Davis Bussey

Bill Gorton is Chair of the Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group for the firm. He is national counsel to numerous clients on environmental regulatory and land and water resources matters. He advises healthcare clients in permitting, acquisitions and environmental compliance matters. Bill has represented clients in the waste management sector including acquisitions, due diligence, compliance and contracting. He has been counsel in the development of numerous independent ...

Daniel E. Murner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance. Daniel E., who practices law in Lexington, Kentucky, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Daniel E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Walt Robertson is a member of the Business & Corporate Services Group. He represents clients in all matters of business including commercial lending, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities regulation and equine law. Walt has a lifetime of experience in multiple breeds of the equine industry. Prior to practicing law, he worked as a bloodstock agent for a leading commercial agency specializing in the sale of Thoroughbred horses at public auction and as a bid spotter and ann...

Jill M. Briscoe is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Jill M., who practices law in Lexington, Kentucky, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jill M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bennett E. Bayer maintains his own office and his main practice areas are Business Law and Mining Law.

Stephen Ruschell is a member of the firm's Real Estate Service Group. His practice focuses on condemnation, real property, mergers & acquisitions, general business law, zoning and land development. Mr. Ruschell additionally represents companies in the areas of general corporate law, commercial lending and bond issues. More Than Stites & Harbison Steve is a former chairman of the Fayette County Bar Foundation which he helped found in 2006. He was honored in June 2008 with the Justice J...

Richard Wehrle is a Member of the firm and is based in the Lexington office. His practice focuses on trusts and estate administration, estate planning and charitable giving, charitable and non-profit organizations, estate and gift taxes, probate, and fiduciary law. He is also a Certified Public Accountant. More Than Stites & Harbison Prior to joining Stites & Harbison, Richard was a partner at Bowles Rice LLP in Lexington, Kentucky, handling trusts and estate planning for eight years....

Philip Coleman Lawson was born in Pineville, Bell County, Kentucky, the son of two lawyers. He attended high school at The McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Thereafter, he attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. While at Centre, he was a member of the Varsity Baseball and Golf Teams while being an active member of his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon. After a summer internship, at the Washington, D.C. office of former United States Representative, A.B. (“Ben”) Chand...

Jay Prather’s work as a trial lawyer at Garmer & Prather has earned him the recognition of his peers, including being named Best Lawyers® 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” in Plaintiffs’ Product Liability Litigation – Lexington . He continues a family tradition of Kentucky legal service and brings a disciplined, trial-focused approach to representing individuals and workers harmed by negligence, unsafe products, or wage-and-hour violations. Jay has distinguished ...

J. Guthrie True was born in Shelbyville, Kentucky, and was raised on the family farms in Franklin and Shelby Counties. He graduated from Franklin County High School in 1977. Guthrie is a summa cum laude graduate of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky, where he received his Bachelor of Science in business and economics in 1981. He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and served as his chapter’s president. Guthrie has maintained his connection to his alma mater serving on the G...