Business Services
In the field of Business Services, we regularly advise public and private companies, private equity firms, investment banks, government entities, middle-market companies, individual entrepreneurs, and other institutions in a broad spectrum of business and financial matters.
Recognized by Chambers USA and U.S. News – Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms," as a leading law firm in the delivery of sophisticated corporate services, the attorneys of Stites & Harbison regularly counsel clients on a broad range of matters from strategic transactions to the day-to-day operations and success of their business.
We provide dedicated and cost-effective counsel on:
- Administrative Law
- Airport Law
- Business Expansion, Relocation & Government Incentive Programs
- Charitable & Nonprofits
- Commercial Finance
- Contract Drafting
- Negotiations for Public & Private Partnerships
- Succession Planning
- Corporate Finance & Securities Offerings
- Corporate Governance & Disclosure
- Employee Benefits
- Entertainment Law
- Entrepreneurial Services
- ESOPs
- Joint Ventures
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Securities
- Taxation
- Trade Association Law
The lawyers of Stites & Harbison work collaboratively, across industries and practices, to provide the most comprehensive and thorough legal representation.
Second Time’s No Charm: Delaware Court Rejects Elon Musk’s Tesla Incentive Package Despite Shareholder Ratification
Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) and Elon Musk suffered another setback in their continuing efforts to overcome a legal challenge to a 2018 performance-based stock option grant (the “Grant”) that, at today’s stock price, would be worth over $100 billion to Musk. Brian Cromer takes a look at the case in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Future of the Corporate Transparency Act is Uncertain
With the January 1, 2025, deadline for beneficial ownership information filings pursuant to the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) for entities formed prior to 2024 rapidly approaching, Judge Amos L. Mazzant III of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas preliminarily enjoined the enforcement of the CTA and its related regulations nationwide. Alison Zeitlin takes a look at what is happening in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Ten Stites & Harbison Attorneys Honored by 2024 Mid-South Super Lawyers
The 2024 edition of Mid-South Super Lawyers recently honored 10 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys. Seven attorneys were named to the Super Lawyers list and three were named to the Rising Stars list.
Stites & Harbison Welcomes Nine Attorneys to Kentucky and Georgia
Stites & Harbison, PLLC announces the addition of nine attorneys to the firm. Four attorneys join the Louisville, Ky., office: Rachel Gumbel, Jackson B. Hurst-Sanders, James E. Myers and April M. J. Sain. Harper B. Anderson, Holly A. Couch and Robert H. Dean join the firm in Lexington, Ky., while Mackenzie Miller and Lauren Towell (Ren) join the Atlanta office.
Regulated Products: What Manufacturers and Retailers Need to Know Now
Stites & Harbison attorneys Warren Schickli and Drake Staples take at a look at what manufacturers and retailers need to know in this Stites & Harbison complimentary webinar series focused on forever chemicals and what businesses need to do.
Stites & Harbison Earns 93 Rankings in 2025 Best Law Firms®
Stites & Harbison, PLLC has been ranked in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®. The firm’s National Tier 1 rankings include: Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Real Estate, and Trademark Law. The firm’s overall results include 93 metropolitan rankings in six regions and represent 52 legal practice areas.
Forever Chemicals: Breaking Down Insurance Coverages
Neil Barton and Charles Stopher present an overview of available insurance coverage and potentially applicable exclusions to the increased risk of PFAS exposure in the third session of Stites & Harbison's webinar series "Forever Chemicals: What does your business need to know and do?".
Kentucky Academy of Healthcare Attorneys Webinar: Medical Cannabis Seminar
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
WEBINAR
Stites & Harbison attorneys Bailey Browning, Kelly White Bryant, Jennifer Cave, Jackson Hurst-Sanders, Robin McGuffin and Sarah Cronan Spurlock will be speakers at the Kentucky Academy of Healthcare Attorneys webinar, Medical Cannabis Seminar being held November 13, 2024.
A Forever Chemicals Primer: When, Why, How, Who, and Where?
Part 1 of webinar series, "A Forever Chemicals Primer: When, Why, How, Who, and Where?," where attorneys Jennifer Cave and John Tate discussed identifying common commercial and industrial applications of PFSA; providing up-to-date human health and environmental testing data; and discuss state and federal regulatory status of forever chemcials.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Achieves 2023-24 Mansfield Certification
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that it has achieved 2023-24 Mansfield Certification. Mansfield is a year-long structured certification process designed for law firms to ensure all lawyers have an opportunity to advance into leadership.
Robert Beck, Jr. Elected Chairman of the Board of Kentucky Educational Television, Inc.
Kentucky Educational Television, Inc. (KET) has elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Robert M. Beck, Jr. as Chairman of the Board.
FTC Noncompete Rule Struck Down Nationwide
On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas entered an order preventing the FTC’s rule on noncompetes from going into effect nationwide. For the time being, employers do not need to comply with the FTC’s rule, which was scheduled to go into effect on September 4, 2024. Employment attorneys Shannon Hamilton, Robin McGuffin, and Zac Losey take a look at that decision in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
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.
Courts Now Split on Enforceability of FTC Noncompete Rule
On July 23, 2024, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied a company’s motion to enjoin the enforcement of the FTC’s rule banning nearly all noncompetes. This contradicts the Northern District of Texas’s order on July 3, 2024, which granted a preliminary injunction enjoining the rule as it applies to the plaintiffs in that case. With opposing rulings, employers remain in limbo as the rule’s September 4, 2024 enforcement date approaches. Employment attorneys Shannon Hamilton, Robin McGuffin, and Zac Losey take a look at what happened.
Richard Myers named Stites & Harbison's Nashville Office Executive Member
Stites & Harbison, PLLC has named attorney Richard S. Myers, Jr., as its Nashville and Franklin Office Executive Member. He succeeds Gregory D. Smith, who has served in this role for nine years.
FTC Non-Competition Final Rule Update
On July 3, 2024, a Texas federal Northern District Court granted a preliminary injunction to the Plaintiff and the four Intervening Plaintiffs in the matter of Ryan v. Federal Trade Commission. The preliminary injunction enjoins the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) Final Rule prohibiting non-competition agreements from being implemented and enforced as to the Plaintiff and Intervening Plaintiffs only. In addition, the Court enjoined the effective date of the Final Rule, again limiting the injunction to the Plaintiff and Intervening Plaintiffs only. Employment attorney Shannon Hamilton takes a look at the update in this Stites & Harbison Client
Department of Labor Overtime Rule Becomes Effective!
The Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Final Rule increasing the salary level for exempt positions and increasing the number of employees eligible for overtime goes into effect today, July 1, 2024, for all 50 states, with the exception of the state of Texas as an employer. The Overtime Rule does apply to private employers in Texas. Employment attorney Shannon Hamilton takes a look at what that means to employers in this Stites & Harbison Client
News of the Death of Workers’ Jobs at the Virtual Hands of AI is Greatly Exaggerated
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being touted as having the potential to save humanity or destroy it. On the saving side there is the possibility for drug discoveries, disease (e.g. cancer) diagnosis for early detection and cure, and energy discovery and efficiency. Stephen Weyer takes a look at the world AI in this Stites & Harbison Client
Stites & Harbison Ranks in Top 20 on 2024 "Best Place to Work in Kentucky" List
Stites & Harbison, PLLC ranks in the Top 20 “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” for 2024 in the medium company category. The firm has made the list 18 times — 10 of those in the Top 10.
Protecting Employer Proprietary Information Following the FTC's Ban on Non-Compete Agreements
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on April 23, 2024 issued a rule banning future non-compete agreements with limited exceptions. The FTC rule bans virtually all non-compete agreements for employees and independent contractors. Pre-existing non-compete agreements with senior executives remain enforceable, but new non-competes with senior executives are not. Likewise, non-competes entered into pursuant to a sale of a business or person’s ownership stake in a business are exempt from the FTC rule. Pat Torre takes a look at the rule in this Stites & Harbison Client