Bench & Bar July/August 2025

WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE

firm in Lexington where he gained experience in contracts, com plex commercial real estate agreements and corporate governance and compliance matters. During law school, he was a law clerk for Gray Construction, a legal extern with the University of Kentucky HealthCare Risk Management Office and a law clerk with Kentucky’s Executive Branch Ethics Commission. Roddy earned his J.D., cum laude , from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in 2024. He also earned a dual B.A. in political science and sociology, summa cum laude , from the University of Kentucky in 2021. Outside of the firm, Roddy is a member of the Fayette County Bar Association and the Kentucky Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. Smith Law Firm , formerly Mark B. Smith Co., LPA, is pleased to announce that Brian T. Smith has joined the firm. Smith is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law and was admitted to the practice of law in 2022. Smith will contribute to the firm’s representation of individuals, families and businesses in matters involving personal injury, wrongful death, gen eral negligence, malpractice, and products and premises liability.

and the United State Department of Labor. He focuses his practice on administrative law, civil litigation, employment law, municipal law, and insurance defense. Cooper is licensed in both Kentucky and Illinois.

Leadership Kentucky recently selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC , attorney Jackson B. Hurst-Sanders as one of 24 participants for the ELEVATE Kentucky Class of 2025. ELEVATE Kentucky is a leadership development program designed for millennials and young profession als. Training sessions provide participants with professional development skills and a better

understanding of the Commonwealth’s challenges and opportunities in order to advance their careers, their companies and their commu nities. Hurst-Sanders is an attorney based in the Louisville office. He is a member of the business litigation service group. Hurst-Sanders earned his J.D. from the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, summa cum laude , and Order of the Coif, in 2023. Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Andrew Dorisio has been listed as a 2025 IP Star by Managing Intellectual Property. Dorisio was selected as a Patent and Trademark Star. Managing Intellectual Property’s 2025 IP Stars is the most comprehensive and authoritative guide to leading IP firms and lawyers. Managing Intel lectual Property researchers in London, New York, and Hong Kong collected market information, analyzed it, and ranked firms in tiers based on the feedback from thousands of practitioners.

The University of Kentucky (UK) Law Alumni Association has honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC , attorney Jennifer Henry Jackson with the 2025 Young Professional Award. The awards ceremony was held on June 4 in Lexington, Ky., during the Kentucky Bar Association’s annual convention. The UK College of Law Alumni Board of Directors established five awards to honor graduates who have distinguished them

Alaina Willis Spence has joined the law firm, White Peck Carrington, LLP . Spence is a 2022 graduate of Salmon P. Chase College of Law. While in law school, she wrote and published an article discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal system, specifically pre trial release, and interned for the Bath County Attorney’s office. She also earned a B.A. in Criminology from Morehead State University

selves by their contributions to the practice of law and service to their communities. The Young Professional Award is given each year to a young alum who has graduated within the past 10 years and has distinguished themselves in the community or otherwise. Jackson is an attorney based in the Louisville office. She is a member of the torts & insurance practice service group, white collar criminal defense practice group and the health care service group. Jackson handles a wide variety of litigation matters, including product liabil ity, toxic and mass torts, medical malpractice, professional liability, premises liability and actions alleging serious personal injury or death. She routinely defends clients in state and federal criminal cases. Jackson is a member of the National Association of Crim inal Defense Lawyers, the American Health Lawyers Association and the Kentucky Association of Hospital Attorneys. Jackson also serves on the board of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the River Region and is a member of the 2025 Spring Class of Ignite Louisville.

in 2017. Prior to attending law school, she served as an AmeriCorps member with DOVES of Gateway, where she assisted domestic violence survivors in becoming financially independent. She also worked with the organization as a victim advocate while attending law school. Following graduation, Alaina accepted a position as a Legislative Committee Analyst with the Legislative Research Com mission in Frankfort. She received her J.D., cum laude , from Salmon P. Chase College of Law and a B.A., cum laude , from Morehead State University.

Stites & Harbison, PLLC , welcomes attorney Matthew T. Roddy to the firm’s Lexington office. He joins the firm’s construction service group. Roddy’s practice focuses on all aspects of construction. He is experienced in drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex business and construction contracts. Before joining Stites & Harbison, he was an attorney with a small law

Debra L. Broz, Attorneys at Law, PLC , is pleased to announce that Devyn L. Edwards has joined the firm. Edwards received her B.A. in arts administration from the University of Kentucky and her J.D. from the University of Akron. She became licensed in Kentucky in

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