Wills, Trusts & Estates · Real Estate Law
Helping families protect what they've built and pass it on with intention — with 30 years of legal experience, top-notch training, and the rare perspective of an attorney who has personal involvement as a commercial real estate investor-operator, Board Chair, and Non-profit Foundation Trustee.
Douglas Hsiao has dedicated his legal career to helping individuals, families, and businesses navigate their most consequential legal decisions — from securing a family's legacy to closing a significant property transaction.
After graduating from Duke University School of Law — where he served as a Note Editor of the Duke Law Journal and published in the Harvard Journal on Legislation — Douglas began his career at Jenner & Block in Washington, D.C., litigating landmark telecommunications cases before the FCC and the U.S. Supreme Court.
He went on to serve as in-house counsel at Rhythms NetConnections, Dynegy Global Communications, and ultimately Lumen Technologies (formerly CenturyLink and Qwest), where as Associate General Counsel he led negotiations of global technology agreements with Fortune 500 companies and managed data privacy compliance across GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA frameworks.
Beyond his legal practice, Douglas has personally founded and operated a commercial real estate investment company in Colorado — acquiring, structuring, leasing, and selling retail and commercial properties from the ground up. That hands-on experience as an owner and investor gives his clients something rare: an attorney who has sat on their side of the table.
Now in private practice in Denver, Douglas serves individuals and families navigating estate planning and real estate — with particular sensitivity to the planning needs of immigrant families, multigenerational households, and those balancing assets or family members across borders. Among his roles serving charities or non-profits, he has served on the investment committee of a private school endowment, Treasurer and Board Chair of the Denver Country Club Historic Neighborhood, and Trustee of a Massachusetts-based family foundation. He has conversational facility in Chinese (Mandarin) and is an active member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado.
Serving Colorado families — from the mountains to the city.
My practice is focused, not scattered — bringing depth and genuine expertise to the areas that matter most to individuals, families, and property owners.
Carefully crafted wills that reflect your precise intentions, protect your beneficiaries, and minimize the potential for future disputes — drafted with the precision of a former Jenner & Block attorney.
Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, and charitable trusts — structured to protect assets, minimize estate taxes, and transfer wealth efficiently to the next generation.
Comprehensive estate plans that integrate wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives into a cohesive strategy tailored to your family's unique circumstances and goals.
Douglas brings something most real estate attorneys cannot: he has personally founded and run a Colorado commercial real estate investment company — acquiring, structuring, leasing, and selling retail and commercial properties from formation through exit. That firsthand experience as an owner and investor means he understands not just the legal mechanics, but the business decisions, risks, and stakes his clients face.
Guiding executors and administrators through the Colorado probate process — from filing the initial petition to distributing assets — with patience, transparency, and efficiency.
Durable powers of attorney, medical directives, and living wills that ensure your wishes are honored and your loved ones are empowered to act on your behalf should the need arise.
Founded and personally led a Colorado-based commercial real estate investment company focused on retail and commercial properties. Managed every stage of the investment lifecycle — from entity formation and deal structuring through acquisition, commercial leasing, and disposition. Additional experience in executing 1031 exchanges. This direct experience as a principal investor, landlord, and seller gives Douglas an unusually practical command of real estate law: he has negotiated from the owner's chair, worked through the due diligence challenges, and lived the consequences of the documents he drafts for clients.
Drawing on 30 years of elite legal experience to serve individuals and families throughout Colorado with personal, attentive counsel in estate planning, trusts, wills, probate, and real estate transactions.
Lead counsel for negotiation of global technology agreements with Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and government agencies across the West and Central regions. Extensive expertise in IP, privacy and data security, including GDPR, FERPA, HIPAA, GLBA, and CCPA. Earlier roles at the company included Corporate Counsel for Regulatory Law (CO, NM, WY and 20+ other states) and Corporate Counsel for Wholesale Markets & Carrier Relations — leading an 8-lawyer team overseeing a business unit generating more than $3 billion in annual revenue.
Responsible for all legal, compliance, and commercial matters for operations of a global telecommunications subsidiary. Negotiated strategic procurement and carrier contracts worth over $1 billion with Fujitsu, Marconi, Ciena, and Level 3. Created the company's first master service agreement and key contract templates. Negotiated the sale of the company to 360networks.
West region regulatory and litigation counsel for this competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC). Obtained regulatory approvals for the company's bankruptcy, reorganization, and ultimate sale to MCI — navigating complex multi-state regulatory proceedings during a critical period for the telecom industry.
Member of the MCI WorldCom trial team in landmark 1996 Telecommunications Act litigation and FCC rulemakings. Briefed Supreme Court appeals on Communications Act challenges. Conducted HSR pre-merger review investigations, counseled clients on antitrust matters, and litigated property rights cases — including defense of MCI in patent infringement litigation against AT&T.
Note Editor and member of the Duke Law Journal. Teaching Assistant for Contracts to Profs. Paul C. Haagen and Stanley Fish. Published scholarly author: Invisible Cities: The Constitutional Status of Direct Democracy in a Democratic Republic, 41 Duke L.J. 1267 (1992); and co-authored And Where You Go I'll Follow: The Constitutionality of Antistalking Laws, 31 Harv. J. on Legis. 1 (1994).
"Two out of three Americans have no will, no trust, no plan — leaving their families to navigate loss without guidance at the worst possible moment. Estate planning isn't a luxury for the wealthy. It's one of the most important things any family can do, and my mission is to make it accessible to everyone, regardless of background, age, or the size of their estate."
— Douglas Hsiao, Attorney at Law
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