Bench & Bar November/December 2025

COLUMNS

JUDGE THOMAS WINGATE (Class of 1991) received this year’s Distinguished Jurist Award, given to someone who has distinguished themselves through a contri bution of outstanding service to the legal profession. Wingate was appointed to serve as Franklin County District Judge in Sep tember 1999 and was retained by voters of Franklin County in the 2000 and 2002 elec tions. In 2006, he filled the unexpired term of retiring Judge William Graham. Wingate was unopposed in 2014 and 2022 and began serving his third term as Franklin Circuit Court Judge in January 2023. The Legacy Award is bestowed upon an individual who graduated 50 or more years ago and has demonstrated excep tional leadership in their profession and/ or community and has made a positive impact on the well-being of the UK Rosen berg College of Law, the Commonwealth of Kentucky or elsewhere in the nation. HANK JONES (Class of 1973) began a long and successful career in civil litigation

appointed by the governor to the Kentucky Board of Optometric Examiners. Albrink formerly served on the Kentucky Com mission on Women and the Child Abuse Prevention and Exploitation Prevention Board. The Young Professional Award is given to an individual who graduated within the past 10 years and has distinguished themselves professionally in the community, or in some other fashion. JENNIFER HENRY JACKSON (Class of 2018) is an attorney in the Louisville office of Stites & Harbison. She is a member of the Torts & Insurance Practice Group, White Collar Criminal Defense Practice Group, and Health Care Service Group. She handles a variety of lit igation matters, including product liability, toxic and mass torts, medical malpractice, professional liability, premises liability, and actions alleging serious personal injury or death. She also represents health care providers in complex fraud investigations involving the Department of Justice, FBI, and Drug Enforcement Agency.

after graduating from law school. Over his career, he has tried cases in more than 60 Kentucky counties and handled matters in more than 90 counties. Before retiring in 2021, Jones began mediating cases to help resolve disputes outside of court. He now mediates full-time through Hank Jones Mediations LLC. A dedicated member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Jones chaired the Continu ing Legal Education program at the 1988 Annual Convention and helped organize the 1996 First Amendment panel. Jones was active in the Defense Research Institute, receiving its Exceptional Service Citation in 1989 and 1998. Jones is UK Fellow and life member of the UK Alumni Association and has served for more than 20 years on the KBA Ethics Committee. For information about nominating someone for the Law Alumni Associa tion Hall of Fame and Alumni Awards, email uklawalumni@uky.edu.

The way forward TM

22 november/december 2025