for more features and articles. In 2019, she led a group of 24 cyclists in breaking the World Record for the Longest Static Cycling class (28 hours!).
Professional Organizations and Certifications
Hottman is a member of:
Colorado, Arizona, Nebraska and Missouri Bars;
Colorado Bar Assoc, CTLA (CO Trial Lawyers Assoc), 1st JD Bar Association;
1st Judicial District Bar Association (board member 2014-2016); and
Trust for Public Land (advisory Board Member Jan ‘21-present)
GoFarm (board chair 2019-20); and
People For Bikes business coalition, legislative and legal subcommittee advisor.
In June 2014, Hottman obtained LCI (League Certified Instructor) certification from the League of American Bicyclists. Additionally, Hottman has been a certified Spinning instructor and certified group aerobics instructor since 1999.
Hottman Law Office is also a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Business!
COMMUNITY AND CYCLING INVOLVEMENT
A competitive cyclist and cycling enthusiast to "the n-th degree," Hottman places great value and emphasis on leading by example in the cycling community, whether mentoring newbie cyclists, or sponsoring cycling teams and events. Her mantra is "improving lives and communities one cyclist at a time" and it is her own personal mission to get more people riding bikes, especially women.
HLO proudly sponsors several competitive cycling teams including the Bike Ambassadors, multiple cycling events such as Chino Grinder, and Gravel Worlds, and supports TPL via our commitment to 1%For the Planet. The Golden office has historically been the site of ride departures, clinics and training sessions.
Hottman has been racing her bike for 20-ish years now. A unique fact among racers, Megan has raced all 4 disciplines: road, track, mountain biking and cyclocross (and has competed in 3 of their national championships), plus gravel worlds and fat bike worlds. These days, she tackles gravel events, bike packing events, group rides, and commuting in all aspects of her life. She’s working harder at becoming more comfortable on her mountain bike, too.
Megan's cycling career highlights include:
'05 Best Amateur, Nature Valley G.P.
'09 Masters Track Nat'l Champ, pursuit
2010 Colorado Best All-round Rider, Road (Cat 1/2)
'07 & 2010 Colorado State TT champion
2010 Colorado State Crit Champion
2010 & 2011 Winner, North Boulder Classic Criterium (Cat 1/2)
2011 Overall Endurance omnium winner, Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic
2014 Colorado Best All-round Rider, Cyclocross (W35+)
2015 Gravel Worlds Female Single Speed Champion
2018 Dirty Kanza, Female Single Speed, 3rd place
2018 & 19 Gravel Worlds, Age Group, 2nd place
2019 World Record holder: longest static cycling class (28 hours)
3x IRONMAN AZ finisher (PR 11:08).