Awards & Professional Recognition
Decades of Trusted Family Law Counsel in Belleville
The recognition our firm has earned reflects decades of steady, personal work for families across southwestern Illinois, not just a single case or a good year. Courtney Clark Law, P.C. has built its reputation one divorce, one custody dispute, and one elder abuse case at a time since 2000, and that record has drawn attention from the rating services and bar associations that track what family law attorneys actually accomplish for their clients.
Illinois Super Lawyer, Charles W. Courtney, Jr.
Charles W. Courtney, Jr., the firm’s managing partner, has held a spot on the Illinois Super Lawyers list every year from 2023 through 2025. Super Lawyers selects no more than 5 percent of attorneys in each state through a peer-influenced, research-driven process that evaluates 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement.
Charles has practiced domestic relations law since 1986, and his selection reflects nearly four decades spent handling divorce litigation, child custody disputes, and property division cases throughout St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Clinton, and Randolph Counties.
Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Peer Review Rating
Charles also holds a Distinguished Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Martindale-Hubbell ratings come directly from evaluations submitted by fellow attorneys, and the Distinguished designation is reserved for lawyers who are widely respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Unlike advertising-based directories, a Martindale-Hubbell rating can only be earned through the judgment of other members of the legal community.
Appellate and Federal Court Experience
Charles has extensive experience representing clients before the Illinois Appellate Court on issues arising from family law cases, and he also has experience handling appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
That background matters because family law rulings on custody, support, and property division can carry consequences for years after a case closes. When a trial court gets something wrong, Charles knows how to build the record needed to fix it on appeal.
Stephanie Bartlett, a Rising Elder Law and Family Law Attorney
Attorney Stephanie Bartlett earned her Juris Doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2021 and has built her practice around domestic relations law and elder law across many regions in Illinois.
Stephanie works directly with Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurse Association to pursue or modify guardianships for elderly and disabled adults facing abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. That partnership puts her in the middle of some of the most difficult cases our firm handles, where a vulnerable adult’s safety and finances are both on the line.
Stephen R. Clark, a Legacy of Public Service
Our firm was founded in 2000 by Charles W. Courtney, Jr. and the late Stephen R. Clark, who was honored by the St. Clair County Bar Association for 40 years of legal practice before his passing in 2015. Stephen served as special counsel to the Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the state, and as a bankruptcy trustee for the Southern District of Illinois.
He was also instrumental in forming the interdisciplinary M-Team for the Southwestern Illinois Visiting Nurse Association, a project built to help caseworkers resolve difficult elder abuse cases. The elder law focus Stephanie carries forward today traces directly back to work Stephen started decades ago.
Professional Associations and Court Admissions
Our attorneys maintain the bar memberships and court admissions that keep a family law practice moving through every county we serve:
- Illinois State Bar Association: Both Charles and Stephanie are members of the Illinois State Bar Association, which provides legal education, professional resources, and support to Illinois lawyers.
- American Bar Association: Charles and Stephanie are both members of the American Bar Association, the largest voluntary association of lawyers and legal professionals in the world.
- Clair County Bar Association: Charles and Stephanie both hold membership in the county bar association in the Belleville area.
- Federal Court Admissions: Charles is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of Illinois, the Southern District of Indiana, and the Eastern District of Missouri.
- Multi-County Practice: Our attorneys regularly appear in St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Clinton, and Randolph Counties, giving clients across southwestern Illinois direct access to the same experienced counsel.
Put Our Experience to Work for You
The recognition we’ve earned reflects what our clients already know: we treat every case as personally as if it were our own family’s, and we never lose sight of what’s at stake for yours. We handle divorce, child custody, elder law, and family law matters throughout Belleville and southwestern Illinois, and we’re upfront about fees from the very first conversation. If you’re facing a divorce, a custody dispute, or a concern about an aging loved one, contact us today for a free case consultation.