Bench & Bar September/October 2026

nation to aid and benefit causes not necessarily related to the legal profes sion. Watkins, a 2016 graduate of the law school at UK, recently entered his 13 th year coaching at Lexington Chris tian Academy and his second as head football coach at LCA. He has served as director of human resources and gen eral counsel for a family of companies (USIOL, Inc. Stephens Instruments and Vital Tears) since August 2016. The Young Professional Award is given to an individual who graduated within the past 10 years and has dis tinguished themselves professionally in the community, or in some other fashion. Deem-Thomas, a 2017 law graduate, serves as chief deputy clear of the newly created Intermediate Court of Appeals of West Virginia. Upon the court’s opening in 2022, she was tapped to establish and implement the court where she currently oversees its day-to-day operations and acts as the first point of contact for judges and the public with respect to jurisdictional issues before the court.

AME ARD RECIPIENTS

Simms received the Distinguished Jurist Award given to some one who has distinguished themselves through a contribution of outstanding service to the legal profession. Simms is a 1993 law graduate and maintains a general civil law practice while also serving as a part-time assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney. In 2008, Simms established the first drug court program in the Tenth Judicial Circuit. The Legacy Award is bestowed upon an individual who graduated 50 or more years ago and has demonstrated exceptional leader ship in their profession and/or community and has made a positive impact on the well-being of the UK Rosenberg College of Law, the Commonwealth of Kentucky or elsewhere in the nation. For more than four decades, Cleveland has dedicated his career to the pursuit of justice and service to Franklin County and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. From his early days as a law clerk to the Kentucky Supreme Court and through decades of private practice as well as serving as both assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney and Common wealth’s Attorney, his leadership has helped shape the integrity and effectiveness of the local justice system. Cleveland is a 1976 law graduate.

In addition to the Hall of Fame induction, the Law Alumni Association presented the 2026 Alumni Awards to Daniel P. Murphy Jr. (Professional Achievement Award), Oakley Watkins (Community Service Award), Ashley Deem Thomas (Young Professional Award), Charles Simms III (Distinguished Jurist Award), and Larry Cleveland (Legacy Award). The Professional Achievement Award recognizes a particularly note worthy accomplishment in a given year but may be given to one who has achieved and sustained an extraordinary level of excellence in a particular area of law. Murphy serves as vice president and personal trust officer for Central Bank & Trust Co. Prior to joining Central Bank & Trust Co., Murphy served for 15 years as the senior assistant dean of community engagement and operations at the UK Rosenberg College of Law. He spent 12 years in private practice before joining the law school. He is a 1998 graduate of the college. The Community Service Award is given to the graduate who has provided outstanding leadership in their community, state or

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