Business Litigation
No matter how hard a business tries, commercial disagreements are inevitable. When these situations arise, dealing with them diverts valuable commodities of management time and resources that could otherwise be applied to growing the business. To help a business successfully navigate through these situations and get it back to focusing on running the business, the steady and experienced hand of a skilled litigator is needed. The attorneys in the Business Litigation Service Group at Stites & Harbison, located in offices in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Ohio and Indiana, make every effort to assist clients in working their way through these contentious situations as efficiently and effectively as possible.
We defend and prosecute claims arising from:
- the disposition of business entities
- plant closings
- insolvency and business failures
- trade secret and intellectual property issues
- insurance market misconduct
- claims asserted against financial professionals
- franchise terminations
- commercial real estate
- lender liability
- corporate directors and officers' duties, and
- securities and commercial disputes.
Stites & Harbison's business litigation attorneys have represented clients in manufacturing, the service sector, professional service providers, utilities, the mineral, oil and gas industry, casualty, property and health insurers, and companies owning, financing or operating commercial real estate, to name a few.
"Their responsiveness very quick and they also give interesting business advice, not just strictly legal advice."
"Stites & Harbison lawyers do outstanding trial work for us on all types of litigation."
Olivia Keller Appointed to Gateway Community and Technical College Board of Directors
Governor Andy Beshear recently appointed Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Olivia C. Keller to Gateway Community and Technical College’s Board of Directors. She will serve in this role until July of 2030.
Benchmark Litigation 2025 Honors 14 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
The 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.
Brian Butler Inducted as Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers
Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Brian Butler was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) on September 28, 2024, at the Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. ACTL is composed of preeminent members of the Trial Bar from the United States and Canada.
Gregory Smith Earns Chambers High Net Worth Honor for 2024
Chambers High Net Worth selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Gregory D. Smith for inclusion in its 2024 guide in the category of Family/Matrimonial for USA: Tennessee. He is one of only three attorneys honored for Tennessee. Chambers High Net Worth ranks top lawyers and law firms in the international private wealth market.
Katie Glass Selected for Leadership Lexington’s Class of 2024-25
Leadership Lexington has selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Katie M. Glass as a member of the 2024-25 Leadership Lexington program. Through the eleven-month program, participants are provided with opportunities to gain a better understanding of Lexington and the challenges it faces by meeting with and learning from today’s leaders.
Greg Smith Earns 2024 Best of the Bar Honor
The Nashville Business Journal recently honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Greg Smith with a 2024 Best of the Bar award. Smith has been named to Best of the Bar on not less than 10 occasions for family law.
Edward and Charles Stopher Join Stites & Harbison’s Louisville Office
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that attorneys Edward H. Stopher and Charles H. Stopher of Boehl Stopher & Graves, LLP have joined the firm’s Louisville, Ky., office. They are members of the Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group and secondary members of the Business Litigation Service Group.
Kentucky Criminal Law Update: Navigating Legislative Changes and Legal Trends
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
WEBINAR
Brian Butler will be a speaker at the Louisville Bar Association's seminar covering the latest updates in criminal law for the Commonwealth of Kentucky on April 18, 2024.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Bridget Stewart to the Nashville Office
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Bridget A. Stewart to the firm based in the Nashville, Tenn., office. She joins the Business Litigation Service Group.
Sixth Circuit Identifies “Dilemma,” but Not Solution for Calculating Workers’ Vehicle Expenses Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
In an opinion that raises as many questions as it answers, the Sixth Circuit foreclosed two methods of calculating how delivery drivers paid the minimum wage should be reimbursed for the costs associated with using their vehicles for work under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). Rejecting both the drivers’ assertion that they should be reimbursed using the mileage rate published by the IRS, and the employers’ argument that drivers should receive a “reasonable approximation” of their costs, the Sixth Circuit held in two consolidated appeals in Parker v. Battle Creek Pizza, Inc., Nos. 22-2119, 22-3561, 2024 WL 1068871 (6th Cir. Mar. 12, 2024), that drivers’ actual costs must be reimbursed to avoid a minimum wage violation and remanded both cases to their respective district courts with little guidance as to how to calculate those costs. Robin McGuffin and Harlee Havens take a close look at the ruling in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Sixth Circuit Applies Updated Arbitration Waiver Standard
In a published opinion issued on March 27, 2024, the Sixth Circuit applied for the first time the waiver standard announced in the Supreme Court’s 2022 opinion, Morgan v. Sundance, Inc., 596 U.S. 411 (2022), in affirming the denial of a motion to compel arbitration due to the defendant’s extensive participation in the litigation.
Benchmark Litigation Selects Stites & Harbison as 2024 Litigation Firm of the Year for Kentucky
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Benchmark Litigation recently named Stites & Harbison, PLLC as Litigation Firm of the Year for Kentucky at its 2024 Benchmark US Awards Gala. This is the fourth time Stites & Harbison has received the honor.
Brian Butler Elected Fellow of American Board of Criminal Lawyers
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The American Board of Criminal Lawyers (ABCL) recently elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Brian Butler as a Fellow. He is one of only five Fellows in Kentucky.
Thad Barnes and Michael Denbow Appointed to Lead Stites & Harbison’s Business Litigation Service Group
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that attorneys Thad M. Barnes and Michael Denbow have been appointed to Co-Chair the firm’s Business Litigation Service Group. Each attorney will continue their diverse legal practices in business litigation.
Stites & Harbison Attorneys Honored by 2024 Georgia Super Lawyers
ATLANTA—The 2024 edition of Georgia Super Lawyers recently honored Dan Douglass, Joe Kingma and Brandon Sartin, all based in the firm’s Atlanta office.
Demetrius Holloway Earns 2023 Trailblazer Award
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Louisville Bar Association’s (LBA) Diversity & Inclusion Committee recently announced Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Demetrius O. Holloway as the recipient of the 2023 Justice William E. McAnulty Jr. Trailblazer Award.
2024 ABA Young Lawyers Division's Midyear Meeting
Omni Louisville, Louisville Marriott Downtown and Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, KY
Attorney Demetrius Holloway will speak on "passing the torch" of diversity to the younger generation of attorneys at this American Bar Association mid-year meeting.
Robin D. Miller Honored by Ohio Super Lawyers for 2024
MASON, Ohio—The 2024 edition of Ohio Super Lawyers recently honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Robin D. Miller on its Super Lawyers list.
IADC (International Association of Defense Counsel) 2024 Mid-Year Meeting
JW Marriott Miami Turnberry, 19999 West Country Club Drive, Miami, FL - 33180
Louisville office attorney Whitney Watt will be a speaker at the IADC 2024 Mid-Year Meeting in Miami, Florida February 18-23.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Olivia Keller to the Covington Office
COVINGTON, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Olivia C. Keller to the firm based in the Covington, Ky., office. She joins the Business Litigation Service Group.