Rachel Owsley
Rachel is an experienced transactional attorney focusing on employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and compliance matters, and other strategic commercial transactions. Rachel represents domestic and international businesses operating across the United States.
Serves as outside general, ESOP, and corporate counsel to clients in the aerospace, telecommunications, engineering, manufacturing, and construction industries (including government contractors in these industries).
Represents businesses, fiduciaries, and shareholders in transactions involving the establishment, maintenance, administration, and termination of ESOPs, including Department of Labor investigations.
Advises businesses entering into a wide variety of significant commercial transactions, including supply agreements, manufacturing agreements, distribution agreements, teaming agreements, joint ventures, confidentiality or nondisclosure agreements, and services agreements (including related government funding requirements).
Leads teams through M&A transactions and other strategic corporate transactions, including coordinating or advising on investment bank engagements, deal structuring, due diligence, and post-closing integration.
Business & Finance Group, Louisville Office Chair
Audit Letter Response Committee, Member
Diversity Committee, Member
Opinions Committee, Member
Recruiting Committee, Member
Corporate Transparency Act Committee, Member
Hispanic National Bar Association Latina Executive Leadership Program, Class of 2021
Leadership Louisville, Class of 2021
Maryhurst, Inc., Board of Directors and Corporate Secretary (2012-18)
magna cum laude
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
University of Louisville Law Review (formerly Brandeis Law Journal), Editor in Chief
Brandeis Honor Society
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Stites & Harbison Leadership Award
Chief Justice John S. Palmore Award
summa cum laude
Hanover College
Alumni Association Award for Exemplary Scholarship, Character and Citizenship
Department Honors; Distinguished Award in Spanish
Richter Grant Recipient
Student Athlete Award
Rachel joined Stites & Harbison in September 2007 after participating in the firm's summer associate program in 2005 and 2006.
In her spare time, Rachel loves to travel and explore new places with her husband and sons.
Spanish
Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law (2024-25)
UPDATE: FinCEN and Treasury Department Announce They Will Not Enforce CTA Despite March Deadline
There is yet another update with respect to the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). Less than two weeks after the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) set a new deadline for CTA compliance, both FinCEN and the U.S. Department of Treasury issued separate press releases announcing their intent to not enforce the CTA until new rules are finalized. Stites & Harbison's Corporate Transparency Act Committee takes a look at the update in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
UPDATE: Corporate Transparency Act Back on as Potential Changes Loom
Compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) is no longer voluntary. Businesses subject to the CTA, which includes the majority of entities formed or registered to do business in the United States, will have until March 21, 2025, to file their beneficial ownership information reports with the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”).
Future of the Corporate Transparency Act is Uncertain
With the January 1, 2025, deadline for beneficial ownership information filings pursuant to the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) for entities formed prior to 2024 rapidly approaching, Judge Amos L. Mazzant III of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas preliminarily enjoined the enforcement of the CTA and its related regulations nationwide. Alison Zeitlin takes a look at what is happening in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers® Publications
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 97 of its lawyers are included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence according to the publication. Additionally, 12 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 30 attorneys are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Benchmark Litigation 2024 Honors 14 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 101 of its lawyers are included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
Stites & Harbison Promotes Six Attorneys
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC announced that six attorneys have been promoted within the law firm effective January 2020.
Stites & Harbison promotes 15 attorneys in 2016