Bench & Bar May/June 2026

employment law, higher education law, and personal injury. He also assists small businesses owners with formation and transactions, and helps individuals prepare estate plans. He regularly appears in Kentucky’s state and federal courts at both the trial and appellate levels. Givens is a graduate of Butler County High School, Murray State University, and the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is active in the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce, the Butler County Extension District Board, and the Butler County Judicial Center Project Development Board. He is a past president of the Bowling Green-Warren County Bar Association, and he cur rently serves as a director of the Kentucky Defense Counsel and as the District 2 Representative on the Kentucky Bar Association Continuing Legal Education committee.

Commonwealth. The book provides a single-volume resource with statutory analysis, practical commentary and jurisdiction-specific details on the Commonwealth’s business legal landscape. The book includes chapters on choice of entity, corporations, LLCs, partner ships, specialized businesses such as banks and financial institutions, financing and more.

Jennifer L. Brinkley is pleased to announce the upcoming publication of her book, "Justice Was Her Calling: The Fierce and Fascinating Life of Dorothy Kenyon." This is the first full-length biography of the New York judge, lawyer, and civil liberties champion whose litigation strat egies helped transform the equal protection clause into a powerful tool for women's rights.

Frank D. Saviñón, Jr. announces the forma tion of Saviñón Mediation & Arbitration Services , a Louisville-based boutique practice devoted exclusively to the private resolution of complex legal disputes. Established in February 2026, the firm provides mediation, arbitration, and customized alternative dispute resolution services – including flat-fee arrangements for

Drawing on letters, speeches, and fresh archival research, Brinkley restores Kenyon to her rightful status as a legal pioneer and reminds readers that civil liberties endure only when defended. The book will be published October 20, 2026, by the University of California Press. Preorders are available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Dixie Law Group is proud to announce the addition of Gia Rapp to its growing legal team as the firm’s new estate planning and pro bate attorney. A Louisville native, Rapp brings deep community roots and over a decade of combined experience in law and finance. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville and her J.D. from the University

qualifying matters – across a broad range of high-exposure civil litigation. Areas of focus include, without limitation, healthcare and long-term care disputes, medical malpractice, professional liability, product liability, premises liability, trucking and motor vehicle acci dent claims, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and other complex tort and commercial matters. Saviñón brings nearly two decades of complex civil litigation experience, having represented parties on both sides of the “v.” His background encompasses executive-level litigation oversight within a multistate healthcare organization, as well as substantial trial practice in high-stakes civil matters. Vaughn Petitt Legal Group, PLLC , is pleased to announce the addition of Kevin J. Coleman as an associate attorney. Coleman graduated from Indiana University and studied law at the University of Louisville, Brandeis School of Law. After graduating law school in 2014, he started his legal career at the Louisville-Metro Public Defender’s Office and worked there for over seven years in the adult trial and capital trial divisions. After leaving the public defender's office in 2022, Coleman started his own law firm and was a solo practitioner for close to four years. He has defended thousands of criminal cases at all levels of court in Kentucky, from traffic cases to death penalty cases, and has tried numerous cases to verdict. He is particularly skilled in the implementation of legal technology that enhances operational efficiency. Eight Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC (SKO) attorneys have co-authored the just released “Kentucky Business and Commercial Law” refer ence book published by Matthew Bender and sold by LexisNexis. Amelia M. Adams , Allison J. Donovan , W. Chapman Hopkins , Evelyn T. Latta , R. David Lester , Laura H. Pulliam , Thomas E. Rutledge and Kenneth R. Sagan wrote chapters throughout the book. Recognizing SKO’s longstanding leadership in Kentucky business law, LexisNexis approached the firm to create a definitive resource addressing the laws impacting businesses operating in the

of Dayton. Rapp is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky (2013) and the U.S. District Court for the Western Dis trict of Kentucky (2023). Before earning her law degree, she built a successful career in the financial industry, giving her a unique understanding of how legal and financial strategies intersect. Her practice areas include estate planning, trust administration, pro bate, civil litigation, and personal injury law, making her a versatile resource for families and individuals across Kentucky. John Sheffer of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC has been selected as an affiliate attorney member of American Legal Connections (ALC), a nationally recognized professional network connecting influential legal and claims professionals across the U.S. Sheffer is a respected litigator who handles cases nationwide involving product liabil ity, toxic torts, premises liability, personal injury, and wrongful death. He regularly defends hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, physicians, nurses, and health care systems in high stakes medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and related matters. This recognition highlights his reputation for excellence in his practice areas and reflects a career defined by professionalism, strategic insight, and a commitment to advancing the legal commu nity. ALC is known for its exclusive, invitation-only membership, which includes top practitioners, claims executives, insurers, and thought leaders who influence national discussions on litigation, risk, and emerging legal challenges.

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