MCBRAYER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate / Lexington, KY
Addison Lowry knows that the task of litigating a claim can feel like a daunting one for her clients. That's why she makes it a priority to explain the civil litigation process and expectations to her clients at the outset and keep them informed every step of the way.
Addison's practice in Lexington as a civil litigation attorney centers on insurance defense. She also handles matters that involve contract disputes, elections and campaign finance, medical negligence, and motor vehicle accident defense. She additionally represents regulatory agencies, political action committees, and various boards. In every aspect of her practice, Addison is passionate about fighting for her clients to reach the best possible outcome. She enjoys the competitive nature of litigation as well as the creativity required to resolve her clients' legal issues. In any matter, she communicates clearly with and advocates zealously for her clients to reach a favorable resolution.
Addison enjoys the adversarial process, but she also enjoys client interaction and working with other attorneys to bounce ideas to achieve her client's goals. Clients can count on her to work very hard to meet their needs, and she looks forward to meeting each new client.
As an undergraduate, Addison was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity, where she participated as the assistant chair and later became the chair of the "Cowboy Up for a Cure" rodeo fundraiser, benefiting the University of Kentucky Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic. While in law school, she volunteered to assist a district court judge. She has also volunteered with Glean Kentucky and has been involved with the "Coat a Kid" program since high school. In her free time she enjoys being active, cooking, and boating with her family on Laurel Lake.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member / Lexington, KY / Louisville, KY
Bruce Paul is a business counselor and litigator with experience in the areas of intellectual property, trade secrets and employment, governance and shareholder issues, risk management, and product liability. The most exciting part of his job is immersing himself in clients' businesses, learning what they do and what issues impact them the most, and finding legal solutions to business problems (and vice versa)-both known and unknown. This is especially true in the areas of intellectual property and technology, where the laws written frequently do not align with the reality of our times. The laws can't keep up with technology, so Bruce sees it as his job to understand where the law is and where it is going and anticipate best business and legal practices to avoid exposure and ensure success.
Bruce always approaches legal issues from the perspective of the person or company he is helping. Not only does he represent his clients to the best of his ability, he also considers himself a personal fan of them and their businesses. Bruce has a vested interest in his clients' success and prosperity. He understands that, from his clients' perspectives, a legal win isn't always a business win. Likewise, he understands that the quick business solution to legal disputes may cause unintended and harmful legal consequences in the future. Regardless of the issue, he first aims to understand his clients' businesses and goals, taking into consideration a wide variety of factors that frequently have nothing to do with the law. Bruce works to counsel clients through options and solutions - legal and otherwise - that best achieve those goals. If there arises a need to fight to win, he is ready, willing, and able. But because fighting to win isn't always the best option, Bruce is equally prepared to resolve complicated matters in a creative and advantageous manner.
Bruce serves on the board of directors of Gilda's Club Kentuckiana, a cancer support organization. This organization is very important to him because his mother had cancer and Gilda's Club was the best support system he and his family could have ever found for her-and it is free of charge. Bruce's wife and family are also actively involved in the Norton Children's Foundation here in Louisville, which provides excellent medical care to children from the Louisville region while providing needed support for family members. Bruce has previously served on the board of directors of One Southern Indiana, Southern Indiana's Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development organization. He is also a member of Leadership Louisville and Leadership Southern Indiana.
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Ethics Counsel
- Member of the Ethics Counsel & General Counsel
- Member of the Ethics Counsel & General Counsel / Lexington, KY
Claire Vujanovic knows that her clients want to focus on one thing: running their businesses. With the ever-changing demands of employment and labor law, this can be difficult--if not impossible--which is why Claire is always prepared to take problems off her clients' plates so they can keep things running smoothly. Claire has over 20 years of experience practicing as an employment and labor law attorney who provides guidance to management on day-to-day employment and labor issues with an emphasis on anticipating and minimizing risk. As a Field Attorney with the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") in Chicago, Claire gained invaluable insight into the government's approach to labor law. As a solo practitioner, she learned the business of law, which allows her to understand much of what her clients deal with on a daily basis. These experiences, combined with her years practicing in larger firms, have made her a well-informed and well-prepared employment and labor lawyer.
Claire also understands that because of the fast-paced nature of this area of the law, problems can crop up for clients without a moment's notice-- everything changes and evolves very quickly, shifting especially dramatically with changing political winds. Claire's clients can depend on her to be accessible and responsive, acting quickly to find solutions for issues that arise. She routinely helps clients with matters such as non-compete agreements, contracts, service agreements, human resources services, HR policy and training, HR investigations, U.S. Department of Labor investigations, and NLRB compliance. She is also a skilled traditional labor law practitioner with extensive experience handling collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, unfair labor practice litigation, labor management relations, and union avoidance. Claire has worked with employers in a wide variety of industries and company sizes, so she is prepared to assist any client who needs help with employment and labor issues in Louisville and beyond.
Outside of the office, Claire currently serves on the board of Louisville Girls Leadership, an organization that helps teenage girls access and develop their potential to be leaders in their communities.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Co - Managing Member, Louisville Office / Louisville, KY
- Louisville Co - Managing Member
- Named Co - Managing Member of McBrayer PLLC Louisville Office
Cindy Effinger knows that real businesses need real life, practical solutions for their employment-related legal issues. Answers to employers' questions are rarely black and white-and they always depend on the unique needs of a particular business. As an employment law attorney, Cindy enjoys the challenge of navigating those gray areas. She takes the time to get to know the character and culture of each company she advises to provide counsel that is specifically tailored to their needs, and she crafts policies that are practical to implement, all while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
Cindy's practice in Louisville, Kentucky, focuses primarily on employment litigation, involving matters such as business disputes, claims of discrimination and harassment, non-compete and other restrictive covenant agreements, wage and hour issues, and contract disputes. Prior to her work at McBrayer, Cindy represented plaintiffs in employment matters; her knowledge and experience from the other side of the table allows her to build even stronger cases and arguments for her clients today. Cindy also assists clients with audits and investigations performed by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Kentucky Labor Cabinet, helping employers to prepare accordingly and resolve any issues that may arise.
In addition to her litigation work, Cindy works with clients on crafting human resources policies and developing employee handbooks, from FMLA and leave issues to ADA accommodation requests to social media policies and beyond. She is also involved in resolving employee relations issues. Her background lends itself well to consulting with businesses with regard to client and competitor issues as well as disputes among business owners themselves.
Cindy understands that employment law evolves rapidly and that issues can arise at the drop of a hat. Clients can always count on her to stay up to speed and to be available with a quick response when an issue emerges unexpectedly. There is never a dull moment in Cindy's practice-and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Job Titles:
- Member / Lexington, KY / Frankfort, KY
Doug Logsdon has built his practice around what his clients need most. As a civil litigator, he handles a wide variety of issues for his clients, primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation, bankruptcy, creditor's rights and foreclosure, and real estate. Whatever it is his clients need, whether large or small, Doug is there to help them solve problems with the diligence, efficiency, and willingness to fight that are essential to any litigator's success. Though he prefers to help his clients avoid the time, stress, and expense of trial, Doug has extensive courtroom experience and is always prepared to go to bat for his clients when necessary. Even when things aren't easy-which they rarely are-Doug keeps working tirelessly to find the most effective solutions and most favorable outcomes for his clients.
Doug's practice encompasses a range of civil litigation matters, with particular concentration in the areas of creditor's rights, debt workouts, collection and foreclosure litigation, real estate title defense and litigation, and general civil litigation. He often represents creditors in bankruptcy proceedings, including automatic stay matters, preference litigation, lien avoidance actions, and other litigation and negotiation matters. He routinely files claims, analyzes Chapter 11 and 13 plans, and performs routine Chapter 7 and 13 tasks. Doug gained trial experience before numerous Colorado courts and juries from 1992 to 1999, and continues to try cases before judges, juries, and arbitrators, and to pursue and defend appeals. He has argued before the Colorado Court of Appeals, the Kentucky Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Sixth Circuit.
From 2008 to 2009, Doug served as the President of the Fayette County Bar Association (FCBA). Since 2009, he has been a board member of the Fayette County Bar Association Pro Bono Program. Additionally, Doug served on the Board of the FCBA during the creation of the Fayette County Bar Foundation. In 2006, a complex legal case related to a tragic accident resulted in a substantial settlement for the victims' families and a sizeable payment to the FCBA's lawyer referral service. The FCBA polled its membership and decided to create a lasting legacy with its share of the proceeds. The Fayette County Bar Foundation was born. The FCBA's initial investment was buoyed by contributions from local attorneys and law firms, creating an endowment to fund a variety of law-related philanthropic efforts in Fayette County. Grants to community organizations are awarded annually based on recommendations from the Grants Committee. This is a one-of-a-kind asset that our local bar established for the benefit of Fayette County. Doug is proud to be a part of a bar association that used this opportunity to help its community.
Ed Monarch is a trial lawyer. He investigates, researches, advocates in Court, and tries cases in the state and federal Courts of Kentucky and Indiana. For the past 23 years, the main focus of his practice has been the litigation of claims brought against physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers in Kentucky. These claims include medical professional liability claims, wrongful death, nursing and hospital staff liability, negligent credentialing of physicians, issues arising from physician membership on a medical staff, and complaints filed against physicians with the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure.
Ed has also litigated sexual harassment and wrongful termination claims in the field of employment law and, in the field of estates and trusts, claims involving alleged misuse of a power of attorney and claims of undue influence and fraud in the execution of a will.
Ed knows well that cases in litigation always involve an issue that is emotionally important to the people involved. He approaches every person in litigation with respect, but is never blinded by the emotional aspect of a claim. Ed is interested in the facts - what people saw, what they heard, what they said and what they did.
Outside of law, Ed's academic interests are in biological sciences and generational financial planning, because these subjects help guide decisions in his own life. The tools of financial planning in particular have helped him to educate his children, provide for retirement, and, he hopes, will allow him to contribute to the long-term financial security of his family.
Outside of work, Ed enjoys skiing, hiking and horseback riding, and he exercises and occasionally rides bicycles for routine fitness.
Ed believes all people are called to use their talents to contribute to the good in the world. Practicing law is about helping people. In his work with hospitals and healthcare professionals, Ed is driven by a complete respect for the sacrifices that are required of healthcare professionals, and he has a deep admiration for those who are called upon to help the sick, the injured and the elderly. Ed's contribution is to be an advocate for the healthcare professional; to defend their reputations and their resources, and to help interface between the healthcare provider and the many branches of government to which it must answer.
Whether in healthcare, estates and trusts, or another subject of litigation, Ed can contribute by advocating the rights of his clients in a courtroom setting. He finds value in supporting a legal framework in which businesses, families and individuals can succeed.
Ed wants his clients to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing their attorney cares about them, understands their case no matter how complex, and has the skills to translate this complex information such that a jury also will understand the facts and care about the client. In every case, Ed learns the facts that are important to the outcome, and it is his goal to learn nothing at trial, because he knows exactly what to expect before the client's case gets to trial.
Ed also wants potential clients to know that he is deeply interested in protecting their reputations and achieving their goals. He is always prepared for the task to be accomplished, and is thorough in his work. In Court, Ed fights false premises and combats emotional decision-making with reason, with facts, and with leadership.
Ed started at McBrayer after having been a trial attorney for twenty-seven years; his entire career has revolved around the courtroom. Ed has litigated cases for both Plaintiffs and Defendants, but for many years his focus has been on defending healthcare providers and businesses from claims brought against them. His career as a healthcare attorney has allowed him the opportunity to present the testimony of Professors of Medicine and Surgery from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, University of Alabama Birmingham, Stanford, Georgetown, Columbia and many other institutions. Ed sees litigation as a constant education, in which he learns something new every day.
Job Titles:
- Associate / Lexington, KY
Emily Shepard knows that being an attorney is about more than going through the "motions"--it requires constant drive to keep learning and growing to better serve clients. Emily's emerging practice focuses on commercial litigation, construction law, and insurance defense. She is an associate in the firm's Lexington office.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Master Commissioner, 1992 - 2008
- Master Commissioner, 2008 - Present
Job Titles:
- Co - Managing Member, Louisville Office / Louisville, KY
Ivan Schell is in the business of people, not transactions. With decades of experience in his estate planning and administration practice, he knows that his clients are looking for an attorney who can help them create and pass on a lasting legacy that expresses their ideals for their communities and their affection for loved ones. Ivan's job first and foremost is to guide his clients through that process and assist them in achieving their legitimate goals with compassion and professionalism.
Ivan understands that these types of legal matters naturally come with high emotional stakes and that potential consequences can be devastating on a personal level. That's why he prioritizes caring for his clients, in addition to working for them - he assists with more than just wills and trusts. To every matter, he brings dedicated professionalism, a top shelf legal network, and an empathetic yet realistic approach to planning and problem-solving. He has a passion for providing excellent service and working with the rest of the McBrayer estate planning team to find the most favorable outcome for his clients.
Throughout his years of practice, he has learned not only what to expect in the realm of estate planning law, but also how the practice area evolves. At the beginning of his career, Ivan spent two years in the U.S. Army before beginning his practice on LaSalle Street in Chicago. From there, he moved his practice to Louisville, first with Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, and then with Ewen McKenzie & Peden, followed by Hirn Reed & Harper. He co-founded Reed Weitkamp Schell & Vice in 1996 before joining McBrayer in 2019.
In addition to estate planning and administration, his multifaceted practice includes private foundation and public charity formation and planning; physician practice consultation and healthcare law; employee benefits law; and closely-held corporation planning transitions.
Beyond his extensive legal experience, Ivan has served for many years on the Buckhorn Children and Family Services Board, helping to provide a sanctuary of health, healing, and hope to at-risk children, youth, and families in eastern Kentucky. With residential campuses in Buckhorn and Pine Ridge, Buckhorn offers secure, compassionate, and therapeutic communities. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he is also a member of the Kentuckiana chapter of the Safari Club international.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Property at the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law
- Member / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Managing Member
- Chairman of the Downtown Lexington Management District
- Managing Member / Lexington, KY
- Master Commissioner of the Fayette Circuit Court
Jaron Blandford considers it a privilege to have served the clients of McBrayer since 1998. Since that time, he has been a part of the positive growth of McBrayer and the expanding practice area departments the firm has developed as it has worked to better serve all clients' legal issues and needs. While the firm practices in virtually all areas of the law, Jaron's practice focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis in all areas of employment law and business litigation. Jaron also has more than twenty years of experience handling criminal defense work and advising clients on matters involving regulatory compliance, whistleblower complaints, professional licensing and criminal investigations. He has advised clients regarding federal grand jury investigations, investigations by the FBI, ATF, DEA, FDA, the Office of the Attorney General, Office of Inspector General, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Labor and many other state and federal agencies.
Jaron started his career with McBrayer as a student attending the University of Kentucky College of Law. He is unique in that he started his legal career at the same firm where he currently practices. One of the reasons Jaron started with McBrayer and has always remained is the firm's overriding philosophy of client service and success. He sees the firm's culture as one of a strong work ethic, providing responsiveness and results to our clients. Jaron is proud to go the extra mile for all of his clients, and understands that resolving legal and business issues takes our constant time, attention and dedication. Jaron assures his clients that they will always have a way to contact him - any day and any time. Clients have his personal commitment that he and his team will always provide prompt service, advice and timely solutions in their time of need.
Jason R. Bentley knows that some matters benefit most from a multidirectional approach. As both an attorney with McBrayer and a lobbyist with our affiliate MML&K Government Solutions in Frankfort, he has seen the issues faced by utilities and energy industry businesses from a wide variety of angles.
Jason began his career in government as one of several Committee Counsel for what is now the Energy & Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives, frequently in the middle of high-stakes negotiations between powerful D.C. trade associations. This experience created an opportunity to move his family back to Kentucky, first as General Counsel and Policy Advisor to the Kentucky Public Service Commission, then as Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy and the Kentucky Single Point of Contact U.S. Trade Representative. From there, Jason went on to represent the interests of energy and utility companies, learning the inner-workings of their businesses firsthand. With this diverse array of perspectives, Jason crafts well-informed and effective solutions for his clients' problems, often involving a combination of strategies from both the legal and government relations sides of his work.
Jason knows well that with energy and utilities projects come many challenges, and he helps facilitate timely resolution of complex regulatory issues and is committed to staying up to date with the ever-evolving rules, regulations, and technologies of the industry in order to deliver cutting edge legal and policy advice to his clients. Matters with which he assists clients include regulatory energy and environmental issues, including government fines, energy project development and siting, transportation and transmission, permitting and regulatory compliance, property rights, energy contracts and supply, commercial development, recycling issues, and water and air quality issues.
In his free time, Jason enjoys golfing, gardening, fishing, and hunting. He also volunteers his time to youth soccer programs with his children, including serving as the President of the Bluegrass Soccer Club from 2016 to 2021. Having played soccer himself through college and beyond, Jason wants to pass along the values he finds so important in team sports: work ethic, sportsmanship, commitment, and what it means to be a good teammate.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Louisville, KY
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- Associate / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- Member / Louisville, KY / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer / Lexington, KY / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Member / Lexington, KY / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Lexington, KY
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Louisville, KY
Job Titles:
- Associate / Lexington, KY