P. Douglas Barr gives Kentucky business a voice in the halls of government
By Steph Weber, Super Lawyers
In Kentucky’s General Assembly, the clock runs fast, with sessions lasting only 30 or 60 days, depending on the year. Legislative agendas can change overnight, leading to policies that directly affect the state’s key industries—from bourbon and public utilities to horse racing and health care. But while the session is intense, much of the groundwork happens before lawmakers convene. Attorney P. Douglas Barr of Stoll Keenon Ogden has likely spent months tracking bills, mapping out their potential impacts and briefing clients—business leaders across the state—on what’s coming and how to prepare.
The firm has long helped clients navigate legislative concerns, though historically, those requiring lobbying assistance were referred to outside pros. But requests for consulting and lobbying assistance grew more frequent and complex. In 2022, the firm launched SKO-GOV, a subsidiary with its own office in Frankfort, focused on state and local government relations. It coordinates lobbyists, monitors legislation and engages with state executive and legislative branches.
Barr, managing director of SKO- GOV, explains, “If you’re in an industry that’s regulated and the legislative subcommittee that bears directly on your business is considering legislation, one of the services we provide is to analyze the legislation, [explain] how it would affect your business, and be a liaison between you and legislators.”
Many industries supported by SKO-GOV are vital to Kentucky’s economy, and the pace of regulatory change—shaped by state and federal policies—can lead to unexpected consequences for businesses and consumers.
For example, Barr notes, the tariffs enacted in 2025 by President Trump raised “significant concerns” for Kentucky’s distilled spirits industry, which benefited in the past from a tax credit and substantial market growth. Since Kentucky exported more than $750 million in bourbon and other distilled spirits in 2024, the real pinch has come from the retaliatory tariffs imposed by key export markets, leading to reduced demand for Kentucky’s bourbon abroad. Scenarios like this are why SKO- GOV works to ensure that industry voices are included in the conversation.
Some industries are facing increased legislative pressure, drawing them more directly into policy discussions. Something new, Barr says, is that responsibilities once held by the federal government, such as FEMA operations, are being transferred. “State governments are going to be busier and taking on issues that, in the past, they were either cooperating with or relying on the federal government to take care of.” That means more policy and funding decisions being made closer to home, driving Kentucky businesses to engage with lawmakers early and often.
Barr points to health care as another sector to watch, particularly with the challenges rural hospitals will face from reduced Medicaid funding under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last year: “That’s something that states like ours are going to deal with.” Health care organizations, he says, need to evaluate the potential implications early and correct course before deadlines force them into rash decisions.
Whatever the variables, the core of the work remains the same: track legislation, identify business impacts, and keep open the lines of communication with lawmakers. “It’s not that industry is writing laws,” explains Barr.
“It’s that industry is providing the information to legislators to help them understand the effect of what they’re doing.” That requires building trust. “When I go to court, the most important thing for me is that I have credibility with the judge,” he says. “In government relations, it’s the same. You must be trustworthy and honest.”
Bill Lear, chair emeritus of the firm, has been on both sides of those exchanges. Having served five terms as a Kentucky state representative, Lear says his decade in Frankfort left him with an appreciation for the pressures lawmakers face. “There’s a tug and pull on legislators that’s hard to fully appreciate unless you’ve been one,” he says. “The issues and priorities change, but the forces that influence votes— constituents, policy, and if the governor is on your side—are still the same.”
Kentucky’s political climate has transformed over the years, from decades of Democratic dominance to the current Republican supermajorities in both legislative chambers. “At the same time, we have a Democratic governor, and it works,” says Barr. To succeed, his team must build relationships across the aisle. “It can be a challenge, but we have to be able to talk to everybody and understand both sides of an issue.”
