Bench & Bar July/August 2025

WRAP U 2025 KBA ANNUAL CONVEN

This year's convention offered of outstanding Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs and OVER 30 HOURS 80 SPEAKERS In-person attendees also had the opportunity to secure an additional six hours of CLE via on-demand programming. Members not able to attend the convention in-person also had the opportunity to purchase access to on-demand convention programming. Attendees were able to gain valuable knowledge from our feature and spotlight speakers Camille Vasquez , James Higdon and Creighton Waters . within a two-day format.

Elliott of Danville, Representative Patrick C. Flannery of Olive Hill and Represen tative Jason M. Nemes of Louisville. Representative Jason K. Petrie of Elkton and Senator Brandon J. Storm of London were also honored with this award but were unable to attend the banquet. Judge Lucinda Masterton (ret.) of Lexington received the Bruce K. Davis Bar Service Award. Bowling Green attorney Rebecca Simpson was awarded the Donated Legal Services Award. Stephen E. Embry of Lou isville was honored with the Justice Thomas B. Spain Award. Justice Robert B. Conley presented Embry with his award. President Blackburn presented NKU Chase College of Law Dean Judith Daar with the President’s Special Service Award. Following the awards, the KBA’s new officers and bar governors for 2025-2026 were sworn into office by Chief Justice Lambert. The new officers include Pres ident Todd V. McMurtry , Fort Mitchell; President-Elect Matthew P. Cook , Bowling Green, Vice-President J. Tanner Wat kins , Louisville and Rhonda Jennings Blackburn , Pikeville, as immediate past president; and Young Lawyers Division Chair Kyle R. Bunnell , Lexington.

The Young Lawyers Division hosted their annual awards luncheon on Thursday, June 5, and honored their award recip ients. Lexington Attorney Elizabeth A. Combs received the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, Seth T. Church of Lexing ton, received their Service to Community Award; KYLAP Director Yvette Hourigan from Lexington was the recipient of the Service to Young Lawyers Award; and Chief Justice Debree Hembree Lambert , of Somerset, and Justice Pamela R. Goodwine , of Lexington, were honored with the Nathaniel Harper Award. During the convention’s Annual Banquet held on Thursday, June 5, outgoing KBA President Rhonda Jennings Blackburn presented the 2025 Distinguished Lawyer Award to Pikeville attorney Donald H. Combs , posthumously , and the Distin guished Judge Award to Chief Regional Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman of Pikeville. Supreme Court of Kentucky Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert presented the Chief Justice’s Special Service Award to Senate President Robert Stivers , of Manchester; Representative Daniel B.

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