Bench & Bar July/August 2025

Rachel Cunningham is excited to announce the opening of Cunningham Law, PLLC , 1860 Mellwood Avenue, Suite 117, Louisville, KY, 40206. Through her full-service law firm, Cunningham will continue to serve clients across Kentucky in a variety of matters, includ ing personal injury, wrongful death, general civil litigation, criminal, traffic, and consumer debt collection defense, guardianship, and

2023. Edwards has assisted disabled people and Medicaid recipi ents establish special needs trusts to cover medical costs and daily living expenses and, most recently, represented the Commonwealth in child dependency, neglect, and abuse cases. She is excited to join Debra Broz and Heather Harryman Wade and will be focusing on Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Social Security disability cases.

Morgan Pottinger McGarvey announced today that McKenna Schrage joined the firm as a junior associate. Schrage will support several of the firm’s practice areas, including banking and finance, employment and commercial real estate law.

probate and estate planning. Please visit the firm’s website at rmclegalgroup.com or call 502-659-7325 for more information.

State Auditor Allison Ball was honored in May with the Liberty Bell Award at the Supreme Court of Kentucky’s 35 th annual Law Day celebration. Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert presented the award after the auditor of public accounts delivered her keynote speech for

Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named several Stites & Harbison, PLLC , attorneys to the 2025 “IP Stars” list. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. The star attorneys are nominated by their peers and in-house counsel. Inclusion on the list is based on surveys, interviews and independent research conducted by Man aging IP. “IP Stars” further separates honorees into the following categories: Copyright, Design, Patent, Trademark and Transactions Stars. Stites & Harbison has been recognized for Intellectual Prop erty in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia since the inception of the “IP Stars” list in 2013. The following is a listing of Stites & Harbi son’s Copyright, Patent and Trademark Stars for 2025: Copyright Stars: Joel T. Beres ; Patent Stars: Mandy Wilson Decker , Michael S. Hargis , David W. Nagle, Jr. , Warren D. Schickli and Terry L. Wright ; and Trademark Stars: Joel T. Beres and Michael S. Hargis . Managing IP magazine also selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attor ney Decker to the 2025 edition of Managing IP’s “Top 250 Women in IP.” This is the 11th time Decker has been honored on this list, and she is the only attorney honored from Kentucky.

the event at the state Capitol. The Liberty Bell Award was established more than 40 years ago to recognize individuals for performing outstanding community service, promoting better understanding of the rule of law, encouraging greater respect for the law and the courts, stimulating a sense of civic responsibility and contributing to good government in the community. Ball, an attorney from Floyd County, is the 48 th state auditor and served two terms as Kentucky state treasurer. She previously spent four years as an assistant county attorney in her hometown of Floyd County, prosecuting child abuse and juvenile delinquency cases. There were three commissioners of the Kentucky Bar Association’s Attorneys’ Advertising Commission (AAC) whose terms ended on June 30, 2025, that were recognized for their service during the AAC’s June 5 th annual meeting held during the 2025 KBA Annual Convention in Lexington. The AAC receives and reviews lawyer advertising submissions pursuant to the Kentucky Supreme Court Rules. KBA Deputy Bar Counsel Ashley C. Gillispie made the pre sentation to each of the outgoing commission members.

Joel T. Beres

Mandy Wilson Decker Michael S. Hargis

Matthew C. Tierney , of Owensboro, was recognized for his service to the AAC from 2019-25 and as AAC Chair from 2023-25. Douglas G. Benge , of London, was recognized for his service to the AAC from 2019-25. Jamie Wilhite Dittert , of Lexington, was recognized for her service to the AAC from 2019-25.

David W. Nagle, Jr.

Warren D. Schickli

Terry L. Wright

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