Jody

Harper

Alderman

Highly respected in her field by her peers, Jody Harper Alderman has practiced eminent domain law and real estate law for three decades. Among her colleagues, Jody is known for her willingness to go above and beyond for a client, oftentimes “giving 150 percent,” her law firm partner, Carrie Bernstein, says. “She truly cares about people, which is why she has represented some clients practically her entire career.”

During law school at the University of Colorado School of Law, it was the takings clause of the U. S. Constitution — from where the power of eminent domain stems — that immediately piqued Jody’s interest. Her University of Colorado Law Review article focused on the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause. Upon graduating from law school, she calls it fortuitous that she found a job at a Denver law firm where she could focus on the area of law that so interested her. Jody worked at Grimshaw & Harring until 2009, when she and Carrie left to start Alderman Bernstein. As a married mother of three, Jody wanted to nurture her professional ambitions while being fully present for her family.

At Alderman Bernstein, Jody’s practice focuses primarily on eminent domain law, and she also does both transactional and litigation work related to real estate. Jody handles contract disputes; quiet title actions and Rule 105 proceedings; Rule 106 appeals of land use decisions; drafting and negotiation of a variety of real estate contracts, leases, easements and other conveyance instruments; and due diligence and closings.

Jody is highly recognized within the legal field. She has been selected to Super Lawyers every year since 2014; she has been designated as one of the Best Lawyers in America for Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law each year since 2007; and she is an AV Preeminent Rated Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2022, Jody was named Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law in Denver. Jody has co-chaired the CLE International Annual Eminent Domain Conference since 2015, putting together a continuing education program for eminent domain professionals, including lawyers, appraisers and right-of-way professionals. 

Jody has litigated numerous eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and takings cases. She represents clients in every stage of a condemnation case, including negotiating for the acquisition of property and commencing condemnation proceedings, immediate possession hearings, valuation trials, and appeals. She represents private landowners, special districts, school districts, counties, municipal governments, and other public entities in her eminent domain practice. Representative clients include property owners involved in acquisitions by the City of Thornton for its waterline project, power companies acquiring utility easements for electric transmission lines and substations in several counties throughout Colorado, numerous special districts in acquiring various rights of way and utility easements for multiple projects. Jody has argued numerous cases to the Colorado Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court.

Along with her myriad professional accomplishments, Jody is passionate about giving back to her community. She’s on the Board of Trustees for Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Colorado, where she also coaches the Mock Trial Team and teaches a Mock Trial elective class. Since 1999, she’s volunteered with the Tennyson Center for Children, one of the Rocky Mountain region's leading treatment centers and K-12 schools for emotionally and crisis-affected children and youth. Tennyson serves children and families impacted by abuse, neglect and trauma. Jody was on the Board of Directors of Tennyson Center from 2007 to 2014, during which time she served as Chair of the Board for two years, and she returned to the Board from 2016 to 2022, serving as Chair of Board from 2018-2021. “It’s a really wonderful place and they’re doing tremendously important work,” Jody says.