Joshua F. Barnette
Josh Barnette is an attorney in the firm’s Atlanta and Lexington offices. He is a member of the Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group and an affiliate member of the Business Litigation Service Group. Josh focuses his practice on torts, insurance, white collar criminal defense, civil rights, products liability, and general business litigation.
Stites & Harbison and Tucker Ellis Obtain Defense Verdict in Wrongful Death Mesothelioma Case Where Plaintiff Sought $20.5 Million
Stites & Harbison Case Profile, May 18, 2022
Responding to and Defending Government Investigations: What to do When the Government “Knocks” On Your Door
Kentucky Bar Association Corporate House Counsel, Webinar, February 10, 2021
Right after Thanksgiving 2021, tried and won an asbestos case related to coal mining equipment in Eastern Kentucky - without calling an expert witness.
Office of General Counsel, Member
Diversity Committee, Member
Recruiting Committee, Atlanta Office, Member
AthensWest Theatre Company, Board Member (2018-22)
Seedleaf, Inc., Board Member (2018-20)
University of Kentucky College of Law
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Kentucky Law Journal, Managing Articles Editor, Staff Editor
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CALI Award in Legal Research and Writing; Central Kentucky American Inn of Court Pupil
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Trial Advocacy Board
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United States District Court Fellow
Columbus State University
Minor in Psychology
Mercer University
Josh came to the firm after serving as a judicial law clerk for the Hon. Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Kentucky. Previously, he participated in the firm’s summer associate program and served as a legal intern for the Hon. Karen K. Caldwell, Chief U.S. District Judge, Eastern District of Kentucky. Before going to law school, Josh was a United States Probation Officer for the Northern District of Georgia and served as a Management Specialist and Probation Officer for the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Outside of the firm, Josh enjoys domestic and international travel – especially when paired with culinary indulgences – and loves all things outdoors, particularly hiking and camping. He is active in the Lexington community, serving on the Board of two local non-profits, AthensWest Theatre Company and Seedleaf, Inc. He routinely looks for ways to stretch the boundaries of his comfort zone and, in doing so, has found himself participating in multiple 200+ mile relay runs and one ultramarathon.
Best Lawyers in America®, Ones To Watch, Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2024)
Kentucky Super Lawyers®, Rising Star (2024)
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers® Publications
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 97 of its lawyers are included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence according to the publication. Additionally, 12 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 30 attorneys are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Kentucky Super Lawyers® Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2024
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers® recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 35 attorneys to the Super Lawyers® list and 14 attorneys to the Rising Stars® list.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 101 of its lawyers are included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Kentucky's Prisons, COVID, and No Compassionate Release
The Kentucky Department of Corrections is not immune from the same pandemic issues faced by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. As of December 4, 2020, the Department of Corrections ("DOC") operated 14 correctional institutions with 10,000 inmates. At the time of this writing, 2,895 inmates and 456 employees have tested positive for the virus; 24 inmates and three employees have died. The numbers could have been worse.
The Perfect Storm? A Look at the Federal Compassionate Release Program Following the First Step Act and a Worldwide Pandemic
Juan Alberto Fernandez pled guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in November 2014. Statutorily, Mr. Fernandez faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
No Good Deed: Protecting Yourself and Your Business from a Governmental Investigation Concerning Your PPP Loan
In a time when more than $650 billion in stimulus funds are being pumped through the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the potential for bad actors to create havoc for business owners reliant upon these mostly forgivable loans is almost guaranteed.
Kentucky Enacts Certificate of Merit Requirement for Filing Medical Liability Cases
The Kentucky General Assembly has enacted KRS 411.167 which now requires a claimant commencing any civil action against a healthcare provider, or long-term care facility, to file a “certificate of merit” when the complaint is filed.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Three Attorneys
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announces the addition of three attorneys to the firm. Two are based in the Louisville, Ky., office; one is based in the Lexington, Ky., office. All are admitted to practice in Kentucky.