Phone: (502) 466-2868
Fax: (502) 309-2384
Email: david.barber@thomaslawoffices.com
LinkedIn
David Barber began trying cases to Kentucky juries immediately after graduating from law school, serving as a prosecutor in Carter County while also working in personal injury and civil litigation. He tried his first case within a week of his admission to practice, and won his first civil verdict in federal court—related to a chemical spill near his hometown of Ashland—within two years. Mr. Barber has tried over 120 cases to Kentucky juries, and has represented clients around the country and the U.S. Virgin Islands with numerous pro hac vice admissions. After working with several plaintiff-oriented law firms, Mr. Barber established his own firm, Barber Law Office, in 2011.
Mr. Barber’s practice is devoted to holding people and corporations accountable when they have violated safety rules and harmed people in the community. In addition to trials, he has successfully resolved thousands of cases for his clients through the pre-lawsuit or claims stage, alternative dispute resolution, mediation, and arbitration. Mr. Barber is especially interested in helping people harmed by negligent security in businesses such as bars, restaurants, hotels, and concert venues, and injuries resulting from unsafe service of alcohol (Dram shop law).
In 2022, David Barber obtained the largest reported verdict in Kentucky history related to negligent security and alcohol service (Dram shop liability), $19.3M. He is particularly interested in this area of the law, and frequently accepts referrals of these cases from other attorneys.
Mr. Barber’s involvement in the profession has also included service in the American Association for Justice, Kentucky Bar Association (on the Board of Governors and the charitable Kentucky Bar Foundation), the American Bar Association, the Kentucky Justice Association (presenting programs and writing articles for other attorneys), the Brandeis chapter of the American Inns of Court, and as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. The ABF is a global honorary society of attorneys, judges, law faculty, and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession and to the welfare of their communities. Membership in the Fellows is limited to 1/3 of one percent of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. Members are nominated by their peers and elected by the Board of the American Bar Foundation.
Mr. Barber has published over forty articles in state and national legal publications on topics including attorney ethics, public service, and representing people harmed by violation of safety rules. In addition to speaking to lawyer groups, Mr. Barber has been invited to speak to community groups and other professional groups such as the Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky.
In the community, Mr. Barber has helped to found charitable groups such as the Gravy Cup, benefitting Boys and Girls Haven, and coached baseball teams which developed many players who obtained scholarships to play at the college level.
Bar Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago)
Commonwealth of Kentucky Trial and Appellate Courts
Admitted to numerous courts pro hac vice.
Education
Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
- Juris Doctorate 1994
University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois
- Master of Arts, Speech Communication, 1991
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
- Bachelor of Arts, Communication, 1990
Selected Publications
The Evolution of Dram Shop to Negligent Security Law, Advocate, Vol. 48 No. 2, March/April 2020
Screening Medical Negligence Cases, Advocate, Vol. 44 No. 6, November/December 2016 (with H. Philip Grossman).
Professional Service as an Antidote for Malpractice Claims, The Brief, Vol. 34 No. 1, 2013.
Litigation News, Assistant Editor, Litigation Section of the American Bar Association. Numerous articles.
Selected Seminars
Experts and Discovery in Dram Shop Cases, Kentucky Justice Association, June 7, 2020.
What people don’t know about their auto insurance, Independent Insurance Agents of Kentucky, 2017. Screening Medical Negligence Cases, Kentucky Justice Association, 2016 (with H. Philip Grossman).
Preparing an expert for cross-examination, Kentucky Justice Association, 2010.
One Child, One Lawyer, Nebraska State Bar, 2004.
“Empowering Communities to Enforce Negligent Security and Dram Shop Safety Laws.” Kentucky Justice Association Annual Convention, Louisville, KY, September 2023.
Inadequate Security CLE program moderator, American Association For Justice Annual Convention, Philadelphia, PA, July 2023.
“The Millionaire Lawyer: Financial and Succession Planning in Law Firms.” American Bar Association GPSolo Fall Meeting and CLE, Kansas City, MO, October 15, 2023.
Selected Honors and Awards
Fellow of the American Bar Foundation
Law Related Education Award of Achievement, Kentucky Supreme Court
Distinguished Service Award, Kentucky Bar Association
Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court
Numerous Continuing Education Awards, Kentucky Bar Association
First Place, Traditional Biscuits and Gravy, The Louisville Gravy Cup, 2012
Professional Associations and Memberships
Kentucky Justice Association
American Association for Justice
Southern Trial Lawyers Association
National Crime Victim Bar Association
Kentucky Bar Association
- Past member of Board of Governors and Kentucky Bar Foundation
American Bar Association
- Past Fellow of Sections of Litigation and TIPS, Assistant Editor of Litigation News
- Current member of GPSolo Section Council
Community Service Activities
Numerous Kentucky Bar Association Pro Bono Awards
Director, Gravy Train LLC, 2013 to present
Wills For Heroes Public Service Project, Kentucky Bar Association
One Child, One Lawyer Public Service Project, American Bar Association
Who We Are
Reviews
