Forrest Merithew Profile Photo

Outdoor Recreation Lawyer

Forrest Merithew is an accomplished lawyer and avid outdoorsperson who has lived and practiced around the country with bar licenses in California, Colorado, and North Carolina. When launching his law firm, Forrest named it Conatus Counsel, based on the Latin word that describes one's natural tendency to strive for success and sustainability. He adheres to this holistic approach when providing services to clients that include brands, businesses, and entrepreneurs, including outdoor recreation, sport, gear, lifestyle, food and beverage, manufacturing and product, clothing and apparel, breweries and restaurants, startups, and tech endeavors. Forrest believes in providing businesses the structure of an in-house general counsel for clients that may not be of size to justify one full-time.

59
Dec. 11, 2025

Sticky Lawyers Looks Back: The Niche Pioneers

What makes a lawyer irreplaceable? It's not credentials or years of experience. It's not how much money you make or the size of your firm. What makes you irreplaceable is being the answer to a specific question. When someone has a particular legal problem, there's only one name they think of. Yours. In this special compilation episode, John Reed celebrates the niche pioneers—Sticky Lawyers who saw unserved markets or entirely new legal questions and said, "I'm gonna own this." We’ll hear from lawyers who blazed trails for themselves and others in bicycle law, exploration law, paranormal law, and international war crimes. We’ll get insights from attorneys who counsel space companies, craft brewers, video game developers, outdoor recreation businesses, Amazon resellers, and graphic novelists. These lawyers established a vision for their practice and then went to extraordinary lengths to make it happen.
40
March 7, 2024

Making a Living and Living Your Best Life as an Outdoor Recreation Lawyer

Growing up in North Carolina with parents in the home construction business, Forrest Merithew cut his teeth on construction sites, played in the dirt, and developed an early passion for outdoor adventures. Always game for new challenges, he pursued a law career and discovered how his deep experience in construction and his outdoor recreation pursuits could shape his law practice. And a sticky lawyer was born. After successfully representing construction clients in complex commercial litigation for several years, Forrest pivoted to private practice representing outdoor recreation clients. Listen and learn how Forrest linked his personal passion (flannel shirt included) to a niche law practice that helps protect industry players and gives back to protect the great outdoors.