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Kentucky Defense Counsel Annual Awards Program

To celebrate and honor its members, the Kentucky Defense Counsel, Inc. proudly presents three annual awards during the Fall Annual Meeting & Seminar.

Download the Nomination Form 

Important Update:

The 2025 KDC Annual Meeting will take place earlier than usual, from August 27–29 in Nashville, TN. In preparation for this event, Awards Committee Chair Jarad Key requests that all award nominations be submitted to the KDC office no later than June 1, 2025. 

Awards Overview

Defense Lawyer of the Year

Presented to a KDC member who has distinguished themselves through exceptional achievements and contributions to the defense bar and the organization. Nominees must be KDC members.

New Lawyer of the Year

Awarded to a KDC member with notable contributions to the organization and the practice of law. Nominees must have been practicing law for 10 years or fewer and be members of KDC.

Diplomat

Reserved for senior KDC members, this honor recognizes significant contributions to the organization or the defense bar. Nominees must be KDC members aged 65 or older.

Membership renewal for KDC is fast approaching, and we want to ensure that you have all the necessary information to continue your membership seamlessly. Since 2023, membership renewal notices have been conveniently sent electronically through our membership platform, WildApricot. In early June, keep an eye on your inbox for an email containing a link to your membership renewal invoice. From there, you’ll have the option to pay directly via credit card or print off the invoice and mail it with a check to the KDC office.  

We understand that life gets busy, which is why reminder emails will be automatically generated to ensure you don’t miss the renewal deadline. However, if you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the KDC office.  

For those firms who have many KDC members, we are also happy to send a single invoice listing all the members in their firm. Please reach out to me at the KDC office if your firm would like to receive a single invoice for membership renewal.

While renewing your membership, it is also a great time to review and update any of your contact information, especially if you have changed firms or locations since first joining KDC.

Save the date for an extraordinary Joint Annual Meeting with the Tennesse Defense Lawyers Association at the DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Nashville on August 27-29, 2025. The conference will bring together civil defense attorneys, insurance counsel and in-house attorneys for a few days of focused learning and fun in downtown Nashville.

Check back soon for Registration and Agenda information.

Hotel Information:  BOOK YOUR ROOM NOW

DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Nashville

315 Fourth Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37219

Reservation phone number: 1-800-222-8733

Use Group Code 93R when calling to make your reservation.

Hotel Room Booking Link: Click Here

Room block rates start at $199/ night. Book by August 7,  2025.

The 2025 Award Nominations Form is now available on the KDC website  Awards Committee

Nominate a fellow KDC member for:

Defense Lawyer of the Year

New Lawyer of the Year

Diplomat

Nominations should be submitted to the KDC office by June 1.   Awards will be presented during the Annual Meeting August 27-29 in Nashville, TN (Joint Meeting and Seminar with the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association).

From time to time, firewall protections will block posts from our listserv getting to your inbox.    This week we have experienced a number of blocked messages.    If you feel you are not receiving SimpleList posts here are some suggestions:

1. Contact the KDC office - I will be able to research if the message has been blocked
2. If the message has been blocked, I can provide information for your IT depart ment to correct the issue.      

The Winter Issue of Common Defense is now available.    For those requesting hard copies, the issue should arrive at your office shortly, if not already.   The electronic copy can be found at Common Defense

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.

Make plans to attend the Fall Annual Meeting and Joint Seminar with the Tennessee Defense Lawyers Association - October 9-11 - Lexington, KY

Save $100 on registration by August 10, 2024

Reserve your spot for Keeneland by August 10

To register visit KDC/TDLA Joint Annual Meeting & Awards Program

The 2024 Nomination Form for KDC Awards is now available.   Nominate your colleagues for one of KDC's annual Awards:

• Defense Lawyer of the Year
• Diplomat Award
• New Lawyer of the Year

Award nominations are due by July 15, 2024.    Fillable Nomination form can be found here.

During the March 14, 2024 Board of Directors meeting, the decision was made to change the name of the Young Lawyers Section committee to "New" Lawyers Section committee.   The name change recognizes the current demographic for lawyers in the early years of practice.    During the meeting, the board also recognized and thanked Whitney Williams for her many years of service as chair of the committee.   The Board also approved Catie Coldiron Joseph as the new chair of the New Lawyers Committee.    The committee is working with the CLE Committee to present webinar this fall for new lawyers on September 25.    More information will be posted to the Events page soon.