Luke F. Ervin
Luke Ervin is a transactional attorney in the firm’s Louisville office where he is a member of the Business & Finance Service Group. Luke’s practice is devoted to a wide range of legal issues implicated by business transactions. He focuses on matters related to public finance and municipal bonds, mergers and acquisitions, organizational governance and general business and financial services.
Introduction to the Legal Aspects of Starting a Business
Served as underwriter’s counsel in the issuance by a county of over $14 million in tax-exempt urban renewal revenue bonds.
Served as underwriter’s counsel in the issuance by a nonprofit corporation acting on behalf of certain local governments of over $13 million in tax-exempt industrial building revenue bonds to loan to a university organized as nonprofit corporation to finance upgrades to a campus center building.
Served as bond counsel and borrower’s counsel in the issuance by a municipality of a tax-exempt variable rate demand industrial building revenue refunding note to loan to a university organized as nonprofit corporation to refinance outstanding tax-exempt debt.
Served as company counsel in a ESOP transaction.
Served as underwriter’s counsel in the issuance by a municipal utility of over $19 million in tax-exempt refunding revenue bonds.
Served as bond counsel in the issuance by a corporation of $60 million in variable rate multiple draw taxable demand notes.
Served as bond counsel in the issuance by a quasi-municipal corporation of over $150 million in tax-exempt revenue and refunding revenue bonds.
Represented the purchaser in the purchase of $11 million in assets related to a horse racing park.
Served as bond counsel in the issuance by a corporation of over $10 million in variable rate multiple draw taxable demand notes.
Served as bond counsel in the issuance by a municipality of a tax-exempt industrial building revenue note to loan to a high school organized as a nonprofit corporation to finance its athletic facilities.
Represented the sellers in the sale to a private equity firm of the stock of a manufacturing business.
Represented the sellers in the sale to a private equity firm of the stock of a retail business.
Represented a boutique hotel management company in the sale of the majority of its ownership interests.
Served as underwriter’s counsel in multiple issuances by a public agency consisting of municipal utilities, of over $150 million in tax-exempt revenue refunding bonds and of over $20 million in tax-exempt forward delivery revenue refunding bonds.
Served as bond counsel in transactions that helped bourbon distillers secure over $1 billion in property tax relief in connection with the construction of barrel warehouses.
Advises airports and other governmental entities regarding responses to open records requests and compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
Advises a governmental agency regarding its tax incentive and economic development programs.
Assists large and mid-market size companies, small businesses, nonprofit entities and individuals with general business and financial matters, ranging from entity formation, to financing, to contract drafting, analysis and negotiation, to asset and equity purchases and sales.
Louisville Office Recruiting Committee, Member
Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies, Board of Directors
Leadership Kentucky, ELEVATE Kentucky Program, Class of 2020
St. Xavier High School Emerging Leaders Society, Member
magna cum laude
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
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Brandeis Honor Society
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University of Louisville Law Review, Articles Selection Editor
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Top Grade Award in Legal Research, Civil Procedure I, and Basic Legal Skills (Legal Writing)
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Samuel L. Greenbaum Award for Achievement in Legal Writing
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Bench & Bar Fund Scholarship
Centre College
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Dean's List
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Research paper, "Pressing into Privacy: The News Media and Public Opinion in the Lewinsky Scandal," selected for presentation at the 2014 Kentucky Political Science Association Annual Meeting
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Centre College Football Team
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Study Abroad: Centre-in-Mérida, Mexico (Fall 2012)
Luke, a Louisville native, graduated from St. Xavier High School, Centre College and the University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law. Before deciding to become a transactional attorney focused on business and finance, he gained exposure to many areas of the law, in a variety of work settings. Luke worked or interned for a family court judge, a mid-size litigation boutique, a small land use and real estate law firm, the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, and a Fortune 500 healthcare services company. He joined Stites & Harbison in 2017 after participating in the firm’s summer associate program in 2016.
Luke’s hobbies and interests include, but are not limited to, cooking, exercising, being outdoors (especially at his family home on Nolin Lake), and supporting the University of Louisville Cardinals and Denver Broncos.
Kentucky Super Lawyers®, Rising Star (2023)

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.
Amendments to Kentucky Open Records Act Set to Become Effective June 29, 2021
In its 2021 regular session, the Kentucky General Assembly passed, and ultimately overrode Governor Andy Beshear’s veto of, House Bill 312 to amend the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to KRS 61.884. Effective as of June 29, 2021, among other changes, the amended Act will restrict inspection rights to Kentucky “residents,” require public agencies to accept emailed open records requests, and extend public agencies’ time for handling requests from three days to five days.
The New Stimulus Package and the Next Round of Paycheck Protection Program Loans
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the “Appropriations Act”), one of the longest bills ever passed in the history of the U.S. Congress, was signed into law on December 27, 2020. This legislation provides approximately $900 billion in new stimulus funding, of which $284 billion has been allocated to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”).
SEC Amends Municipal Securities Disclosure Rule, Adding to List of "Event Notices"
On August 20, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) announced that it adopted amendments to Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Rule”).
Stites & Harbison, PLLC adds eight attorneys