Stoll Keenon Ogden
R. David Lester

R. David Lester

Member
Direct Phone: 859.231.3082
Direct Fax: 859.253.1093

Office Location

Overview

David is a Member in Stoll Keenon Ogden's Lexington office and has been with the firm since 1975. He is a member of the Business Services practice where he serves as Chair of the Healthcare practice and also focuses on Mergers & Acquisitions. David concentrates his practice in corporate law, business acquisitions, Uniform Commercial Code matters and healthcare law.

David is AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, is listed in The Best Lawyers in America®, recognized by Chambers USA and is honored as a Kentucky Super Lawyer. In addition, he was named "Lexington Best Lawyers Corporate Lawyer of the Year" for 2009 and "Lexington Best Lawyers Mergers and Acquisitions Lawyer of the Year" for 2011. David has made seminar presentations and written about a number of business law topics. He was also part of the Kentucky Bar Association Joint Subcommittee on Limited Liability Company Legislation and the Kentucky Bar Association Committee to draft Chapter 271B (business corporations).

David is a member of the Fayette County, Kentucky and American Bar Associations. He is a past chair of the Business Law Section of the Kentucky Bar Association. He has also served as either Chair or Co-Chair of the UK/CLE Biennial Business Association Law Institute since its inception. To give back to the community, David has provided free legal services to not-for-profit organizations. David is married with four children, he enjoys playing golf in his spare time.

Work Highlights

Professional & Civic Activities

UK/CLE Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, co-chair

Fayette County Bar Association

Kentucky Bar Association, Chair of the Business Law Section, 2002-2003

American Bar Association

Distinctions

AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®

Listed in Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Compliance Law, Corporate Governance Law, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, 2013

Chambers USA, Leading Lawyer for Business, Corporate/M&A, 2013

Kentucky Super Lawyer, Business/Corporate, 2012

Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year,” Lexington, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2011

Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year,” Lexington, Corporate, 2009

Order of the Coif

Seminars

2013 14th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Education, University of Kentucky College of Law, program planning co-chair and moderator
2012 "Choice of Entity Issues for Real Estate Ownership," presenter, 12th Biennial Real Estate Law Practice and Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky
2011 "Selected Merger and Acquisition Issues," co-presenter, 13th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law
2009 "Drafting M & A Agreements," panel participant, 12th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and moderator
2007 "Dispute Resolution and Fiduciary Duties Between Majority and Minority Business Owners," panel participant, 11th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and moderator
2005 10th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and moderator
2003 9th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and co-moderator
2003 KBA Business Law Section 2003 Annual KBA Convention, program moderator
2003 Important Legal Considerations When Representing Today's Business Clients
2001 "Ten Danger Zones for Business Transaction Lawyers," co-presenter, 8th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and co-moderator
2000 Kentucky Bar Association 2000 Annual Convention, co-presenter
2000 Securing Farm and Business Assets
1999 "Selected Statutory Issues in Business Acquisitions," speaker, 7th Biennial Business Associations Law Institute, Office of Continuing Legal Education, University of Kentucky, College of Law, program planning co-chair and co-moderator of Saturday morning session
1997 Kentucky Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Commission, speaker in Lexington, Kentucky
1997 Kentucky Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Commission, speaker in London, Kentucky
1997 London District Bar Program: New Developments in Business and Commercial Law
1997 New Development in Business and Commercial Law: Selected Issues, A Survey of Recent Issues and Decisions

Publications

Nov. 20125 Trends and Changes in the Healthcare Industry
Oct. 2011Supporting Gift and Valuation Discounts, The Kentucky CPA Journal, Issue 4, 2011
Feb. 2011Stock Buy-back Agreement in Valuation, The Kentucky CPA Journal, 2011, Issue 1
Dec. 2010Fair Value - With or Without Discounts, The Journal of the Kentucky Society of CPAs, Issue 6, 2010
Oct. 2010Valuation of Farm Properties, The Kentucky CPA Journal, Issue 5, 2010
2010  "Business Combinations: Tax Considerations," co-author, Kentucky Corporation Law, Second Edition, UK/CLE
2003 "Partnership Operations," Chapter 3, Kentucky Partnership Law, Third Edition, UK/CLE (also authored Partnership Operations in the First Edition which was published in 1991 and the Second Edition which was published in 1996)
2002 "Buying and Selling a Business in Kentucky," Dolson, Glasscock, Lester, Lyndrup, Seiffert and Tannon and Vance, Second Edition, UK/CLE (also participated in the First Edition)
1997 "Business Combinations: Tax Considerations," Lester and Madden,  Chapter 12 Kentucky Corporation Law, UK/CLE
1996 "Partnership Operations," Chapter 3, Kentucky Partnership Law, Second Edition, UK/CLE (also authored Partnership Operations in the First Edition which was published in 1991)
1993  "Buying and Selling a Business in Kentucky," Glasscock, Lester, Lyndrup and Tannon, UK/CLE
1991 "Partnership Operations," Chapter 3, Kentucky Partnership Law, UK/CLE
1989-1990 "The Priority Race: Winner Takes the Horse," Lester and Fleenor, 78 Kentucky Law Journal 615
1989 "Selected Considerations in Representing Commercial Lenders and Borrowers," Chapter 12 Kentucky Business Organizations, UK College of Law/CLE
1989 "Kentucky Business Organizations," chairman of planning committee, general editor and section editor, UK College of Law/CLE
1981-1982 "Security Interests in Thoroughbred and Standardbred Horses: A Transactional Approach," 70 Kentucky Law Journal 1065
1978 "Opinions of Counsel in Equipment Leasing Transactions," The Monitor, Vol. 5, No. 9
1974 "Couch v. United States: The Supreme Court Takes a Fresh Look at the Accountant-Client Privilege-Or Does It?," comment, 62 Kentucky Law Journal 263
1974 "Unauthorized Use of Credit Cards and Some Related Questions: What Problems Remain?," comment, 62 Kentucky Law Journal, No. 3

Practices

Industries

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Fayette Circuit Court
  • Fayette District Court
  • Kentucky Court of Appeals
  • Kentucky Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Tax Court

Education

  • University of Kentucky College of Law
    1975, J.D., High Distinction
  • Western Kentucky University
    1970, B.S.
Stoll Keenon Ogden