Kaylee Collins

David represents businesses in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters. His litigation practice includes environmental, coal, agribusiness, toxic tort, securities and antitrust matters, as well as all types of business disputes. He also serves many medium and small businesses as outside general counsel. David has previously served in a variety of firm management positions including Partner-in-Charge of the Lexington office and is a member of the firm’s Compensation Committee.

Born to loving parents, Willard and Virgina Hamblin, with the exception of the military, Pierce lived in his beloved Lexington all of his life. His career can be divided into five parts: Military : upon commissioning as Officer in the Army, Pierce was designated a Distinguished Military Graduate. He proudly served his country as a Captain in the Army. He was the Distinguished Graduate of the Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course provided by the Army for 1977. He was certified both as a T...

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....

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Matthew Minner attended the University of Kentucky on full academic and R.O.T.C. scholarships and graduated Phi Beta Kappa, with departmental honors and with highest distinction. In 1996, he graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Law where he received the Weldon White Scholarship and was elected by his peers as an Officer and their Representative to the Vanderbilt Bar Association among other honors and achievements. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Minn...

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...

Kim’s practice involves all aspects of commercial real estate development, including acquisitions, dispositions, financing, land use and leasing; mergers, acquisitions and general corporate representation of closely held companies; mineral and natural resources transactions; representing both borrowers and lenders in asset-based lending and other commercial lending matters; secured transactions; and tax increment financing.

Emily Larish Startsman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Emily Larish, who practices law in Lexington, Kentucky, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emily Larish is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As part of the Business Litigation Service Group and Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group, Dan has over 25 years of experience in defending corporate and individual clients against an array of complex business and tort claims in state and federal courts. Dan has defended complex business claims in a variety of litigation contexts, including multi-plaintiff and class action lawsuits. This includes the defense of a number of corporate entities, including major health care clients, again...

Blaine’s science background and experience as a college professor help set him apart as an environmental lawyer, where technical expertise is an important complement to the practice of law. His legal practice is a broad approach to environmental law that includes a focus on water and land issues, agriculture, natural resources and energy, and the intersection of surety law and environmental regulatory matters. He counsels clients on environmental compliance and environmental considerati...

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 ...