Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has announced that Doug Friednash will leave his role as the Governor’s Chief of Staff to rejoin the law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. Patrick Meyers will replace Friednash as Chief of Staff.

Friednash is the fourth high profile member of the governor’s team to step aside since late September. Cabinet members Ellen Golombek, Shalin Bhatt, and Sue Birch have all announced they are leaving for other opportunities. They served as executive directors of the Departments of Labor and Employment, Transportation and Healthcare Policy and Financing, respectively.

Before joining the Governor’s team, Friednash’s career in public service included serving as a state legislator in the Colorado House of Representatives, an assistant attorney general, serving as the Denver City Attorney and litigating high profile public law matters. Friednash was a shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck before he was brought on as the Governor’s Chief of Staff in February of 2015. Friednash graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of San Diego School of Law.

“Doug is a longtime friend and colleague of mine,” said Governor John Hickenlooper. “These last few years he has been at the center of so much of our success. His judgment, his robust network of relationships, and his loyalty to me, and especially to Colorado, will be sorely missed.”

Meyers joins the Governor’s Office as a former owner of Smashburger and as a former Partner, Managing Director, and Chief Legal Officer for Consumer Capital Partners (CCP). Prior to his work with CCP, Meyers founded Quiznos’ general counsel office, becoming an owner of the company in 2012. Upon graduating law school, Meyers clerked under Hon. Justice William Erickson of the Colorado Supreme Court and thereafter became an attorney with Moye Giles in Denver. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado Denver and the University of California Hastings School of Law. He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1978-1984.

“We have so much still to do in the next 408 days,” Hickenlooper said. “Pat will bring a broad variety of experience to that work. I can’t wait to get started.”

Meyers will assume the role in December.