T. Morgan Ward Jr.
Morgan Ward is a member of the firm's Business Litigation Service Group. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, regulatory litigation (including the laws and regulations pertaining to real estate professionals and the banking industry), constitutional law, real estate litigation, commercial lease litigation, condemnation and eminent domain, trust and estates litigations, title insurance defense litigation, insurance coverage litigation for both insureds and insurers, bad faith litigation, trial practice, arbitration, mediation, and appellate practice.
Morgan has argued cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Kentucky Supreme Court and the Kentucky Court of Appeals. He has tried numerous cases to jury and bench verdicts.
Title Agencies Did Not Violate RESPA Affiliated Business Rule
Fight Over Defunct Colgate Factory States in Ind. Federal Court
by Isaac Monterose, Law360.com, July 6, 2023
Indiana Town Sues to Get Former Colgate-Palmolive Factory
by Isaac Monterose, Law360.com, April 21, 2023
Town of Clarksville pursues eminent domain to acquire historic Colgate clock property
by Rae Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, March 19, 2023
Louisville attorneys are pitching in to help accelerate expungement process
by Steve Kaufman, Louisville Business First, March 22, 2019
RESPA Developments: CFPB v. Borders and Borders
Addressing Enforcement Actions
CFPB Rulemaking, Enforcement, CIDs, Examinations, Administrative Actions and Penalties and How to Adapt Your Practice as a Result
CFPB Enhanced Oversight and Heightened Scrutiny of the Industry: Evaluating Lessons Learned from Recent Enforcement Actions, Preparing for Investigations and Examinations and Looking Ahead to Rulemaking Updates
Case Law and Legislative Update
Exclusion 3(a) & 3(b) - Recent Trends in Title Insurance Coverage Litigation
Condemnation and Eminent Domain in Kentucky
Serves as lead litigation counsel to defend a law firm against RESPA claims filed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in pending litigation before the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
Won rulings on behalf of commercial real estate brokers and investors in a series of constitutional challenges under the Commerce Clause, which resulted in federal court rulings to invalidate "turf state" laws that restricted interstate brokerage and impaired the national market for commercial real estate. See Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Inv. Brokerage Co. v. Skeeters, 395 F. Supp. 2d 541 (W.D. Ky. 2005); River Oaks Mgmt. v. Brown, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 65286 (W.D. Ky. 2007); GLOBE STREET, "Marcus & Millichap Wins 'Turf State' Lawsuit" (September 13, 2007)("The entire industry is expected to benefit from the victory in a federal lawsuit challenging Kentucky's law prohibiting cooperation with out-of-state brokers").
Successfully represented commercial real estate firms and brokers in a variety of contract and business tort litigation matters.
Served as second chair (in third year of practice) before the U.S. Supreme Court in Intel Containers International Corp. v. Huddleston, 113 S.Ct. 1095 (1993) regarding the constitutionality of state taxes on cargo containers used in international commerce.
Significant experience litigating a variety of cases connected to the Louisville Airport Improvement Program, the $780 million expansion of Louisville's International Airport for which Stites & Harbison served as lead counsel, and he currently represents the Louisville Regional Airport Authority in active litigation matters.
Has handled several trust and estate litigation matters, including pending matter to preserve a substantial bequest to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Louisville Office Recruiting Committee, Member
Personnel Board, State of Kentucky (2021-26)
Louisville Metro Government Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission (2019-present; Chair, 2021)
Legal Aid Society, Board of Directors (previous Board Chair)
Leadership Kentucky, Class of 2003
Bingham Fellow Program of Leadership Louisville (2015)
Olmstead Parks Conservancy, Inc., former Trustee
University of Kentucky College of Law
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Kentucky Law Journal, 1987-89
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Corpus Juris Secundum Award for Significant Legal Scholarship, 1989
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Roy S. Moreland Scholarship, 1988-89
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Best Brief Award, First-Year Moot Court Program, 1987
Davidson College
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Included a summer at Cambridge University, studying the history, literature and art of England's Age of Revolution and Romanticism
Morgan serves the community as a member of the Board of Directors for the Legal Aid Society (where he previously served as Board Chair), and as a Trustee for the Olmsted Parks Conservancy in Louisville. He is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Louisville Bar Association, and currently serves on an LBA committee to monitor the integrity of judicial elections. Morgan coordinates much of the firm's pro-bono work in the Louisville office, and has been recognized as an Outstanding Volunteer Lawyer by the Legal Aid Society. He is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Housing Coalition. Morgan is a graduate of Leadership Kentucky (2003) and the Bingham Fellows Program of Leadership Louisville (2015).
Morgan enjoys tennis, running, cycling, skiing, backpacking, rock climbing, and adventures with his two sons. In 1996, Morgan completed the Annapurna Circuit, a 200-mile trek in Nepal.
Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation; Litigation - Insurance; Litigation - Real Estate; Litigation - Trusts and Estates (2013-25)
Best Lawyers in America®, Louisville Area Lawyer of the Year for Litigation - Real Estate (2025)
Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2007, 2012-24)
Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
2020 Outstanding Volunteer Award, Legal Aid Society of Louisville
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 Super Lawyers Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2023
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2023 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 37 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 12 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2023 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 98 of its lawyers are included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Additionally, 11 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 19 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 37 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2022
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2022 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 37 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 29 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and eight attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2022 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 93 lawyers are included in the 2022 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. Additionally, 11 attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 14 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Morgan Ward Appointed as Chair of Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer has appointed Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Morgan Ward as Chair of Louisville Metro Government’s Historic Landmarks and Preservation Districts Commission.