David Leinsdorf spent the summer of 1971 in western Colorado, exploring the valleys and mountains around Telluride and Crested Butte and never went back to live in New York City. At the end of the summer he packed his belongings into a U-Haul van and moved to Crested Butte, where he has lived ever since.
During the fall of 1971 and the 1972 building season David worked on various construction jobs, laboring, driving a forklift and tying rebar. After admission to the Colorado Bar in 1972 he opened Crested Butte’s first law office. Retired school teacher Mary Yelenick was David’s first receptionist.
The principal focus of David’s transaction-oriented practice involves real estate, zoning and land use, homeowner associations, business organization and transactions and county and municipal matters, including property tax protests.
In 1973 and 1974 David served as Crested Butte Town Attorney, drafting ordinances that are still in effect, including the Crested Butte Zoning Ordinance, which established the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review. David has successfully represented many Crested Butte property owners before BOZAR and the Town Council.
From 1975 to 1991 David served as Crested Butte’s elected representative on the Gunnison County Board of County Commissioners. During his tenure on the board, Gunnison County adopted the Land Use Resolution, a regulation with which David has been involved, both as a county commissioner and practicing attorney, for over 45 years. David also served on the Gunnison County Board of Equalization for 16 years, obtaining experience in real property tax protests, an activity in which he has achieved much success for his clients.
Since 1983 David has been married to Sandra Allen Leinsdorf, whose family operates one of the few remaining large cattle ranches in Gunnison County. David and Sandy raised a son and daughter in Crested Butte. When their children were in school David and Sandy were actively involved in many endeavors which helped make the Crested Butte Community School one of the finest K-12 public schools in Colorado.
