Michael L. Hawkins

Andy Jacobs is a Member of the firm and concentrates his practice in the areas of employee benefits, executive compensation, and tax exempt nonprofit organizations. While he practices out of the firm's Lexington office, he works with clients in all Stites & Harbison offices. His practice includes: 1) assisting clients in the design, drafting and operation of qualified retirement plans, ESOPs, 403(b) plans, 457 plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, health and welfare plans, and ...

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.

Mr. Bubalo is Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (“NBTA”). Mr. Bubalo has appeared in various types of trials. A few examples follow. In Loomis v. St. Mary's Hospital , he was Lead Trial Attorney, resulting in one of the largest personal injury verdicts recorded in the State of Indiana. The Judgment for almost $17,000,000 was unanimously affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals in St. Mary’s Medical Center of Evansville, Inc. v. L...

Brian is a member of the Litigation Department. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, toxic tort litigation, product liability litigation, and fiduciary litigation.

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...

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...

Mr. Hixson regularly practices and appears in courtrooms across Kentucky. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, coal supply litigation, product liability, and professional liability. Mr. Hixson also has significant experience in motor carrier litigation, and has litigated a wide array of complex and catastrophic injury cases in state and federal jurisdictions. Mr. Hixson's commercial practice involves representing businesses in cases with claims ranging from breach of contract, promi...

Kenneth J. Gish, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law, Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental. Kenneth J., who practices law in Lexington, Kentucky, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kenneth J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dustyn B. Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. Dustyn B., 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 Dustyn B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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 ...