Professional Bio:

Liz Thompson is a Member of the firm based in its Lexington office.  She is the Firm Group Leader of the Creditors’ Rights & Bankruptcy Service Group.  Her practice focuses on the representation of substantial claimants, purchasers of assets, creditors’ committees and debtors in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, commercial litigation and representation of lenders in loan restructurings and work-outs.  She joined the firm in 1995, developed and facilitates its Associate Mentoring Program and recently served on its Management Committee. 

Ms. Thompson is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 and is AV® Peer Review Rated in the Martindale-Hubbell® Law Directory.  She is certified as a specialist in business bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification.  She also serves on the Kentucky Supreme Court Civil Rules Committee.  The University of Kentucky Law Alumni Association awarded Ms. Thompson its Professional Achievement Award in 2009.  In 2010, Governor Beshear appointed her to the Northern Kentucky University Board of Regents.

Examples of her major engagements include: represented the secured creditor and purchaser of Samaritan Hospital in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy;  represented the unsecured creditors’ committee in the CLASSICSTAR Chapter 11 bankruptcy; litigated enforcement of commodities contracts in state and bankruptcy courts; represented the unsecured creditors’ committee in one of the biggest and highest-profile, personal bankruptcies in the history of Kentucky, the bankruptcy of Kentucky’s former Governor, Wallace G. Wilkinson; represented the debtor in Calumet Farm, Inc., the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the largest horse farm in the nation; and represented large creditors in several Chapter 11 coal company bankruptcies in the Eastern District of Kentucky, including Lodestar, Inc. and Horizon Natural Resources.  She also represented the secured creditor and DIP Lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of a major regional clothing retailer.

Ms. Thompson has extensive trial experience.  In the past five years she has litigated over 20 evidentiary hearings before state and federal courts including evidentiary hearings on injunctive relief, prejudgment remedies, appointment of Chapter 11 Trustees, Chapter 11 plan confirmation, change of venue, non-dischargeability and approval of asset sales.  Prior to that Ms. Thompson litigated more than 20 bench trials and more than 10 jury trials in commercial litigation actions before state and federal judges in both the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky. 

Ms. Thompson is a frequent author and speaker on bankruptcy and commercial litigation topics.  Her recent contributions include: “Rainmaking: Building and Maintaining Your Practice,” Panel Member, The Women Lawyers’ Association of the Fayette County Bar, Lexington, Ky., April 13, 2011; “Recent Trends in Avoidance Actions Resulting from Title Defects,” American Bar Association 2010 Annual Conference, August 7, 2010, San Francisco; Chapter 11: “Debtors Struggle as the Economic Downturn Restricts Cash Collateral Use and Debtor-In-Possession Financing,” Debtor-In-Possession and Exit Financing, Aspatore, February 2010; “Mentoring 101,” Fayette County Bar Association, February 2008, Lexington, Ky.; “Deposition Skills,” Fayette County Bar Association, spring 2007, Lexington, Ky.; “Keys to Advising Creditors During Foreclosure and Repossession Actions in Kentucky,” National Business Institute, Oct. 27-28, 2005, Lexington, Ky.; “Prejudgment Remedies,” Fayette County Bar News, January-February 1989; and various presentations before the Kentucky Bar Association, Fayette County Bar Association and University of Kentucky College of Law Continuing Legal Education Programs on commercial litigation and bankruptcy.  She has also been an Adjunct Professor, Lexington Community College, teaching Credit and Collections and Business Law.

Ms. Thompson’s reported decisions include In re Larbar Corporation, 177 F.3d 439 (6th Cir. 1999); Ford Motor Credit Company v. Webb-Elkhorn Coal Company, Ky. App. 775 S.W.2d 945 (1989); Moore v. Ford Motor Credit Company, Ky. App., 778 S.W. 2d 657 (1989); Skilcraft Sheetmetal v. Kentucky Machinery, Ky. App., 836 S.W. 2d 907 (1992); Ford Motor Credit Company v. Hall, Ky. App., 879 S.W. 2d 487 (1994); and, In re Leslie Brock & Sons, 147 B.R. 426 (Bkrtcy. S.D. Ohio 1992).

Prior to joining Stites & Harbison, Ms. Thompson was Shareholder and Vice President, 1987 to 1995, of the Lexington office of a commercial law firm.  She managed the office and served as senior litigation attorney.

Ms. Thompson serves on the boards of Women Leading Kentucky and the Fayette County Women Lawyers’ Association; was in the 2004 Class of Leadership Kentucky; is active in Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary parish and volunteers at Catholic Action Center.

Ms. Thompson is admitted to practice in Kentucky state courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.