LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced today that five attorneys have been promoted within the law firm effective January 2019.

The new Members (Partners) include:

• Ashley Owens Hopkins – Lexington, Ky., office – Employment Law Service Group. Hopkins is an experienced litigator and counselor on employment law issues, in addition to years of practice in tort and insurance defense. She has trial experience in employment cases involving discrimination and retaliation under several federal statutes, including the ADA, FMLA and FLSA. In addition, she frequently counsels clients on non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, employee handbooks and other day-to-day employment issues.
• Brenton Lankford – Nashville, Tenn., office – Family Law Practice. Lankford practices primarily in the field of domestic relations, assisting clients with divorce and post-divorce matters, including issues of child custody, child support, alimony, and financial and property disputes.
• Sean Ritchie – Nashville, Tenn., office – Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group. Ritchie is a Registered Patent Attorney. His practice focuses on all aspects of patent and trademark protection. With an academic background in bioengineering, Ritchie’s patent practice primarily focuses on chemical, life sciences and materials science technologies.

The new Counsel include:

• J. Brittany Cross Carlson – Louisville, Ky., office – Torts & Insurance Practice Service Group. Carlson’s practice focuses on drug and medical device litigation, product liability, medical malpractice and personal injury. She defends multiple international medical device and product manufacturers in federal and state courts across the nation, and acts as Kentucky counsel for a national retailer, handling personal injury, contract and property-related litigation.
• Mari-Elise Paul – Louisville, Ky., office – Intellectual Property & Technology Service Group. Paul’s practice concentrates on litigation involving intellectual property infringement and trade secret misappropriation, prosecuting trademark and copyright registration applications, litigating trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings as well as negotiating and drafting licenses and other contracts that involve intellectual property or technology rights.