Bench & Bar January/February 2026

BAR NEWS

BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING SEPTEMBER 19, 2025 IN REGULAR SESSION, THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS CONDUCTED THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS:

The Board of Governors met on Friday, September 19, 2025. Officers and Bar Governors in attendance were, Pres ident T. McMurtry, President-Elect M. Cook, Vice President J. Watkins, Immediate Past President R. Blackburn and Young Lawyers Division Chair K. Bunnell. Bar Governors 1 st District – J. Sigler, M. Tierney; 2 nd District – R. Reed, S. McGehee-Shacklette; 3 rd Dis trict D. Benge, S. Knight; 4 th District - S. Hiestand, S. Phillips; 5 th District – A. Adams, L. Mayo; 6 th District J. Gath erwright, C. Stavros, and 7 th District – W. Hall. Bar Governor M. Click was absent. In the Executive Session, the Board of Governors considered two (2) dis ciplinary default cases involving one attorney. Greg Caudill of Danville, Mary Pettus-Rowland of Paducah and Steven Ray of Madisonville, non-law yer members serving on the Board pursuant to SCR 3.375 participated in the deliberations. KBA MEMBERS Do you have a matter to discuss with the KBA’s Board of Governors? The next Board meetings are scheduled on MARCH 20, 2026 MAY 15, 2026 To schedule a time on the Board’s agenda at one of these meetings, please contact John Meyers or Melissa Blackwell at (502) 564-3795.

• Heard status reports from FY 2026 2027 Budget & Finance Committee, Long Range Strategic Plan Goal Sub committees and Rules Committee. • Young Lawyer Division Chair Kyle R. Bunnell reported on the following activities of the division: the 2026 Legal Food Frenzy is scheduled to be held March 11-27, with a goal set at $75,000; YLD will host a series of three webinars geared towards fi nances and the information from the series will focus on law school debt, 401k, ROTH IRA, or Tradi tional IRAs, as well as purchasing and/or saving for a home; another goal is to roll out short video pro grams which will provide CLE’s to participants regarding topics like divorce petitions, a purchase-sale contract, or representing a criminal defendant at an arraignment and/or initial appearances in district court; YLD has started discussions with the KBA CLE staff about producing short 30-minute teaching videos by bringing in practitioners who will discuss these topics which would benefit new practitioners as well as rural practitioners who have broad practices; will begin focusing on in creasing YLDs social media presence and visibility by taking steps with the KBA Section Liaison and Commu nications staff to provide member spotlights, wellness Wednesday posts about lawyers who are incorporating

mental health into their practices, as well as publicizing events and oppor tunities for young lawyers; KBF is to provide a Life Fellow opportunity to young lawyers at a reduced cost or on a payment plan and YLD will offer a free one-year membership to anyone that passes the July or February Bar Exam. • KBA Chief Bar Counsel Jane Herrick presented the Office of Bar Counsel annual discipline report. • Approved the position of KBA Gen eral Counsel and the hiring of Katie Shepherd to fill this position. • Approved two (2) dues waiver re quests. • Approved the section carry forward funding be conditional based on each leader receiving a letter to activate their section as advised in the letter or face consequences such as losing funding or other repercussions. • Approved, by a vote of 11 to 3, to dissolve the KBA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Profession Com mittee to comply with new federal guidelines with the provision that the committee members will submit a recommendation for the creation of a new committee to the Board. • President McMurtry reported the 2026 Annual Convention will take place June 11 and 12, in Covington at the Northern Kentucky Conven-

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