Attorney and Founder

Kristina M. Bergsten, Esquire

Kristina Bergsten is the owner and founder of The Animal Law Firm. She started practicing animal law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before moving to Colorado to be close to mountains and, of course, lots of animals! As a vegan, her passion for animal rights extends to every area of her life. Her current pet projects (pun intended) consist of writing, directing, and producing her podcast, titled "Fighting for the Underdog", founding a charitable foundation to help human and animal welfare organizations, writing novels, and spending lots of time with her furry children, Maggie and Sophie.

Kristina is a 2018 COBALT Class graduate, a Board Member of Colorado Voters for Animals and the Denver Indian Family Welfare Center, an active member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations, a member of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and a nationally and internationally recognized animal advocate.

Associate Attorney

Cerridwyn Nordstrom, Esquire

Cerridwyn Nordstrom is a legally blind attorney licensed in Colorado. She was born and raised in southern Colorado and attended the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. As a lifelong animal enthusiast and guide dog user, she is particularly passionate about the rights of service dogs and their handlers. Her capstone project in law school focused on current service dog policy and the ongoing struggles service dog handlers face. Outside of work, she is a hiking enthusiast and loves spending time with her menagerie of animals, including frogs, a gecko and a pair of axolotls, Aurora and Moira.

Cerridwyn is an active member of the National Federation of the Blind, the National Association of Guide Dog Users, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and the Colorado Disability Bar Association.

Associate Attorney

Emily Ann Hines, Esquire

Emily graduated in 2021 from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver and is licensed to practice law in Colorado. She is passionate about serving the community and helping others find stability and purpose.

Emily’s love for animals started when she was six and begged her parents to get a dog. She believes helping people keep their pets is essential to preserving their well-being and independence. Throughout her time in Colorado, she has developed an interest in education and outreach involving the pet owner’s legal rights and socially conscious sheltering for homeless pets. She is interested in solving landlord/tenant issues, protecting service animal and ESA rights, and assisting pet owners in complying with city and county ordinances.

Emily also received an M.B.A. from Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond, Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. She enjoys community volunteering, especially at the Dumb Friends League in Denver. Her family includes an 11-year-old rescue dog, Lady, that she adopted in rural Arkansas. Since then, Lady has traveled across the country as her ESA, supporting her new career and move to Denver.

Paralegal

Rachel Griggs

Rachel is planning to start law school in Fall 2023. Once she graduates, she wants to use her law degree to improve the rights and welfare of humans and animals, especially those in need. Rachel has two rescue pets: a dog named Marley (pictured) and a cat named Milo.

She is a Colorado Springs Paralegal.

Head Law Clerk

Josh Hartsfield

Josh Hartsfield is the Head Law Clerk at The Animal Law Firm. Josh is a law student at the University of Denver and has worked at the firm since his first year of law school. Before starting law school, Josh was a longtime vegan and animal rights activist. He spends much of his free time providing free legal work for various animal rights nonprofit organizations. His work and research areas include factory farming reform and criminal defense for activists arrested in the course of civil disobedience.