Allen Cotton, Practice Principal – Court Data Consulting Services

 

C Allen CottonCharles “Allen” Cotton IV
President, CEO and Founder 

A visionary leader and highly motivated entrepreneur, Charles Allen Cotton, IV launched CottonLand Consulting Group, LLC in 2007. An expert in litigation support applications and business development/collaboration software, Cotton’s strategic initiatives paved the way for new companies to sell and market court and public records content to Chicago law firms, government agencies, investigative companies, and title plant corporations. 

Cotton brings more than 25 years of experience in the management and building of sales organizations, acquisitions, and the formation of strategic alliances for companies to re-sale court public records. His proficiency in those areas has made him an “Authority” for Chicago Cook County Court Records, the largest unified court system in the world as well as many other counties throughout Illinois. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Cook County Circuit Court’s e-courts technology advisory board and has assembled a committee to help the courts commoditize their court records to raise revenues for Cook County and help the taxes payers of Illinois. Business consulting experience and expertise with companies that need court records to productize their legal applications with Chicago, Illinois court records.     

As a one-time lobbyist and member of several community-based organizations, Cotton has honed his strategic business development acumen, planning and collaboration skills which he utilizes as a principal at Governmental Strategic Solutions (GSS).  Heading up the Court Data Consulting Services Practice, Allen helps companies and law firms in the Chicago area reduce research and litigation costs and improve efficiency to increase revenues and reduce costs in many areas. 

Early in his career, Cotton helped managed and operated a highly successful and reputable 155 year old Legal Newspaper known as the Chicago Law Bulletin Publishing Company. During his 17 years there he expanded and diversified the company into a multi-million dollar e-public records enterprise focusing on court records, docketing and case management, other public records with litigation products and services that serve over 5,000 Chicago Law firms, Corporations, Data and Title aggregators, Credit Providers and Financial Institutions in the U.S. and Canada. 

With skills in areas of business development, strategic planning and sales/marketing to the new product identification and development of new products and research services, Cotton has a proven record of success in his field. His expertise in court records, law firm e-applications and longtime Chicago political relationships has given him invaluable knowledge that has bolstered newly-emerging and established companies to secure court content that was previously a highly selective information services marketplace. 

Mr. Cotton is also currently an active member in his 100 year old privately held family business in Kentucky, known as Rebecca Ruth Candies. The “Inventors of the Kentucky Bourbon Ball”. Serving on the Board of Directors and a family partner in the business focusing on e-commerce, worldwide distribution and business development with brand identical bourbon confections representing many of Kentucky’s world famous Bourbon Distillers.  

Community memberships:

  • Chicago Area Chamber of Commerce
  • National Association of Public Records Providers
  • National Docketing Association
  • East Bank Club of Chicago
  • Vice Chairman of e-courts Technology Advisory Board, Chicago, Illinois 

Political experience:

  • Served on fundraising committees for many elected Chicago city officials.
  • Served as State lobbyist in Springfield Illinois.
  • Currently serving as a key Fund Raising Executive for the Democratic Party in Kentucky
  • “Rain Maker” for Kentucky Economic Development Team