Litigation & Appeals
Our litigation and appellate practice spans all substantive legal fields. Seasoned trial lawyers, e-discovery experts, and accomplished writers of legal briefs regularly team with experienced substantive law attorneys from across the firm to deliver high quality legal services to clients needing effective representation in state and federal courts, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings.
The following fourteen major categories listed under Litigation & Appeals Specialty Areas further describe our litigation experience in these areas. In all litigated matters, look to Stites & Harbison to:
- formulate sophisticated and effective litigation strategies
- understand and persuasively argue key legal issues
- identify, manage, and know the contents of relevant documents
- conduct effective and savvy e-discovery
- protect privileged, proprietary or confidential information
- ensure that good faith discovery responses are accurate and uniform
- prepare all witnesses for optimal deposition performance
- create and maintain databases and literature files
- identify knowledgeable and effective experts
- challenge or discredit unreliable or unscientific testimony
- use the latest courtroom technology and persuasion techniques with judges and juries
- analyze appellate issues and craft high-level, readable appellate briefs
University Wins Jury Verdict Over Online Retailer for Trademark Infringement
A trial over a trademark dispute relating to an unlicensed online retailer’s sale of apparel and other merchandise bearing historic or retro logos and images of universities has concluded. In 2021, the Pennsylvania State University (“Penn State”) brought suit against Vintage Brand (“Vintage”) for trademark infringement and other claims in federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, styled as The Pennsylvania State University v. Vintage Brand, LLC et al., 4:21-cv-1091. Since that time, at least a dozen other schools have sued Vintage on similar grounds, but this was the first case to go to trial and it has been watched intently by the trademark world as a bellwether case in the sports merchandising industry landscape and perhaps beyond.
Stites & Harbison Promotes Four Attorneys
Stites & Harbison announced today that four attorneys have been promoted to Member (Partner). The promotions are effective January 1, 2025. The new Members (Partners) include Frederick R. Bentley (Reggie), Trevor T. Graves, Brian P. Lee, and Alison M. Zeitlin.
Robin Miller Honored by Ohio Super Lawyers for 2025
The 2025 edition of Ohio Super Lawyers recently honored Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Robin D. Miller on its Super Lawyers list.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 47 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2025
The 2025 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 47 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 34 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 13 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
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.
Ian Ramsey Elected Chair of Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission
Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Ian Ramsey was recently elected Chair of the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission (KBBC) at its 2024 annual meeting. He will guide the KBBC, coordinate with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet on pedestrian and bikeway programs, and promote bicycling to governing officials and the public.
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.
Josh Chesser Joins Stites & Harbison in Nashville
Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Joshua K. Chesser (Josh) to the firm’s Nashville, Tenn., office. He joins the firm as a Member (Partner) in the Construction Service Group.
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.
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.
Jennifer Henry Jackson Selected for Ignite Louisville Class of Spring 2025
The Leadership Louisville Center has selected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Jennifer Henry Jackson to participate in the Ignite Louisville Class of Spring 2025. The six-month class teaches the key components of leadership to young professionals between the ages of 25 and 45 years old.
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.
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.
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.
Carol Dan Browning Named to 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
Lawdragon has named Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Carol Dan Browning to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America. This is the second consecutive time that Browning has been recognized by Lawdragon for her work in professional liability and drug and medical device litigation. She is one of only two Kentucky attorneys honored in 2025.