Bench & Bar September/October 2026

Governor Andy Beshear has appointed McBrayer PLLC Member Mitchel Denham to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, one of the Commonwealth’s most influential governing bodies. Denham brings extensive experience in public service, institutional gover nance, and strategic leadership. His background includes service as Assistant Deputy Attorney

exceptional attorneys practicing in local and regional US markets. The rankings focus on regional powerhouse firms that operate at the highest levels in their respective legal markets. Selections for the US City Elite list are based on referee and peer feedback, key matters within the past year and attorney interviews. Stites & Har bison’s honored Kentucky members (partners) include: Frederick R. Bentley (Reggie) – Commercial Disputes: Bentley’s practice focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, class action liti gation, real estate litigation and appellate advocacy. Bethany A. Breetz – Commercial Disputes: Breetz’s practice focuses on both state and federal appellate advocacy as well as complex commer cial litigation, including financial institution, real estate, and trust and estate litigation. Michael E. Kleinert – Commercial Disputes: Kleinert represents clients regarding complex commercial litigation, contract negotiations, regulatory matters, insurance coverage mat ters, civil litigation, business torts and professional liability matters. Chadwick A. McTighe – Commercial Disputes: McTighe represents clients in a wide range of business and commercial litigation matters, including extensive practice in class action litigation, shareholder and membership disputes, real estate litigation, data breaches and fiduciary duty litigation. David B. Owsley II – Commercial Dis putes: Owsley is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer who has successfully represented clients through bet-the-company litigation in more than 35 jurisdictions in a wide array of high-stakes matters and jury trials spanning from intellectual property and commercial disputes to complex tort cases. T. Morgan Ward, Jr . – Commer cial Disputes: Ward’s practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, including real estate litigation, corporate governance dis putes, regulatory and constitutional matters, and trust and estates litigation. Brian A. Cromer – Corporate and M&A: Cromer is rec ognized for advising leading U.S. and the international businesses on significant corporate transactions and legal disputes, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital invest ments, corporate finance matters and corporate governance issues. Nicholas J. Lococo (Nick) – Corporate and M&A: Lococo focuses his practice on public and municipal finance, including identifying the most efficient means to finance a transaction, analyzing potential transaction risks, and drafting and reviewing legislation, agreements and certificates. Rachel Owsley – Corporate and M&A: Owsley is an experienced transactional attorney focusing on employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) matters, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance matters, conservation easement matters and other strategic commercial transactions. Walter S. Robertson – Corporate and M&A: Robertson represents clients in all matters of business including commercial lending, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities regulation and equine law. Alison M. Zeitlin – Corporate and M&A: Zeitlin is a transactional lawyer who focuses on equine law, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance matters.

General for the Commonwealth, chair of the Kentucky Personnel Board, a member of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority, and a longtime board member of the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation. A graduate of Centre College and the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law, Denham said the appointment is especially meaningful given his connection to UK, Kentucky’s flagship university. His selection reflects a career dedi cated to strengthening the institutions that serve Kentuckians and shape the Commonwealth’s future.

Managing Intellectual Property (Managing IP) magazine has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC , attorney James Hayne to its 2026 “Rising Stars” list. This is Hayne’s fifth time being hon ored. Managing IP recognizes the most highly regarded intellectual property attorneys in the U.S. and abroad in its annual “IP Stars” list. The “Rising Stars” list, based upon IP Stars submis

sions and research, is a separate publication that originated in 2018. Its purpose is to showcase up-and-coming IP practitioners who have made a significant contribution to the success of their firms and clients in more than 50 jurisdictions in the world, including the U.S. Hayne is counsel to Stites & Harbison and a registered patent attorney based in the Louisville office. His practice focuses on patent preparation and prosecution, both foreign and domestic. Hayne has extensive experience prosecuting utility patent applications covering a wide range of subject matter including electronic hardware and software, consumer goods, manufacturing equipment and products in the gaming industry. He also has experience prosecuting design patent applications for ornamental products such as home goods,

toys and soft goods such as bags and clothing. Dickinson Wright is pleased to announce that Kimberly Bryant (member, Lexington) has been recognized in the 2026 Legal 500 City Elite Kentucky for Corporate and M&A. Legal 500 US City Elite aims to highlight key lawyers operat ing at regional players across business centers in the United States. The Legal 500 conducts research throughout the year including inter views with top practitioners, referee and peer

feedback, and evidence of key matters worked on during the past year. Lawyers selected for a City Elite ranking handle work at the top of the legal market in their respective cities. Legal 500 has recognized 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC , attorneys in its inaugural US City Elite 2026 rankings for Kentucky. Legal 500 US City Elite is a city-focused ranking series that recognizes

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