What We Do
Our full-service law firm provides a broad range of services to assist you, your family, and your business with your legal needs.
Family Law | Accidents, Injury & Wrongful Death | Criminal Defense | Wills, Probate, Trust, & Estates | Business and Corporate Law | Civil Litigation | Human Resources / Employment Law | Real Estate Law | Admiralty and Maritime Law | Banking Law | Health Care | Appellate Practice | Bankruptcy Law for Creditors | Construction Law | Insurance and Self-Insurer Defense | Utilities Law
Family Law
Family Law is the area of law which deals with all aspects of family relations. This includes adoption, child custody and visitation, child support, divorce, domestic violence issues, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial contracts, and marital separation agreements. Our office handles the full range of family law issues. Click below for more information on the services we provide.
Accidents, Injury & Wrongful Death
Criminal Defense
M&L attorneys have handled a wide range of criminal proceedings from traffic tickets to misdemeanors and felonies, from the first appearance in court through the final stages of trial. Our attorneys have been successful at negotiating favorable plea agreements and winning acquittals at trial.
Wills, Probate, Trusts, & Estates
Whether a client needs a simple will or a complex estate plan, M&L attorneys represent clients in all areas of estate planning and probate. We have extensive experience in the preparation of wills and trusts, probate, guardianship, living will directives, and estate litigation. Our attorneys regularly appear in the probate divisions of courts in the western part of Kentucky.
Business and Corporate Law
In business transactional matters, M&L attorneys help to form and represent corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, medical practices, and sole proprietorships. We can advise on the advantages and disadvantages of the choice of a particular entity as well as operational issues. In addition, we represent sellers or buyers in the negotiation of asset purchase and stock purchase transactions. In litigation matters, we represent business entities in court concerning breach of contract, shareholder disputes, claims involving corporate officers, and other business liability issues.
Civil Litigation
Our practice involves taking cases through trial and on appeal. M&L’s practice areas are comprehensive and our trial lawyers are familiar with all aspects of the state and federal court system. This experience means that M&L can be of assistance in a wide variety of civil litigation and administrative proceedings, including accident claims, admiralty and maritime, business litigation, health care, insurance defense, employment, civil rights and employment discrimination, utilities, estate litigation, personal injury and wrongful death. We regularly serve as legal counsel for individuals as well as business organizations, both large and small.
Human Resources / Employment Law
M&L attorneys advise managers, human resource professionals and supervisors regarding employment topics, including the preparation of personnel manuals. When businesses are involved in employment litigation, our attorneys are prepared to defend cases in court, before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, and the Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Commission.
Real Estate Law
Real estate practice includes both commercial and residential property, including title examinations, title insurance, sales and purchases, financing, leases, construction contracts, loan agreements, mechanics’ liens and zoning. M&L’s real estate clients include banks, developers, title insurance companies, realtors, and individuals buying or selling real property. Our attorneys have decades of experience in all aspects of real estate law from the initial title examination through closing.
Admiralty and Maritime Law
Our office location overlooks the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers and our proximity to the water is symbolic of our commitment to the practice of maritime law. M&L’s admiralty lawyers have extensive experience handling maritime injury and death claims, including claims asserted under the Jones Act, claims for cargo loss, and claims arising from collisions and allisions. We have represented clients in maritime cases in state and federal courts as well as in proceedings before the United States Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. One of M&L’s members is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States and is a past president of the International Propeller Club of the United States.
Banking Law
M&L attorneys regularly work with state chartered banks and national banks and financial institutions assisting with commercial loan transactions, negotiation and preparation of loan documents, real estate and title matters, and matters involving the Uniform Commercial Code. M&L attorneys have wide-ranging experience in foreclosure and in defending lender liability claims made against banks.
Health Care
We represent many clients in the health care field. M&L attorneys advise hospitals, physicians and other health care providers concerning business issues, health care contracting, and the defense of professional liability claims.
Appellate Practice
An appeal involves taking a case to a higher court to request a change in the lower court’s decision. The decision of the lower court is usually challenged by arguing that the lower court misapplied the law, came to an incorrect factual finding, acted in excess of its jurisdiction, considered evidence that should not have been considered, or failed to consider evidence that should have been considered. M&L attorneys have experience in appellate courts in both the state and the federal court systems
Bankruptcy Law for Creditors
Our goal is to recover as much as possible for creditors who are owed funds by a bankrupt debtor. M&L attorneys have a long history of practicing in the federal bankruptcy court representing creditors, banks, businesses and individuals who are owed money by a bankrupt debtor. In addition, our attorneys have broad experience in foreclosures and debt workouts.
Construction Law
M&L has handled construction law claims involving some of the largest construction projects in the western part of Kentucky. These claims have involved the defense of claims for extra work, constructive acceleration, cost overruns related to allegedly defective plans, claims related to general contracting and construction management, and mechanics’ liens.
Insurance and Self-Insurer Defense
M&L attorneys have broad experience in defending insureds and self-insureds in cases involving motor vehicles, premises liability, property damage, professional malpractice, products liability, asbestos litigation, maritime claims, and workers’ compensation.
Utilities Law
For several decades, M&L has served as the general corporate counsel to the area’s largest public power company as well as other utility companies.
McMurry & Livingston, PLLC was founded by W. Pelham McMurry and Milton M. Livingston, Jr. Today we continue our founders' legacy as the oldest continuous-named law practice in Paducah.
