Sturgill Turner

Timothy C. Wills

Timothy C. Wills

 

Timothy C. Wills

of counsel

859.255.8581

Tim represents individual clients with business and estate planning, probate, and trust and estate administration. He handles commercial transactions for both individuals and businesses concerning the purchase and sale of business assets and real property. He also represents companies in the areas of labor and employment law, construction law, and the formation and governance of businesses, including limited liability companies and corporations.

Before transitioning his practice, Tim was lead defense counsel in litigation cases for companies in many industries including construction, manufacturing, long-term health care, dairy, retail, professional services, and coal mining for over 30 years. Tim also defended architects and engineers in professional liability cases. Tim still oversees litigation matters for long-term health care clients.

Tim also has vast experience in the labor law field representing management in union elections, arbitrations, and union contract negotiations.

Tim is a three-time Best Lawyers in America® Construction Litigation Lexington “Lawyer of the Year” and has been Martindale-Hubbell AV rated for more than 30 years.

Areas of Practice

  • Handles probate and estate administration matters on behalf of executors and trustees which occasionally involve complex litigation and estate property transactions.

    Successfully represented companies in union election representation cases and in unfair labor proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board.

    Defended employers in employment discrimination claims before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Kentucky Human Rights commission, and Lexington-Fayette County Human Rights Commission and litigation in federal and state courts.

    Represented companies in wage-hour investigations and proceedings before the U.S. Department of Labor and Kentucky Wage-Hour Divisions.

    Negotiated collective bargaining agreements with unions on behalf of companies and defended companies in numerous grievance/arbitration proceedings.

    Conducted internal investigations on behalf of companies involving issues of employee or management misconduct.

    Defended architects and engineers in litigation involving professional liability claims and contractors regarding defective workmanship.

    Extensive litigation experience defending companies in the construction, coal, dairy, long term-health care, retail, and financial industries.

  • Best Lawyers in America® Construction Litigation Lexington “Lawyer of the Year” (2014, 2019 & 2021)

    Best Lawyers in America®: Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Labor & Employment Litigation, and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants

    AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®

    Kentucky Super Lawyers®: Employment & Labor, Business/Corporate, Construction Litigation, Estate Planning & Probate

  • American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section, Litigation Section

    Kentucky Bar Association

    Fayette County Bar Foundation Board of Directors; Chair, Governance Committee (2022-23); President (2014 – 2016)

  • University of Kentucky, J.D.

    University of Kentucky, B.A.

  • In addition to his business practice, Tim has played a major role in helping the legal profession give back to the greater community. He is a Founding Fellow and past president of the Fayette County Bar Foundation, the charitable giving arm of the Fayette County Bar Association. Its mission is to raise and distribute charitable funds for law-related projects and education in Fayette County, Kentucky, including delivery of legal services to the poor and indigent, law-related public education, and improvement of the judiciary, the legal profession, and citizen access to the justice system. Tim has served on the Foundation Board of Directors since its founding in 2006, and currently chairs the Governance Committee. Tim is also a Sustaining Fellow.

    Tim has served as a two-time past president of Newman Foundation, Inc. which is now an apostolate of the Catholic Diocese of Lexington. The Newman Foundation assists Catholic students at colleges and universities in the Diocese with their faith development. While serving on the Board, Tim negotiated endowment agreements with the University of Kentucky to establish the Cottrill-Rolfes Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies in 2005. In 2022, Tim served on the University of Kentucky search committee which conducted an international search for the successor endowed chair. Tim currently serves on the Newman Foundation Advisory Board.

    Tim is currently the President of the Pastoral Council at Holy Spirit Parish/Newman Center at the University of Kentucky.