Kathy Thompson is Of Counsel for Stoll Keenon Ogden, joining the firm in March 2024 and working out of the Louisville office. Kathy specializes in a diverse range of legal areas, including Banking, Trust and Estate Litigation, Corporate Finance and Lending, as well as Labor and Employment Benefits.

Prior to joining SKO, Kathy served as Managing Director of Stock Yards Bank & Trust Wealth Management Group for 31 years. In this role, she oversaw the Wealth Management and Trust Company which included trust and estate administration, financial planning, and investment management for individuals and institutions.  Kathy’s dedication to helping clients achieve their financial goals led to substantial asset growth, with the Trust Company expanding from $190 million to over $7 billion during her tenure.

Throughout her career, Kathy has played integral roles on numerous bank committees spanning Human Resources, Marketing, Bank Asset-Liability, Strategic Planning, Bank Operations, Customer Facing Technology, Bank Retirement, and Contributions. These experiences provided her with invaluable insights into the multifaceted aspects of entrepreneurship, fostering attributes such as creativity, focus, planning, and decisive action. Additionally, since 1994, Kathy has served as a board member of Stock Yards Bancorp, Inc., where she notably chaired the Trust Committee. As one of the youngest members on the board and the sole woman, Kathy’s leadership exemplified her commitment to advancing diversity in the financial sector.

During her banking career, Kathy oversaw two successful acquisitions of Bank Wealth Management Departments and expanded Wealth Management services into three additional markets. She has received several notable awards, including being named one of “The Most Powerful Women in Banking” by U.S. Banker twice.

Kathy’s wealth of trust experience extends to her legal practice in estate planning and estate law. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern Indiana and a Juris Doctorate from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville. Her exceptional contributions to the legal field have earned her recognition as the UofL Law Alumnus of the Year.

Banking: Kathy and the attorneys in the banking practice offer a comprehensive range of services to financial institutions. This includes representing clients in the acquisition and sale of community banks and bank holding companies, as well as handling transactions involving branch banking offices. They assist in raising capital, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and negotiating both informal and formal enforcement actions by regulators. Additionally, their expertise extends to tasks such as converting institutions from national to state banks, reorganizing holding companies (including transitioning to Subchapter S status), forming new community banks, managing holding company loans, drafting and revising loan participation agreements, and addressing civil money penalty proceedings.

Trusts & Estates: Our Trusts & Estates Law practice is dedicated to serving the needs of families, businesses, and individuals. Kathy and our team provide comprehensive, collaborative services, ensuring clients are well-informed and their inquiries are promptly addressed. Upholding strict client confidentiality, they deliver top-quality work and personalized services at valuable costs, all while completing tasks efficiently and within deadlines.

Trust & Estate Litigation: Our Trust & Estate Litigation practice boasts extensive expertise in representing clients across various legal matters, including will and trust contests, reformation suits, challenges to inter vivos gifts, accounting actions, trust property management, and charitable organization litigation. They also advocate for fiduciaries managing estates or trusts, defending their actions against challenges from settlors and beneficiaries.

Labor, Employment & Employment Benefits: Kathy and the attorneys in the Labor, Employment & Employment Benefits practice possess strong expertise in assessing and advising clients on ADA, discrimination, FMLA, and harassment claims. Alongside the attorneys in our practice group, Kathy acts as a reliable advisor and advocate for employers, offering proactive counseling, employee training, and cost-effective litigation solutions, including alternative dispute resolution methods.

Corporate Finance & Lending: Our Corporate Finance & Lending practice provides comprehensive services to banks, financial institutions, commercial lenders, and investors. They advise on various areas, including commercial & industrial lending, real estate lending, public finance, structured finance, loan syndications, equine lending, dealer floor plan financing, SBA lending, asset management, loan workouts, and restructuring. From due diligence to documentation and restructuring, they offer complete assistance. Collaborating with our Bankruptcy & Financial Restructuring practice, attorneys within this practice group handle collection matters like foreclosure actions and Article 9 sales. Additionally, they assist companies in capital raising through equity and debt offerings and provide regulatory compliance services, representing clients before federal agencies such as the FDIC, Federal Reserve, SEC, OCC, and FINRA.