Additional 28 Attorneys Named “Ones to Watch”
A total of 90 Stoll Keenon Ogden (SKO) attorneys were honored as The Best Lawyers in America© for 2025. 11 of those attorneys received the “Lawyer of the Year” award. An additional 28 were included in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch©.
The Best Lawyers in America© is one of the most credible and definitive guides to legal excellence in the U.S. Recognition is based entirely on peer review. The process is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The “Lawyer of the Year” award is presented annually to a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area. Those who earned “Ones to Watch” are attorneys with outstanding professional excellence who have typically been practicing for five to nine years.
Below is the list of SKO attorneys who were honored for 2025.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR
John P. Broadhead
Trusts and Estates – Evansville, IN
Dennis F. Cantrell
Litigation – Insurance – Indianapolis, IN
Richard G. Griffith
Employment Law – Management – Lexington, KY
William M. Lear Jr.
Land Use and Zoning Law – Lexington, KY
Litigation – Real Estate – Lexington, KY
Frank L. Wilford
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law – Lexington, KY
Douglas C. Ballantine
Bet-the-Company Litigation – Louisville, KY
Lea Pauley Goff
Litigation – Bankruptcy – Louisville, KY
Sharon A. Mattingly
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law – Louisville, KY
Beth Hendrickson McMasters
Litigation – Healthcare – Louisville, KY
Kendrick R. Riggs
Communications Law – Louisville, KY
Thomas M. Williams
Litigation – Labor and Employment – Louisville, KY
EVANSVILLE, IN
Jean M. Blanton
Commercial Litigation
Family Law
John P. Broadhead (Lawyer of the Year)
Banking and Finance Law
Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law
Commercial Finance Law
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Corporate Law
Trusts and Estates
Michele S. Bryant
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Personal Injury Law – Defendants
William E. Cartwright (Ones to Watch)
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
Hannah M. Dill (Ones to Watch)
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Family Law
Trusts and Estates
Raymond P. Dudlo
Real Estate Law
Kristen E. Hahn (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Clay W. Havill
Family Law
Krista B. Lockyear
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Land Use and Zoning Law
Real Estate Law
Kelly A. Lonnberg
Arbitration
Commercial Litigation
Family Law
D. Andrew Nestrick
Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law
Elder Law
Trusts and Estates
Jordan M. Saner (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
John A. Thomason
Natural Resources Law
Conner J. Voegel (Ones to Watch)
Real Estate Law
Christopher C. Wischer
Land Use and Zoning Law
Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
Municipal Law
Real Estate Law
Ted C. Ziemer IV
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
Trusts and Estates
FRANKFORT, KY
Paul C. Harnice
Commercial Litigation
HODGENVILLE, KY
Damon R. Talley
Utilities Law
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Taylor Bonacorsi (Ones to Watch)
Health Care Law
Cameron J. Bosak (Ones to Watch)
Transportation Law
Glenn D. Bowman
Environmental Law
Insurance Law
Litigation – Insurance
Dennis F. Cantrell (Lawyer of the Year)
Environmental Law
Insurance Law
Litigation – Insurance
Norris Cunningham
Arbitration
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Dominick D. Ellis (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Tricia Freije
Health Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
Michael J. Gabovitch
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Real Estate Law
John P. Higgins
Litigation – Real Estate
Timothy Hurlbut
Banking and Finance Law
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Commercial Finance Law
Real Estate Law
Rachel Johnson (Ones to Watch)
Health Care Law
R. Brock Jordan
Banking and Finance Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Real Estate
Ronald M. Katz
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Real Estate Law
Trusts and Estates
Offer Korin
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jason P. Lueking
Real Estate Law
Joel T. Nagle
Commercial Litigation
Brian Park (Ones to Watch)
Health Care Law
Professional Malpractice Law
Jenna M. Shives (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Brooke Smith (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Kathryn A. Watson
Environmental Law
Litigation – Environmental
Donn H. Wray
Environmental Law
Litigation – Insurance
Sally Franklin Zweig
Art Law
Heath Care Law
Litigation – Health Care
LEXINGTON, KY
Amelia Martin Adams
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Litigation – Bankruptcy
Adam M. Back
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Bankruptcy
Charles R. Baesler Jr.
Immigration Law
P. Douglass Barr
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Perry M. Bentley
Insurance Law
Monica Braun
Commercial Litigation
Jamila M. Carter (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Immigration Law
Allison Cooke
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Employment Law – Individuals
Labor Law – Management
Harry Dadds
Health Care Law
Allison J. Donovan
Banking and Finance Law
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Real Estate Law
Securities Regulation
Richard G. Griffith (Lawyer of the Year)
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment
W. Chapman Hopkins
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law
Litigation – Banking and Finance
Dana Howard
Commercial Litigation
Lindsey W. Ingram III
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Energy Law
Evelyn T. Latta (Ones to Watch)
Corporate Law
Trusts and Estates
William M. Lear Jr. (Lawyer of the Year)
Land Use and Zoning Law
Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
Litigation – Real Estate
R. David Lester
Corporate Compliance Law
Corporate Governance Law
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Steven B. Loy
Antitrust Law
Commercial Law
Litigation – Banking and Finance
Felisa S. Moore (Ones to Watch)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Bankruptcy
Elizabeth S. Muyskens
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Management
Nick Nicholson
Animal Law
Commercial Litigation
Construction Law
Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Richard A. Nunnelley
Real Estate Law
Todd S. Page
Appellate Practice
Litigation – Insurance
Matthew R. Parsons
Commercial Litigation
Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Employment Law – Individuals
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Union
Litigation – Real Estate
Greg D. Pavey
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Adam C. Reeves
Appellate Practice
Commercial Litigation
Sarah Sloan Reeves
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Corporate Law
Douglas P. Romaine
Tax Law
Trusts and Estates
Katharine M. Sagan-Buttleman
Commercial Finance Law
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Corporate Governance Law
Katharine M. Sagan-Buttleman (Ones to Watch)
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Kenneth R. Sagan
Corporate Law
Shannon “A.J.” Singleton
Commercial Litigation
Kif H. Skidmore
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law – Individuals
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Management
Labor Law – Union
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
Palmer G. Vance II
Commercial Litigation
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Frank L. Wilford (Lawyer of the Year)
Banking and Finance Law
Commercial Finance Law
Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Real Estate Law
Lilian M. Williams (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Mary Ellen Wimberly (Ones to Watch)
Energy Law
Timothy R. Wiseman
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Gerald E. Wuetcher
Utilities Law
LOUISVILLE, KY
Douglas C. Ballantine (Lawyer of the Year)
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Kathryn S. Beck (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Trusts and Estates
John W. Bilby
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Real Estate
Litigation – Securities
Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Kirby A. Black (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
Health Care Law
Insurance Law
Ashley J. Butler
Litigation – Health Care
Jeffrey A. Calabrese
Employment Law – Management
Steven T. Clark (Ones to Watch)
Labor and Employment Law – Management
Willian Duncan Crosby III
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Craig C. Dilger
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Timothy J. Eifler
Tax Law
Mary C. Garris
Commercial Litigation
Mergers and Acquisitions
Adam T. Goebel
Commercial Litigation
Environmental Law
Litigation – Environmental
Lea Pauley Goff (Lawyer of the Year)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Litigation – Banking and Finance
Litigation – Bankruptcy
Andrew T. Hagerman (Ones to Watch)
Appellate Practice
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Commercial Litigation
Construction Law
Culver V. Halliday
Commercial Litigation
Chadler M. Hardin (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
C. Kent Hatfield
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Communications Law
Energy Law
Mark T. Hurst
Commercial Litigation
Kevin A. Imhof (Ones to Watch)
Insurance Law
Karen L. Keith
Litigation – Health Care
Katherine P. Langan
Trusts and Estates
Matthew R. Lindblom
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Emily P. Mattingly
Commercial Litigation
Sharon A. Mattingly (Lawyer of the Year)
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Beth Hendrickson McMasters (Lawyer of the Year)
Litigation – Healthcare
Cameron F. Myers (Ones to Watch)
Tax Law
Emily L. Pagorski
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Laura H. Pulliam
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Kendrick R. Riggs (Lawyer of the Year)
Administrative / Regulatory Law
Communications Law
Energy Law
Utilities Law
Thomas E. Rutledge
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Commercial Litigation
Corporate Compliance Law
Corporate Governance Law
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Christopher E. Schaefer
Construction Law
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
Virginia Leigh Schell (Ones to Watch)
Health Care Law
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Anthony L. Schnell
Real Estate Law
John O. Sheller
Employment Law – Management
Labor Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Robert J. Shilts
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Shawn M. Spalding (Ones to Watch)
Corporate Law
Real Estate Law
John G. Treitz Jr.
Bankruptcy and Finance Law
Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Corporate Law
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Real Estate Law
Thomas M. Williams (Lawyer of the Year)
Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Hannah Wilson (Ones to Watch)
Commercial Litigation
