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R. Kent Westberry - Louisville, KY
220 West Main StreetSuite 1900 Louisville, KY 40202
Landrum & Shouse LLP
Louisville White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer
Overview
Kent Westberry is a Senior Partner at Landrum & Shouse LLP, with almost 40 years of criminal and civil litigation experience in federal and state courts. From 2004 to 2005, Kent served as President of the Kentucky Bar Association. Kent also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Kent is a Fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the country’s most elite organization for criminal defense attorneys...
Kent Westberry is a Senior Partner at Landrum & Shouse LLP, with almost 40 years of criminal and civil litigation experience in federal and state courts. From 2004 to 2005, Kent served as President of the Kentucky Bar Association. Kent also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Kent is a Fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the country’s most elite organization for criminal defense attorneys...
Kent Westberry is a Senior Partner at Landrum & Shouse LLP, with almost 40 years of criminal and civil litigation experience in federal and state courts. From 2004 to 2005, Kent served as President of the Kentucky Bar Association. Kent also served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. Kent is a Fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the country’s most elite organization for criminal defense attorneys. Membership is by invitation only to those attorneys who possess the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
Kent is listed in the Best Lawyers in America under White Collar Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Defense, Municipal Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement Litigation (SEC, Energy) sections. Kent was Lawyer of the Year for “white collar criminal defense” in Louisville, 2021. He is also listed in Kentucky Super Lawyers Business Edition for White Collar Criminal Defense. He has, for many years, maintained an AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Through the years, Kent has defended some of the most highly publicized criminal prosecutions in Kentucky. However, despite the nature of those cases handled by Kent and his firm the most successful criminal defenses should not be high profile. Attorneys are most effective in the investigative stage, before an indictment has been returned and in the headlines. Kent also practices extensively in the area business litigation and the representation of attorneys in Bar discipline proceedings.
Kent served as lead counsel for the former Clay County Superintendent of Schools against allegations of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO") 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d). Those charges stemmed from an alleged participation in a vote buying scheme that encompassed three election cycles. The trial lasted in excess of seven weeks and resulted in convictions. A unanimous panel of United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit subsequently vacated all defendant's convictions on all counts and remanded for a new trial (United States of America v. Douglas C. Adams, et al., File No. 13a-0179 p.06, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals). This successful appeal was handled by Kent and John D. Cline of San Francisco.
Kent served as lead counsel for a former Kentucky Governor in the Merit System investigation which resulted in a dismissal of all charges brought against that former Governor. Kent also served as counsel to a former Governor from the Northeast with regard to a Federal Grand Jury Investigation involving a now defunct business college in Kentucky. This investigation was closed without criminal charges being brought. Kent has represented clients in criminal investigations and trials on behalf of the coal industry. In particular, Kent has been involved in the Crandall Canyon Mine disaster where an investigation was conducted by the Mining Safety and Health Administration ("MSHA") and the United States Attorney's Office in Utah. In the past, Kent was involved in representing an executive in the Pyro Mine disaster where no charges were brought against his client. More recently, Kent obtained an acquittal for a coal mining executive in United States v. B&D Mining in federal court in Abington, Virginia. Kent has also obtained a significant judgment of acquittal for felony counts, post-verdict, in United States v. KenAmerican Resources, et al. for his client who was a mine superintendent. The court ultimately sentenced this client as well as others to probation after a month long jury trial.
About R. Kent Westberry
Current Employment Position(s)
- Partner
Languages
- English
Practice Areas
- White Collar Criminal Defense
- Business and Commercial Litigation
- Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Litigation
- 100%
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Kentucky, 1981
- U.S. District Court Western District of Kentucky, 1982
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Kentucky, 1992
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1995
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1983
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
Other Affiliations
- Kentucky Bar Association, 2004 - 2005 (President)
- American Board of Criminal Lawyers (Fellow)
- U.S. Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference (Life Member)
- Uniform Law Commission, 2017 - Present (Commissioner)
- Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission, 2015 - 2018 (Alternate Chair)
- Kentucky Bar Association Rules Committee, 2015 - Present (Member)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (Member)
- Federal Defenders Corporation, Western District of Kentucky, 2001 - Present (Member, Board of Directors)
- U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Committee, 2018
- U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, WDKY (Chairman, 2011)
- Western District of Kentucky, 1981 - 1987 (Assistant United States Attorney)
Classes and Seminars
- The Criminal Trial: Voir Dire to Closing, National Business Institute, 2009 - 2011
- Election Laws in Kentucky, Louisville Bar Association, 1998 - Present
- White Collar Crime, Louisville Bar Association, 1997 - Present
- Preparing Witnesses to Testify in a Criminal Case, Louisville Bar Association, 1997 - Present
- Ethics in Kentucky, Ethics in Kentucky, 1997 - Present
- Litigation Ethics (Pretrial Investigation and Rule 11), Louisville Bar Association, 1990 - Present
- Criminal RICO Seminar, Louisville Bar Association, 1986 - Present
- Comprehensive Crime Control Act, Salmon P. Chase, College of Law, 1986 - Present
Pro Bono Activities
- Member, Board of Directors, Federal Public Defender Board
- United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
- Member, St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church
Past Positions
- Greenebaum, Doll & McDonald, Associate, 1987 - 1989
- United States Attorney's Office Western Dist of KY, Assistant United States Attorney, 1981 - 1987
Education
- Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Highland Heights, Kentucky, 1980
J.D. - Centre College of Kentucky, Danville, Kentucky, 1977
B.A.
Major: Government
Fraternities and Sororities
- Sigma Chi
Fees
Accepts Credit Cards
Articles
Published Works
- VOTE-BUYING IN KENTUCKY, KBA Bench and Bar magazine, September/October, 2016
Office Information
Address
220 West Main StreetSuite 1900 Louisville, KY 40202
Phone
Fax
- 502-589-2119
Websites
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About R. Kent Westberry
Included on the 2023 Kentucky list
Past Lists
- 2022 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Kentucky Super Lawyers list
Honors
- Kentucky Super Lawyers, White Collar Criminal Defense, 2005- present
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rated
- Recognized in Top Lawyers in Louisville Magazine, White Collar Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Litigation, 2006 - 2013
- Special Justice, Supreme Court of Kentucky, 1994
- Law Club of Louisville (Past President)
- AVVO 10.0 Rating (Superb)
- Lawyer of the Year, Louisville, 2021, White Collar Criminal Defense, Best Lawyers in America
- Kentucky Super Lawyers 2022
- Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2023, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation - Municipal, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy), and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
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