General Information

Year founded: 1832
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Stites & Harbison, PLLC

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

A full service Southeastern-based law firm representing clients across the United States and internationally, Stites & Harbison PLLC is known as a preeminent firm managing sophisticated transactions, challenging litigation, and complex regulatory matters on a daily basis. The firm represents a broad spectrum of clients including multinational corporations, financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, health care organizations, manufacturers, private companies, nonprofit organizations, family-owned businesses and individuals. Tracing its origins to 1832, Stites & Harbison is one of the oldest law practices in the nation.

The firm maintains 11 offices across six states--Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia--and is able to service the needs of international clients with its memberships in Business Counsel, Inc. and Lex Mundi. Additionally, Stites & Harbison is a member of The Harmonie Group, the national network of top litigation law firms, and is the Kentucky representative to the prestigious Southern Law Network.

Rankings

Stites & Harbison, PLLC is nationally ranked in 9 practice areas and metro ranked in 48 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Construction Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Commercial Litigation

Metro Rankings

Atlanta
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 2 for Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants

About Our Clients

AEGON USA Investment Management, Inc.
AFL Telecommunications
Air Products and Chemicals (A/P)
Akebono Corporation
The Alliance of Community Hospices & Palliative Care Services, Inc.
American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc.
Appriss, Inc. formerly Interactive Systems, LLC (d.b.a. The VINE Company)
Ashland Inc.
BioFocus
Bluegrass Conservancy
Boston Scientific
Brown-Forman Corporation
Caldwell Tanks, Inc.
Cardiovascular Innovation Institute (CII)
Carnett
Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialiation
Churchill Downs
Commonwealth Bank & Trust Company
Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company
The Cordish Company
Corrections Corporation of America
Deepwater Wind
Delta Dental
Emerson Electric Co.
Fidelity Bank
Fifth Third Bank
Genscape, Inc.
Gray Construction
Greater Louisville Medical Society
Grindmaster-Cecilware Corporation
Hoover Precision Products
Interactive Gaming Council (IGC)
J.P. Morgan Chase Bank
KFC Corporation
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Airport Board
Life Before Us (d/b/a YO)
Louisville Ladder, Inc.
Louisville Metro Housing Authority
Louisville Regional Airport Authority
M.A. Mortenson Company
NASA
Pernod Richard USA, Inc.
Pizza Hut
PNC Bank, N.A.
Purdue Pharma, L.P.
Regenersis
Reliastar Life Insurance Company
Republic Bank & Trust Company
River Fields, Inc.
Robert Bosch Corporation
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Stock Yards Bank & Trust Company
Stonestreet Stables, LLC
United Community Bank
University Medical Center, Inc.
The University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Tennessee Research Foundation
Vanderbilt Minerals
Vogt Power International
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Wearwell, Inc.
Yum! Brands

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Commercial Litigation
I have worked with several attorneys at Stites & Harbison in different areas of law ranging from government regulation of utilities to real estate and patent and trademark work. Each of the attorneys have exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend the firm.
Chris Cogan – Carroll Cogan
Insurance Law
Excellent lawyers with significant experience
Adam Kaiser – Alston & Bird, LLP
Commercial Litigation
Excellent, very responsive and professional attorneys. I would recommend them to anyone and have done so. I would not hesitate to use the firm again.
Tony Cascino – AVMA/PLIT
Construction Law
first class, professional, knowledgeable and responsive counsel on a myriad of complex construction matters. Honest and early advice allowing for an early assessment of the path forward with a focus on allowing clients to make informed decisions. . As a general counsel, it makes life easier when you know you turn matters and disputes over to Stites Harbison knowing that the matter will receive the attention that the matter deserves and requires by top of the line counsel.
Michael Strong – Garney Construction
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Deep intellectual property expertise and litigation experience.
Paula Grisanti – National Stem Cell Foundation
Real Estate Law
Hal Gill, managing partner of the Atlanta office handles all my real estate transactions. He is my primary contact with the firm. Other partners and associates have been equally responsive to my needs under Hal's guidance. I have dealt with some complex situations and have trust that the firm is evaluating all options and guiding me to risk adjusted solutions.
Dave Schmit – Schmit+Associates LLC
Corporate Law
Stites & Harbison has excellent attorneys with extreme professionalism, civility, and flexibility to meet.
Francis Duque, M.D. – One Anesthesia, PLLC
Environmental Law
Stites & Harbison has a detailed knowledge of environmental issues coupled with real concern for the environment.
Kerry Mattox, President – Egyptian Lacquer Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Employment Law - Management
I had excellent employment law experience and representation with Stites & Harbison.
Charles "Skip" Miller, Executive Director – Louisville Regional Airport Authority
Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Stites & Harbison attorneys are responsive, thorough and precise.
Employment Law - Management
Stites & Harbison has excellent service, superior knowledge and very rapid response time.
Real Estate Law
Stites & Harbison offers great advice. They have great people and are a great value.
Real Estate Law
Stites & Harbison has been very responsive to our needs and have provided timely and accurate assessments on our real estate transactions.

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Construction Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 3 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 3 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 3 for Mining Law
Tier 3 for Real Estate Law

Metro Rankings

Atlanta
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 2 for Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 3 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 3 for Tax Law
Cincinnati
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation
Lexington
Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 1 for Energy Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Insurance Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate
Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 1 for Mediation
Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 2 for Commercial Finance Law
Tier 2 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Bankruptcy
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 2 for Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Tier 2 for Mining Law
Tier 2 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 3 for Litigation - Insurance
Tier 3 for Natural Resources Law
Louisville
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Copyright Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Health Care Law
Tier 1 for Information Technology Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate
Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 1 for Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
Tier 1 for Patent Law
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Public Finance Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice
Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Tier 2 for Labor Law - Management
Tier 2 for Litigation - Insurance
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Tax Law
Tier 3 for Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
Memphis
Tier 2 for Corporate Law
Tier 3 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Tier 3 for Tax Law
Nashville
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Copyright Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Family Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Trademark Law
Tier 2 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 2 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 2 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 2 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 2 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
Tier 3 for Insurance Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Banking and Finance

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Administrative / Regulatory Law
  • Antitrust Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration
  • Aviation Law
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Collaborative Law: Family Law
  • Commercial Finance Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
  • Communications Law
  • Construction Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Corporate Compliance Law
  • Corporate Governance Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Employment Law - Individuals
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Energy Law
  • Energy Regulatory Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Equipment Finance Law
  • Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
  • Family Law
  • Financial Services Regulation Law
  • Franchise Law
  • Gaming Law
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Information Technology Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Union
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Legal Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Litigation - Antitrust
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance
  • Litigation - Bankruptcy
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Environmental
  • Litigation - ERISA
  • Litigation - Health Care
  • Litigation - Insurance
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
  • Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
  • Litigation - Securities
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
  • Mediation
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Mining Law
  • Natural Resources Law
  • Patent Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • Professional Malpractice Law - Defendants
  • Public Finance Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Securities / Capital Markets Law
  • Securities Regulation
  • Tax Law
  • Trade Secrets Law
  • Trademark Law
  • Transportation Law
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Utilities Law
  • Venture Capital Law
  • Water Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Main Location

Louisville, KY
400 West Market Street, Suite 1800
Louisville, KY 40202-3352
United States
502-587-3400 Call our Louisville, KY location at 502-587-3400 Get Directions Get directions to our Louisville, KY location

Office Locations

Atlanta, GA
303 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 2800
Atlanta, GA 30308
United States
404-739-8800 Call our Atlanta, GA location at 404-739-8800 Get Directions Get directions to our Atlanta, GA location
Covington, KY
100 East RiverCenter Boulevard, Suite 450
Covington, KY 41011
United States
859-652-7600 Call our Covington, KY location at 859-652-7600 Get Directions Get directions to our Covington, KY location
Frankfort, KY
421 West Main Street
P.O. Box 634
Frankfort, KY 40602-0634
United States
502-223-3477 Call our Frankfort, KY location at 502-223-3477 Get Directions Get directions to our Frankfort, KY location
Lexington, KY
250 West Main Street, Suite 2300
Lexington, KY 40507-1758
United States
859-226-2300 Call our Lexington, KY location at 859-226-2300 Get Directions Get directions to our Lexington, KY location

Management and Personnel

Chair of the Firm
Marjorie A. Farris
Director of Marketing & Business Development
Kimberly G. Schmittel
Executive Director
Derek Halliburton, C.P.A
Management Committee
Thad M. Barnes
Management Committee
Erika R. Barnes
Management Committee
Carol Dan Browning
Management Committee
Richard M. Wehrle
Management Committee
Walter S. Robertson
Management Committee
Richard S. Myers Jr.

Contacts

Trust & Estate Planning/Domestic Service Group
Richard M. Wehrle
Torts and Insurance Practice Service Group, Co-Leader
Ashley W. Ward
Torts and Insurance Practice Service Group, Co-Leader
Matthew W. Breetz
Real Estate and Banking Service Group
T. Gregory Ehrhard
Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group
Terry L. Wright
Insurance Regulatory
Janet A. Craig
Health Care Service Group
Janet A. Craig
Environmental, Natural Resources & Energy Service Group
William T. Gorton III
Employment Service Group
Shannon Antle Hamilton
Creditors' Rights and Bankruptcy Service Group
Elizabeth L. Thompson
Construction Service Group
Steven M. Henderson
Business Litigation Service Group
Chadwick A. McTighe
Business & Finance Service Group
Brian A. Cromer
Domestic Service Group
Gregory D. Smith
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