We extend our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Patrick W. Gault, a founding member of Napier Gault Schupbach & Stevens, who passed away on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Patrick was a dedicated member of the Kentucky Defense Counsel.

Patrick earned his BA from Duke University in 1990, and his JD from the University of Kentucky in 1993. He began his career at Weber & Rose, PSC. In only five years, he successfully rose to become a partner. In 2007, he was elected by his peers to the firm's Executive Committee, helping to manage the 40-employee firm on a day-to-day basis.

When Tim Napier was hired as a new associate at Weber & Rose in 1994, he had the good fortune to be assigned to the office next door to Patrick’s. The two quickly became close friends. They shared an entrepreneurial spirit, a strong work ethic, and most importantly—a sense of humor. In 2008, they achieved their goal of starting a boutique defense law firm: Napier Gault, PLC (which they eventually grew to become Napier Gault Schupbach & Stevens). A brief article about the firm’s start appeared in Business First.

Patrick’s reputation in the highly-specialized field of mass/toxic tort defense was unmatched. Respected by lawyers on both sides of his cases, he accumulated numerous professional accolades, including:

• Named as Kentucky's 2013 Mass Tort Litigation "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers publication
• Selected in 2008 as a Member of the Council on Litigation Management. CLM is an alliance of corporations, insurance companies and law firms committed to furthering the highest standards of litigation management. Membership is by invitation only.
• Woodward/White’s The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, 2012-2018 and Product Liability Litigation Defendants, 2012-2018
• 2016-2018 Recognized by his peers as a Kentucky Super Lawyer®
• 2012-2018 Recognized as one of the Top Lawyers in the area of Product Liability Law-Defense by Louisville Magazine

Patrick’s work also resulted in three reported decisions:

• Combs v. Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., 183 S.W.3d 190, Ky. App., 2006 (Frequently cited when a defendant asserts a statute of limitations defense.)
• Strange v. Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., 2005 WL 3488280 , Ky. App., 2005
• Logsdon v. Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., 2006 WL 2382501, Ky. App., 2006

Patrick was an amazing father, son, attorney, colleague, business partner, and, most importantly, friend to all those who had the honor to work with him. He will be greatly missed.