David Harston founded Footbridge Law LLC in 2025 to pursue his joint passions of immigration law and mediation/conflict resolution. David has been practicing immigration law since 1999 and specializes in the areas of employment and family-based immigration as well as humanitarian visa options. In 2009, David co-founded Elkind Alterman Harston PC (now Palmer Polaski PC) and served as the firm’s Managing Partner for eight years. During his 15 years at EAH, David helped the firm to manage the retirement of two founding partners and the onboarding of two new partners.
Over the course of his legal career, David has filed more than 5000 immigration cases. David has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 1999, served on the AILA Colorado Chapter’s Executive Committee from 2004 to 2009, and was the Chapter Chair for AILA Colorado from 2007-2008. Also a member of the Colorado Bar Association, David served on the Executive Council for the CBA’s Immigration Law Section and served as its first Section Chair from 2009 to 2010. David has written extensively on immigration law and is one of the Managing Editors of the CBA-CLE’s published book, “Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner.” During his 25+ year legal career, David has spoken on various immigration law topics at national and regional conferences sponsored by the AILA and other bar organizations.
- American Immigration Lawyers Association,1999 to present
- Colorado Bar Association, 2008 to present
- Managing Editor, CBA-CLE, Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner, 2011 to 2021
- Coordinating Editor, Immigration Law, Colorado Lawyer, CBA, 2012 to 2020
- Chair, AILA Colorado/USCIS Denver Field Office Liaison Committee, 2012
- Section Chair, Immigration Section of the Colorado Bar Association, 2009
- Chapter Chair, Colorado Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2007
- 2015 – 2025 Recognized by Best Lawyers® in the field of Immigration Law
- 2015 – 2025 Top Rated Immigration Attorney – Colorado Super Lawyers®
- 2015 – 2025 “Top Lawyer” in Immigration Law by 5280 Magazine
- 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for Immigration Law in the Denver area by Best Lawyers®
- 2017 Barrister’s Best – “Best Immigration Lawyer” by Law Week Colorado
- 2017 “Lawyer of the Year” for Immigration Law in the Denver area by Best Lawyers®
- “2013 Chair Recognition Award,” American Immigration Lawyers Association – Colorado Chapter
- Don M. Larabee Prize for best senior thesis on history, Allegheny College
- Philosophy Faculty Prize for excellence in the study of philosophy, Allegheny College
- Managing Editor, “Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner” CBA-CLE, 2021.
- Speaker, “Charitable Organizations and Immigration Law,” Institute on Advising Nonprofit Organizations in Colorado, Denver, Colorado (CBA-CLE, May 2018).
- Panelist, “Immigration Issues in Colorado Courts,” Colorado Judicial Conference (Vail, September 2017).
- Speaker, “Immigration Law and the World of Work,” Employment Law Spring Update (CBA-CLE, April 2017).
- Speaker, “Immigration Law Fundamentals Spring Conference,” Denver, Colorado (CBA-CLE, April 2015).
- Panelist, I Want to Start a Business! Immigration Options for Entrepreneurs, Colorado Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Denver, CO, 2015
- Panelist, PERM Basics Part II: Recruiting for Workers and Filing the Case, American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, Boston, MA, 2014
- Moderator and Panelist, PERM Labor Certification Recruitment: Part II, American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, San Francisco, CA, 2013
- Moderator and Co-Author, “Hot Topics in Nonimmigrant Visa Processing”, 2012 AILA Colorado Regional Conference, Blackhawk, CO
- Panelist, “Nonimmigrant Visa Options: Part II”, 2012 American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, Nashville, TN
- Co-author, “Current I-9 Employment Verification Procedures & Best Practices for IRCA Compliance,” Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner, Colorado Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education (Nov. 2011).
- Author, “Employment-Based Priority Workers: Immigrant Multi-national Executives & Managers,” Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner, Colorado Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education (Nov. 2011).
- Author, “Trade NAFTA (TN) Nonimmigrants,” Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner, Colorado Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education (Nov. 2011).
Author, “B-1 and B-2 Visitors and the Visa Waiver Program,” Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner, Colorado Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education (Nov. 2011). - Moderator and Speaker, “Immigration Law for the Colorado Practitioner,” Colorado Bar Association-Continuing Legal Education, Denver, CO (November 2011).
- Co-Author & Panelist, “Are Two or More Heads Better Than One? Strategic Staffing Decisions,” Fall 2011 Solo & Small Practice: Business School for the Immigration Practitioner, American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington, DC
- Co-Author & Panelist, “L Visa Issues,” 2010 American Immigration Lawyers Association Fall Conference, San Antonio, TX.
- Co-Author & Panelist, “O’Beautiful for Patriot Dream: Green Cards Part 1: Adjustment of Status,” 2010 American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, National Harbor, DC
- Co-author & Panelist, “Strategic Choices in Marriage-Based Petitions,” 2011 American Immigration Lawyers Association National Conference, San Diego, CA.