Ashley W. Ward
Ashley Ward has practiced in the Lexington office's Torts and Insurance Service Group since 1986 and is a co-leader of that group. He has tried more than 20 jury trials to verdict. He focuses on product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, telecommunications and contractual disputes. Ashley also has considerable experience litigating will contests and other fiduciary disputes.
Negligent Security Issues on College Campuses
Successfully defended SuperAmerica convenience stores in several negligent security cases
Successfully upheld in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals BellSouth Telecommunication's statewide right of way charter
Obtained numerous defense verdicts for physicians at the University of Kentucky Medical Center
Obtained numerous defense verdicts for Kings Daughters Medical Center in malpractice cases
Torts & Insurance Service Group, Co-Leader
Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County, Board of Directors
University of Kentucky College of Law
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Member of Moot Court Board
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Best Brief Award in First Year Legal Writing Program
University of Kentucky
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Phi Beta Kappa
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Sullivan Award
Upon graduation from law school, Ashley served as a law clerk for United States District Judge Scott Reed from 1984-86 in the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Ashley was inducted into the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC) in 2014. His civic and community involvement includes volunteer work for the Democratic Party and a member of the board of directors for the Urban League (Lexington).
Ashley enjoys golfing, hiking and attending University of Kentucky sporting events.
- KYSPED, LLC v. Virginia Surety Company, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 10443 (6th Circuit enforces alcohol exclusion in insurance policy against NASCAR race track)
- Wilma Horn v. Ashland Hospital Corporation, 2014 Ky. App. Unpub. LEXIS 596 (appellate court affirms defense verdict in medical malpractice trial)
- Kathleen Imhoff v. Lexington Public Library Board of Trustees, 2016 Ky. App. LEXIS 7 (appellate court affirms plaintiff's waiver of arbitration provision by filing suit)
Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
Best Lawyers in America®, Appellate Practice and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants (2007-20)
Best Lawyers in America®, Lexington Area Lawyer of the Year for Product Liability Litigation–Defendants (2018)
Best Lawyers in America®, Lexington Area Lawyer of the Year for Appellate Practice (2017)
Best Lawyers in America®, Lexington Area Lawyer of the Year for Appellate Practice (2015)
Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2007-20)
Benchmark Litigation magazine, Litigation Star (2015-19)
Highly recommend Ashley Ward at Stites & Harbison for this work [Personal Injury Litigation]. He's a great attorney and easy to work with.
New Kentucky Statute Provides Defenses To Medical Workers Who Treat COVID-19 Patients
On March 30, 2020, Kentucky Senate Bill 150 became effective which addresses numerous issues arising from the COVID-19 state of emergency. Included in that new statute is a provision that for any health care provider who, in good faith, renders care or treatment of a COVID-19 patient during the state of emergency, those health care providers shall have a defense to civil liability for ordinary negligence for any personal injury resulting from that care or treatment or failure to provide or arrange further medical treatment.
Ashley Ward Inducted as Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers
LEXINGTON, Ky. —Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Ashley W. Ward was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) on March 7, 2020, at the Annual Meeting in Tucson, Ariz.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 45 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2020
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2020 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 42 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 32 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 13 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Best Lawyers in America Honors 75 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2020
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Best Lawyers in America© 2020 has recognized 75 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as selected by their peers in 49 areas of practice. Forty-three of those attorneys selected have been honored for 10 consecutive years or more.
Kentucky Enacts Certificate of Merit Requirement for Filing Medical Liability Cases
The Kentucky General Assembly has enacted KRS 411.167 which now requires a claimant commencing any civil action against a healthcare provider, or long-term care facility, to file a “certificate of merit” when the complaint is filed.
Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 42 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2019
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2019 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 42 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 33 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and nine attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Benchmark Litigation 2019 Honors 15 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
Best Lawyers in America honors 72 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2019
Benchmark Litigation honors 16 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2018
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and five as “Future Stars” in Kentucky.
Kentucky Super Lawyers honors 51 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2018
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2018 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 55 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 39 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 12 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.
Best Lawyers in America honors 79 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2018
Best Lawyers names 11 Stites & Harbison attorneys as "Lawyer of the Year" for 2018
U.S. Supreme Court Enforces Arbitration Clause in Kentucky Nursing Home Admission Documents
Kentucky Super Lawyers honors 55 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2017
Benchmark Litigation honors 14 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2017
Best Lawyers in America honors 74 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2017
Best Lawyers names 16 Stites & Harbison attorneys as "Lawyer of the Year" for 2017
Kentucky Super Lawyers honors 64 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2016
Benchmark Litigation names 14 Stites & Harbison Litigation Stars and Two Future Stars for 2016
Best Lawyers honors 72 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2016
Super Lawyers honor Stites & Harbison's Kentucky Attorneys
Benchmark Litigation names 15 Stites & Harbison Litigation Stars and two Future Stars
Best Lawyers names 16 Stites & Harbison attorneys as "Lawyer of the Year" for 2015
Best Lawyers honors 89 Stites & Harbison attorneys for 2015
Ashley Ward inducted into Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Super Lawyers honors Stites & Harbison's Kentucky attorneys for 2013-14
Eighty-nine Stites & Harbison attorneys honored by Best Lawyers in America for 2014
Seventy-five Stites & Harbison attorneys honored in Best Lawyers in America
Seventy-two Stites & Harbison attorneys honored in "Best Lawyers in America"