Bench & Bar July/August 2025

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION

The Justice Thomas B. Spain Award is named for the first Supreme Court Liaison to the CLE Commission. The award is presented annually by the CLE Commission for outstanding voluntary contributions of time and talent to continuing legal education. Mr. Stephen E. Embry was unanimously selected by the CLE Commission to be the 2025 recipient of this prestigious award. As co-chair of the newly formed AI Task Force, Mr. Embry has been instrumental in devel oping an education plan to inform and update KBA members about the extremely important and rapidly changing topic of artificial intelligence and its effect on the practice of law. During the 2024-2025 educational year alone, he has either presented, co-presented, or submitted the proposal for five different CLE programs aimed at unraveling and demysti fying artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies in the courtroom and beyond. Further, Mr. Embry has already worked with the KBA’s CLE Department to develop an AI webinar series for the 2025-2026 educational year to continue his focus on educating attorneys on the latest AI developments. Aside from presenting CLE programs for the KBA, Mr. Embry is also a lawyer, blogger, and writer. He publishes TechLaw Crossroads, a blog devoted to the examination of the tension between technology, the law, and the practice of law. He is past chair of the ABA’s Law Practice Division and chair of the Kentucky Bar Association’s Law Practice Committee. Stephen is a national litigator and advisor primarily in the mass tort, business and consumer class action, and privacy and data breach arenas. STEPHEN E. EMBRY JUSTICE THOMAS B. SPAIN AWARD:

“

For everything Mr. Embry has contributed to the continuing legal education of Kentucky attorneys over the past year, he could not be more deserving of the Thomas B. Spain Award. It is a rarity and a luxury that we have a dually skilled attor ney who is willing and commit ted to developing programs and content designed to prepare fellow attorneys for the un familiar world of AI and the inevitable changes it will have on the legal profession.

”

- CASSIE COOPER DIRECTOR FOR CLE

KENTUCKY LAW UPDATE

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KENTUCKY LAW UPDATE 202

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