Meet Courtney
Taking the time to explain a client’s case and keeping her clients informed throughout the legal process are characteristics that make Courtney a trusted adviser. For over 30 years, she has been protecting and fighting for her injured clients and their families. Clients describe Courtney as passionate, knowledgeable, committed, highly skilled, and genuinely kind. She effectively navigates the complex side of personal injury litigation while never forgetting to care for the emotional side of her clients’ needs.
Currently a partner with the firm, Courtney regularly handles cases in the areas of auto and truck accidents, brain injury, and wrongful death. Based in the firm’s Richmond office, she serves clients throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationwide.
As part of the third generation of Allen litigators, Courtney grew up understanding that all people need experienced representation to protect them and to level the playing field when facing a large corporation. She believes that injured parties deserve justice, and aggressively takes on insurance companies to preserve the rights of her clients. As such, Courtney is one of eight Allen & Allen attorneys included in Best Lawyers in America, a publication universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
Courtney, a mother of four, works tirelessly for families and has a heart for helping children. She once fought a case all the way to the Virginia Supreme Court to obtain justice for a 12-year-old client whose insurance company wrongfully denied payments for his medical bills. Her passion for helping children extends beyond the courtroom. She has lectured on the topic of “Children as Witnesses” and participated in the production of a video that has been used to train lawyers and judges on the special circumstances involved when children are in the courtroom. Courtney was recognized for her spirit of service in 2019 when she was inducted into the inaugural class of Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s “Influential Women in Law.”
Courtney’s compassion is evident in her client relationships. A determined advocate for injured people, she is dedicated to carrying on the legacy that her grandfather began over a hundred years ago. She believes being part of her family’s firm is not a job, but a lifelong commitment to helping people.
Courtney and her husband, Peter, have four children. Courtney enjoys spending time with her children and participating in their varied interests. A perfect day off for Courtney is spent playing with her family and friends in the surf in Virginia Beach.
Experience
- Partner and Trial Attorney, Allen, Allen, Allen, & Allen (1990 – Present)
- Intern, Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia (1989)
Bar Admissions
- Licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court – Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia
Education
- J.D., University of Richmond School of Law (1990)
- B.A., Psychology and Political Science, Vanderbilt University (1986)
Honors
- Named to the Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2019 class of “Influential Women of Law” (2019)
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (2019 – present)
- Best Lawyers in America – Litigation Edition (2020)
- Listed in Virginia Super Lawyers (2015 – 2023)
Professional Affiliations
- Virginia State Bar
- National Advisory Board, The Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America (APITLAmerica)
- President, Richmond Chapter, Virginia Women Attorneys Association (2007 – 2010)
- Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
- Richmond Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
Speaking Engagements
- “Social Networking – are you in or out to lunch?”, VTLA Annual Conference
- “Social Networking – Helping or Hurting YOUR Case?”, VTLA Annual Conference
- “Evidence Update: Statutes and Case Law, Evidence for the Trial Lawyer,” VTLA Annual Advocacy Seminar
- Moderator, “The Trial Lawyer’s Playbook,” VTLA Annual Tort Law Seminar
- “Children as Witnesses,” Judicial Conference for District Court Judges, Charlottesville, VA
Personal Injury Resources
Can I sue for sexual assault?
It is a well-known fact that victims of sexual abuse or sexual assault can use the criminal justice system to prosecute their offenders; it is also true that victims can...
25 attorneys named to 2023 Virginia Super Lawyers
The Allen Law Firm is pleased to announce that 25 attorneys have been named to the 2023 Super Lawyers list. Those attorneys include Edward L. Allen, R. Clayton Allen, Jennifer...
Courtney Allen Van Winkle enters Hall of Fame
Please join us in congratulating Courtney Allen Van Winkle, who was just named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly’s Hall of Fame for 2023! Inclusion in the Hall of Fame is based...
Virginia’s Anonymous Plaintiff Statute: Va. Code §8.01-15.1
Sexual violence continues to plague our society, as sexual abuse and sexual assault victims remain in a pattern or “cycle of abuse.” Virginia’s Anonymous Plaintiff Statute, Va. Code §8.01-15.1, permits...
Black Friday gift guide: Recommended by personal injury lawyers
Black Friday is upon us, and the holidays are in full swing! Many retailers are listing their top ten gift items and “must-haves” – but do these must-have items have...
Sexual assault statute of limitations in Virginia
Only 310 of every 1,000 sexual assaults are ever reported to the police. The sexual assault victims who do report don’t always report immediately. While there is no time expiration...