Thad M. Barnes
Thad Barnes is an experienced trial attorney with approximately 40 bench and jury trials to his credit. Mr. Barnes' practice is focused on intellectual property litigation, complex commercial litigation, and health care litigation. Mr. Barnes has extensive experience in patent litigation, trade secret cases, product liability matters and works extensively with flavor and fragrance manufacturers. He is listed in Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star in the Intellectual Property practice area. Mr. Barnes also handles complex electronic discovery issues and advises clients on privacy, information security issues, and social media issues and works with clients to implement defensible approaches to the presentation, collection and production of electronically stored information (ESI) for litigation, government requests and investigations. Mr. Barnes is Co-Chair of the firm's Business Litigation Service Group.
Thad Barnes and Michael Denbow to Lead Stites & Harbison’s Business Litigation Group
by editor, Louisville Business First, March 29, 2024
Stites & Harbison Names Business Litigation Co-Chair Duo
By Adrian Cruz, Law360.com, March 29, 2024
Commanding the Courtroom
University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Ky., November 2, 2018
3rd Circ. Won't Revive $80M Fragrance Secrets Row
Understanding and Managing New Issues in E-Discovery
eDiscovery and Electronic Health Records
Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in Litigation
Successfully represented flavor manufacturer in New Jersey federal court in a products liability litigation against a supplier of adulterated products
Represented a UK protective case manufacturer against patent infringement claims filed by OtterBox at the United States International Trade Commission, In the Matter of Certain Protective Cases for Electronic Devices and Components Thereof, Investigation No. 337-TA-955 filed by OtterBox. Obtained complete dismissal of the investigation. See "Victory for Tech21 as OtterBox ends patent dispute with protective case rival," MOBILE NEWS (September 15, 2015).
After a five week jury trial in New Jersey federal court, obtained a unanimous defense verdict in favor of fragrance company Mane USA, Inc. dismissing claims that the company conspired with a perfumer to misappropriate over 600 trade secret fragrance formulas from a competitor–Swiss fragrance giant Givaudan Fragrances Corp. Givaudan had claimed $80 million in damages. Before trial, Mane obtained partial summary judgment from the Court dismissing the majority of the claims in a decision that received national attention as an important case regarding potential trade secret liability for subsequent employers. See Givaudan Fragrances Corp. v. Krivda, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 153437 (D.N.J. Civil Action No. 3:08-cv-04409, Oct. 25, 2013), reported in Failure to Provide Specific Information On Alleged Misappropriations Fatal to Claims, Bloomberg, BNA Patent, Trademark & Copyright Journal (October 29, 2013).
Lead counsel in obtaining $40 million settlement for global flavor manufacturer V. Mane Fils (www.mane.com) against a competitor for claims of patent infringement, false advertising, and tortious interference. See: NEW YORK TIMES, IFF and Mane Announce Settlement of Mane's Lawsuit Concerning Monomenthyl Succinate (December 29, 2011) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 249 F.R.D. 152 (D.N.J. 2008), reported in NEW JERSEY LAW JOURNAL, Use of Attorneys' Letters To Woo Business Held To Waive Privilege (March 5, 2008) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 38637 (D.N.J. Apr. 8, 2011) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 49578 (D.N.J. June 23, 2008) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63619 (D.N.J. Aug. 19, 2008) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82540 (D.N.J. Oct. 15, 2008) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56462 (D.N.J. July 1, 2009) V. Mane Fils S.A. v. Int'l Flavors & Fragrances, Inc., 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 45645 (D.N.J. May 6, 2010)
Lead counsel in successful international arbitration trial involving pro audio music speaker manufacturer and foreign distributor for 40 countries
Successfully defended a second request hospital merger challenge by Federal Trade Commission
Co-counsel in multi-million dollar environmental remediation and allocation dispute involving international corporations. Westlake Vinyls, Inc. v. Goodrich Corp., 518 F.Supp 2d 902 (W.D. Ky. 2007) and Westlake Vinyls, Inc. v. Goodrich Corp., 518 F.Supp. 2d 918 (W.D. Ky. 2007)
Developed numerous document retention/ESI policies for large U.S. corporations
Litigated a trademark infringement action involving two U.S. restaurant corporations
Successfully defended a complex business case involving a dispute over the sale of power generating equipment. The case involved over 150 witnesses, 2 million paper documents and in excess of three terabytes of electronic data.
Represented a technology company in a complex business case involving breach of contract claims
Successfully defended several hospitals in medical malpractice cases
Successfully defended a manufacturer in an anti-trust case. The case involved an assessment of several terabytes of electronic information by a team of Stites lawyers
Business Litigation Service Group, Co-Chair (2024-present)
Pretrial Practice & eDiscovery Group, Chair
Recruiting Committee, Former Member
Louisville Office Recruiting Committee, Former Ex Officio Member
Lateral Recruiting Committee, Former Chair
Management Committee, Former Member
St. Agnes Church, Member
Pi Kappa Alpha, Board of Directors
University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
University of Kentucky
Previously, Mr. Barnes was Vice President and General Counsel of Triangle Seafood Inc. where he handled the company's litigation, federal compliance work, and general corporate affairs. Thad and his wife, Laura, stay busy attending the sporting events for their five children.
The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2013-24)
Kentucky Super Lawyers® (2013-19, 2021-24)
Benchmark Litigation magazine, Litigation Star (2015-25)
Benchmark Litigation 2025 Honors 14 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
The 2025 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 11 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.
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.
Thad Barnes and Michael Denbow Appointed to Lead Stites & Harbison’s Business Litigation Service Group
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that attorneys Thad M. Barnes and Michael Denbow have been appointed to Co-Chair the firm’s Business Litigation Service Group. Each attorney will continue their diverse legal practices in business litigation.
Kentucky Super Lawyers® Honors 49 Stites & Harbison Attorneys for 2024
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2024 edition of Kentucky Super Lawyers® recently honored 49 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys in the Covington, Frankfort, Lexington and Louisville, Ky., offices. The publication named 35 attorneys to the Super Lawyers® list and 14 attorneys to the Rising Stars® list.
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®.
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.
Benchmark Litigation 2023 Honors 15 Stites & Harbison Attorneys
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The 2023 edition of Benchmark Litigation names 12 Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorneys as “Litigation Stars” and three as “Future Stars” in Kentucky. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.