Holding corporations, healthcare facilities, and the government responsible for illegal conduct that violates the social contract that we all rely on – this is what Clay Wire strives to do with every client he represents.
Clay is an advocate for those who engage in the selfless and difficult act of whistleblowing, and those who want to see fraudsters held accountable. The core of Clay’s practice is representing whistleblowers when they suffer retaliation or when they choose to report illegal conduct. He is committed to protecting clients and earning their trust through hard work and dedication. He engineers successful outcomes for clients in state, federal, and administrative trials and appeals.
Clay prides himself on successfully and strategically litigating and trying complex cases. As a result, he often represents professionals, such as doctors, nurses, in-house counsel, corporate executives, and accountants, when they blow-the-whistle on illegal conduct, are wrongfully terminated from their position, or are not paid what they are owed. Oftentimes, when a high level executive or professional decides to blow-the-whistle on illegal conduct, many complicated ethical, fiduciary, contractual, and regulatory issues arise. Clay and his team have in-depth experience in addressing such complicating and risky issues.
Clay is one of the few attorneys who has represented in-house General Counsel and Associate General Counsel who have suffered retaliation for reporting their employer’s illegal conduct. Such cases present a complex web of statutory, regulatory, and ethical issues. For example: How do the ethical rules limit or affect an in-house attorney’s ability to bring a claim? When and to whom may an in-house counsel report illegal conduct? What documents and information can an in-house attorney take to prove up her claim? Clay has addressed these issues in many cases and successfully navigated the ethical and legal minefields involved to achieve favorable outcomes for in-house attorneys at some of America’s largest companies. He and his team have also addressed similar issues for physicians and executives who expose illegal conduct.
In addition to representing whistleblowers in reward and retaliation cases, Clay also litigates and tries employment, civil rights, complex commercial, business torts, restrictive covenant and non-compete, and legal malpractice cases.
Those who care about supporting and promoting the American system of justice take pride in being elected to leadership positions by their peers. Clay has dedicated much of his professional time to leading organizations who support and promote the rights of and protections for individuals who shine a light on civil rights abuses, discrimination, retaliation, and illegal conduct. He is also active in the Colorado Bar Association.
Clay attended law school at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class. While attending law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the globally recognized Denver Journal of International Law and Policy. After graduation, Clay clerked for the Honorable Nancy J. Lichtenstein of the Colorado Court of Appeals.
Before law school, Clay grew up in Colorado’s northwestern mountains. His childhood was anything but typical, growing up on his family’s subsistence farm and ranch, which has equipped him with problem solving skills and a tenacity for getting the job done. He is an avid, but erratic, golfer, and still snowboards when he can. Clay and his wife Rachael have two boys, Jackson and Cole, and a rescued mutt named Burton.
