A Conversation with Incoming CBA Young Lawyers Division Chair Casey Kannenberg, 1017 COBJ, Vol. 46, No. 9 Pg. 7

AuthorJESSICA A. VOLZ, J.

A Conversation with Incoming CBA Young Lawyers Division Chair Casey Kannenberg

Vol. 46, No. 9 [Page 7]

The Colorado Lawyer

October, 2017

MEET THE YLD CHAIR

JESSICA A. VOLZ, J.

The CBA is pleased to welcome Casey Kannenberg, an associate at Hall Prangleand Schoonveld LLC, as its incoming chair of the Young Lawyers Division (YLD). With his propensity for action that breaks down the perceptual disconnect between the legal and broader communities, he sees himself as more than a lawyer: He is a dreamer and a doer who is not afraid to "get his hands dirty." His style of leader ship is rooted in the symphonious harmony that results from others playing their parts. As our conversation confirmed, the YLD—and the CBA—have much to look forward to in Casey Kannenberg.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a lawyer?

From an early age, I recognized that my parents worked very hard and were very good at what they do (my father in construction as a small business owner and my mother as an operating room technician). I vividly recall my mother returning home, bone weary, from a long shift at the hospital and also watching my dad manage a construction site like a savant (and at the same time working harder than anyone else). No matter what career path I chose, I was determined to make them proud and to carry on the family work ethic.

My interests as a young person varied from music to mock trial to model United Nations. I attended Northwestern University, where I obtained a degree in political science. I also toured the country as a guitar player in a band during my undergraduate years. Eventually, my interest in studying law prevailed—although to this day I try to balance things out through various musical pursuits.

What prompted your move to Colorado after studying law at the University of Iowa?

Anyone who drives in Colorado is familiar with a popular sign that native Coloradans proudly adhere to their car windows. It simply reads "Native." There is a variation that rings particularly true for me and my family. This sign reads "Not a Native but got here as fast as I could." While I was born and raised in Iowa, I got here as soon as I could!

By way of background, my wife Catie and I had our first two children (of five) while I was in law school. After I graduated, we moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where I started out as a litigation associate at what is now Bingham Greenebaum Doll, LLP. As our family continued to grow, we felt increasingly isolated from our extended families. Our fate was sealed when we visited my brothers-in-law Alex (a student at Colorado State University) and John (a chef at Keystone). We instantly fell in love with Colorado, and perhaps it is fitting that my oldest son, Steven, took his first steps on that fortuitous foray into this great state.

We immediately commenced plotting our move. I took and passed the Colorado bar exam and began the arduous and frustrating job search process (no small task...

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