Lauren R. Nichols

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

Leslie P. Vose is a Member in the Lexington office at Ward Hocker Thornton & Brown, PLLC. Her main practice areas are Civil Litigation, Civil Rights, and Insurance Defense.

David E. Longenecker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law. David 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 David E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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 ...

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.

Chrisandrea (Chrissie) Turner of our Lexington office is a bankruptcy and creditors’ rights litigator focusing on corporate bankruptcy and restructuring and adversary proceeding defense. Ms. Turner regularly represents lenders, trade creditors, lessors and lessees, sureties, and large creditors in Chapter 11 matters and complex bankruptcies around the country. Her litigation practice includes receiverships, preferential and fraudulent transfer defense in bankruptcies, nondischarge of de...

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...

Clarke Keller's practice focuses on defending Kentucky-area emergency medical service providers, product liability litigation and transportation law, including aviation, motor carriers and railroads. He serves as chair of the Business Litigation Group in the firm's Lexington office. He helped a start-up commercial enterprise obtain an FAA exemption and Certificate of Authorization to operate an unmanned aerial system (UAS) or drone, for commercial purposes. Additionally, Mr. Keller also maint...

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.

Whitney True Lawson was born in Frankfort, Kentucky and attended Franklin County Public Schools until she graduated from Western Hills High School with a 4.0 GPA. Thereafter, she attended Transylvania University and graduated, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in German. While at Transylvania University, she was an active member of her sorority, Phi Mu. Between her junior and senior year at Transylvania University, she interned with former United States Representative, A.B. Chandler, ...