Bench & Bar May/June 2025

WHO, WHAT, WHEN & WHERE

Whitney H. Westerfield as its new director of Legal & Government Affairs, effective Jan uary 5, 2025. Westerfield brings more than 18 years of legal experience and over a decade of distinguished public service to this role. In his new role, Westerfield serves as a key member of LifeSkills' leadership team, overseeing legal affairs and government relations initiatives. His responsibilities include managing relationships

Shelman was an attorney for a tax-focused law firm in its Atlanta office. Previously, he served as the international specialty tax services

senior associate for a global accounting firm. Gribbell Law Firm, LLC , is pleased to announce that William (Bill) Crouse , its most recent part ner, is now licensed in Kentucky. Crouse focuses his practice on intellectual property and is a licensed patent attorney with the USPTO. He acquires and defends intellectual property assets such as patent, trademarks and copyrights. He also handles a wide variety of maritime legal transactional matters. Crouse received his

with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, providing guidance on internal legal matters, and ensuring organizational compliance across LifeSkills’ operations. He also leads the organization's govern ment relations efforts, representing LifeSkills in policy discussions at local, state, and federal levels while building and maintain ing relationships with key stakeholders and regulatory agencies. LifeSkills is a leading Community Mental Health Center serving 18 counties in south central and western Kentucky. The organization provides integrated behavioral health and developmental services, employing over 750 dedicated professionals. Prior to his legislative service, Westerfield maintained a successful private law practice serving clients across Western Kentucky and worked as an assistant Commonwealth’s attorney. He holds a J.D. from Southern Illinois University and a B.S. in communication from the University of Ken tucky. He has been a member of both the Kentucky and Tennessee Bar associations since 2006 and 2012, respectively.

undergraduate degree in marine engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, a Master of Business Admin istration from Northern Kentucky University, and his law degree from the Salmon P. Chase college of law night program in 2018. He was licensed to practice law in Ohio in the same year. Crouse will be operating primarily from the Gribbell Law Firm, LLC's newest Northern Kentucky Office located in Ft. Mitchell, Ky. Ogletree Deakins , one of the largest labor and employment law firms representing management, is pleased to announce that the firm is opening an office in Lexington, Ky. This is the firm’s 60th office globally, following the launch of five new offices within the

past year. John M. Williams will serve as the Lexington office managing shareholder and is joined by shareholder Melanie J. Kilpatrick . Williams and Kilpatrick arrived from Wil liams Kilpatrick, where they were the named partners. They have practiced law together for more than 27 years. Their practice focuses on mine safety and health administration, occu pational safety and health administration, and employment litigation. They often rep resent mineral operators before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission. Williams serves as a volunteer counselor with the Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer's Assis tance Program, as a trustee for the Kentucky Lawyers Assistance Program Foundation, and on the Board of Directors for Special Olym pics Kentucky. He holds a J.D. and B.B.A. from the University of Kentucky. Kilpatrick serves as president-elect of the University of Kentucky Law Alumni Association and on the Scholarship Committee of the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation. She holds a J.D. from the University of Kentucky and a B.A. from the University of Virginia. Both of them are trustees for the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation. LifeSkills, Inc. , a leading Community Mental Health Center serving 18 counties in Kentucky, welcomed former State Senator

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