Member

Brian Butler

A trial attorney, Brian Butler has tried over 100 jury trials. Most recently, Brian had his own firm where he handled high-profile criminal defense cases, including white collar cases, in United States District Courts in Kentucky and Indiana as well as in state trial courts throughout Kentucky and Indiana. He is intimately familiar with complex federal investigations including those involving corporations and their employees. Before entering private practice, Brian served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky where he prosecuted a variety of federal crimes. Prior to joining the United States Attorney’s Office, Brian was a supervisor at the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in Louisville where he primarily prosecuted high-profile homicide cases. Brian started his legal career as a United States Navy Judge Advocate where he served as both a prosecutor and defense attorney.

Brian’s success as a trial attorney has been widely-reported including being the subject of a front page profile piece by the Louisville Courier-Journal. He routinely serves as a legal analyst for Louisville television stations and the Louisville Courier-Journal. He served for many years as an adjunct professor for trial advocacy at the University of Louisville and a guest trial advocacy instructor at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. He has conducted numerous trial focus groups on behalf of civil litigants. In 2021, he was appointed by the federal bench in the Western District of Kentucky to be the Criminal Justice Act panel representative in connection with indigent defendants obtaining quality legal representation in United States District Court.

Recent News, Articles & Speaking Engagements

Three Bingham Fellows class initiatives to focus on Downtown Louisville

by Shea Von Hoy, Louisville Business First, February 24, 2023

Kentucky bail laws can make cost of crimes inconsistent

by Tori Gessner, wave3.com, February 17, 2022

Ex-Louisville coach Dina Gaudio sentenced to one year probation, $10K fine in extortion case

by Shannon Russell, Louisville Courier Journal, August 27, 2021

Feds Oppose Prison For Fired NCAA Coach's Blackmail Threat

By Rachel Scharf, Law360.com, August 11, 2021

Case against Gibson County Clerk accused of pulling a gun on a man has been dismissed

by Staff, Joylyn Bukovac, TristateHomepage.com, July 20, 2021

Ex-Louisville assistant basketball coach Dino Gaudio pleads guilty in federal extortion case

by Shannon Russell, Louisville Courier-Journal, June 4, 2021

High-profile local defense attorney leaves his firm to join Stites & Harbison as member

By Sarah Shadburne, Louisville Business First, August 13, 2020

Reported Decisions
Bar Admissions
Indiana
Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
Memberships
American Bar Association
Kentucky Bar Association
Louisville Bar Association
Education
More Than Stites & Harbison

Brian started his legal career as a Judge Advocate General with the United States Navy (1995-98). He then joined the Commonwealth of Kentucky Attorney's office (1999-2004) as Assistant Commonwealth Attorney and Chief of a General Trial Unit where he prosecuted and tried numerous murder cases while also supervising multiple prosecutors and staff as Chief of the General Trial Unit (2002-04); prosecuted crimes against children and domestic violence cases (1999-2001); and was selected to serve as adjunct faculty at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, where he taught trial advocacy to prosecutors from every jurisdiction in the U.S. (2000-04). Brian then joined the United States Attorney's Office (2004-06) as Assistant U.S. Attorney where he prosecuted federal crimes including drug trafficking, Title III (wiretap) cases, firearms cases, violent crimes and numerous other federal crimes; successfully tried multiple jury trials; redrafted and assisted in implementing the U.S. Attorney's Office's policy for selecting and prosecuting gun crimes and served as the Gang Crimes Coordinator for the Western District of Kentucky. After leaving the public defense practice, he was a Member of Dathorne & Butler (2007-20) where he was a successful trial attorney. Brian has served as a legal expert for local television and print media.

Accolades

Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated

Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2023)

Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2012-23)

Louisville Magazine, Top Lawyers

Recipient of two Navy Achievement Medals for litigation success as a United States Navy JAGC

Bingham Fellows, Class of 2022

M Hicon 2020
Butler Best Law2023
Butler B Super Lawyers
See more related to Brian Butler
Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2023

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2023 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 37 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and 12 attorneys to the Rising Stars list.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC January 12, 2023
Press Releases

Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2023 Best Lawyers® Publications

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 98 of its lawyers are included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Additionally, 11 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 19 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC August 18, 2022
Press Releases

Brian Butler Named to Bingham Fellows Class of 2022

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Leadership Louisville Center recently announced that Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Brian Butler is one of 47 community leaders selected to participate in the Bingham Fellows Class of 2022.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC January 26, 2022
Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 37 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2022

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2022 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 37 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 29 attorneys to the Super Lawyers list and eight attorneys to the Rising Stars list.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC January 11, 2022
Client Alerts

Common Billing Errors that Land Medical Providers on the Government’s Radar

Medicare and Medicaid billing mistakes can result in fraud investigations with serious, long-lasting consequences. Providers may be required to pay back up to three times the amount they were paid for improperly billed services. In addition, if the government finds that the improper billing was intentional, providers can face criminal charges, the loss of professional licenses, and exclusion from participation in Medicare and Medicaid.

by Brian Butler and Jennifer Henry Jackson June 02, 2021
Press Releases

Kentucky Super Lawyers Honors 41 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2021

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2021 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers recently honored 42 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC December 21, 2020
Press Releases

Stites & Harbison Welcomes Former Federal Prosecutor Brian Butler to the Firm

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC welcomes attorney Brian Butler to the firm’s Louisville, Ky., office.

by Stites & Harbison, PLLC August 05, 2020