Meet Courtney Clark | Director of Operations

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Clark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk can be a very scary word. [Risk is] An uncertain event or set of events which, should it occur, will have an effect on the achievement of objectives; a risk is measured by a combination of the probability of a perceived threat or opportunity occurring and the magnitude of its impact on objectives. 

Risk is something that I have encountered multiple times throughout my life, but without taking certain risks such as calling off an engagement three months before the wedding or not jumping ship from a large personal injury firm to help open Zaner Harden Law, I would not be where I am today. Risk has played a very important role in both my personal and professional life. 

I will start with the personal part of my life. When I was 21 years old, I was working for the surgery center at The Children’s Hospital as a scheduler and planning my wedding. I was planning this wedding because this is what I was told to do. It was a natural progression in that relationship and that was our next step. I was young and had not experienced much of life at that point. 

Somewhere deep down inside me my gut was telling me to take a risk and call off the wedding. The wedding was paid for by my personal credit card. A wedding that was expected to have 200+ guests attend. A wedding that was a mere three months away. Well, I took the risk and turned my life upside down. If I hadn’t, I would not be married to the man that I am married to today or have two adorable boys. 

Professionally one of the biggest risks was leaving my former firm to help start Zaner Harden Law. I had a new baby at home. I was making a pretty good salary and had been at my prior firm for five years. I had worked my way up from an administrative assistant to a litigation paralegal, and with a promising role in the future to be a manager. I had worked very closely with Marc Harden at our prior firm and when he left to start Zaner Harden Law I was annoyed he was not taking me with him. A few months later I went to visit him and his law partner, Kurt Zaner. I walked into this beautiful suite that was much too big for a firm just starting… little did I know it was similar to a WeWork Center. They were three months into starting their venture, and they needed someone to help. Here were two attorneys with so much passion to provide a different type of representation, and lifestyle, after they told me their concept an excitement was sparked in me. I went home and told my husband that I wanted to take a risk and join Marc and Kurt. My husband has always supported me, and he said to go for it. The next day I turned in my notice and my firm offered me $85,000 to stay. In 2012, at 27 years old, this was fantastic money, life-changing money for my husband and me. But, in my gut, that spark, I couldn’t turn my back on that feeling. So, after an excruciating battle within myself, I politely declined the raise and a few weeks later I joined Kurt and Marc at Zaner Harden Law.  

We just celebrated ten years. It has been a wild ride and we have seen the firm grow from three people to twenty. If I had not taken that risk a decade ago, I would not be where I am today. Impacting and advocating for the legal community and our clients. I was given an amazing opportunity to help shape this firm and be a part of an amazing story. Risk has taken me from an administrative assistant to the Director of Operations of a nationally recognized law firm. 

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Zaner Harden Law just celebrated our ten-year anniversary. What sets us apart is our dedication and the services we provide to our clients. We aim to approach our clients and their cases with a holistic concept. We take into consideration the client’s circumstances, which can include a job, family, hobbies, etc. We look at their health and doctor’s recommendations when maneuvering through a case to make sure the client is being cared for and treated appropriately. One of the most important aspects our team analyzes, is the emotional stress the case and injuries are placed upon the client. Sometimes the process can be difficult and burdensome, but our teams aim is to consider all of this when carrying out our representation.

Regardless of how much you like your attorney, you need to know that they have the firepower and results to back them up. Our results speak for themselves. We have tried and won cases at every level of the Colorado courts, in Denver, Aspen, and all along the front range. We have won appeals at the Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court. Whether the case involves an injury or the death of a loved one, you will need the best personal injury or Wrongful Death attorney to represent you.

Our settlements and verdicts total in the tens of millions of dollars. We have been awarded accolades and membership into the most prestigious trial lawyer organizations -Super Lawyers, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Top 100 National Trial Lawyers – as well as prestigious local magazines wherein we were named one of 14 top personal injury lawyers in Colorado by the magazine 5280. We have been showcased on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and in leading newspapers across the Country (Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, etc.). We have also been featured on nearly every local news channel, as well as the front page of the Denver Post. We know how to win.

It is a competitive market and very saturated and because of this we have a team of professionals working on every case from the all-star attorney down to the paralegal, your team of professionals will be fighting for you. We have some of the very best paralegals in Colorado and the Country – award-winning, college-educated, and committed. We want you to feel like part of the family when you become a client, and each of our team members works tirelessly to provide this concierge-level service.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Monday- We would start with brunch at Snooze near Union Station. Then make our way down 16th Street Mall and see a movie or do some shopping, and then make our way back to the Oxford for a massage and facial and finish the night at Cooper Lounge. 

Tuesday- We would travel to Colorado Springs early in the morning and climb the incline. We would then make our way to The Broadmoor and take a stroll and have lunch. After lunch we would drive and explore the Garden of the Gods and stop at Manitou Springs for some arcade games and dinner. 

Wednesday- We would visit Water World and spend the entire day there. We would freshen up and then eat at Cuba Cuba Cafe and Bar. 

Thursday- We would make our way up to the mountains where we would explore Idaho Springs and eat at Beau Jos.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate this shout-out to that 27-year-old self who had imposter syndrome and struggled at times with the thought that I didn’t deserve to be where I am.   To my late mother, thank you for always encouraging me to follow my heart.  A huge shout out to Marc Harden and Kurt Zaner for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to run their firm. To our clients, having the opportunity to advocate for you during some of your most difficult times is an honor. To my team at ZHL, you are the reason I do what I do.

Website: zanerhardenlaw.com

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/courtney-clark-1a523059