Lexington Attorney
Taft A. McKinstry

Taft A. McKinstry is Managing Member of the firm and chair of the firm’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Groups. With sophisticated experience built on more than 40 years of practice, Ms. McKinstry is known for finding successful solutions to highly complicated commercial, bankruptcy and litigation matters.

She represents local and national clients in a variety of industries including insurance, heavy equipment, equine, coal, oil and gas production, retail and e-commerce. Ms. McKinstry’s appellate experience encompasses numerous published opinions, including cases before the Kentucky Supreme Court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. McKinstry’s effective handling of difficult bankruptcy issues is built on her years of experience including her appointment as Bankruptcy Trustee for the Eastern District of Kentucky from 1972 to 1978, and service on the Chapter 7 Trustee Panel for Kentucky’s Eastern District from 1978 to 1982. Ms. McKinstry was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Bankruptcy in 1994 and has been recognized in the Best Lawyers in America continuously since 1994.

Practice Areas

• Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights
• Trustee Representation
• Commercial Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Contracts
• Business Transactions

Admissions

• Supreme Court of the United States
• Kentucky Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

Education

• University of Kentucky College of Law
  Juris Doctorate, 1972
  Member, Kentucky Law Journal

• University of Kentucky
  Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics major, Business minor, 1969
  Sullivan Medallion for Outstanding Graduating Woman

Honors

• Martindale-Hubbell®, AV rating
  Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers; Bankruptcy, 2011-2013
• Best Lawyers in America, 1994-present
• Lawyer of the Year, Lexington, 2012
  Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights
  Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Super Lawyer; Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, 2007-2014
  Top 25 Women Lawyers in Kentucky, 2011-2014

Professional Associations and Memberships

• American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow, inducted 1994
  National Events Chair, 2006-2009
  6th Circuit Administrative Council, 2002-2007
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Kentucky Bar Association
  Chair, Bankruptcy Law Section, 2009-2010
• Fayette County Bar Association
  Board of Governors, 1982-1984
  Co-Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 1974-1975
  Secretary, 1973-1974

Community Involvement

• National Association of Women Business Owners
  Finalist for Woman Business Owner of the Year Award Lexington Kentucky Chapter, 2012
• Sixth Circuit Merit Selection Panel
  Bankruptcy Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Kentucky,1986, 2012
• University of Kentucky, College of Law Visiting Committee’s Membership Committee, 2011-2015
• University of Kentucky, College of Law, Dean Selection Committee
  Alumnae Interviewer, 2009
• Kentucky Bar Association, Judicial Nominating Committee
  Fayette Circuit and District Courts, 2000-2004
• Kentucky Bar Association
  2011 Continuing Legal Education Award
• Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Personnel
  Professional Examining Board for Oral Interviewing for Corporate Counsel, II, 1993
• Commerce Lexington Inc.
  2013 Executive Board serving as General Counsel
• International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
  Vice President of the Central Kentucky Network Chapter, 2014

Presentations and Publications

• Kentucky Bar Association, KY Law Update, “Some Bankruptcy Related Topics of Interest to the General Practitioner.”
• American College of Bankruptcy “Asset Sales, Credit Bids and Cramdown after Philadelphia Newspapers.”
• International Society of Primerus Law Firms, Bankruptcy Webinar, “Doing Business with Chapter 11 Debtors.”
• University of Kentucky, Continuing Legal Education, 12th Biennial Judge Joe Lee Bankruptcy Institute, “Ethical Issues and Fee Applications.”
• Kentucky Bar Association, Annual Convention, “Electronic Case Filings and Associated Ethical Considerations.”
• University of Kentucky, Continuing Legal Education, Consumer Bankruptcy Update, “Sales out of Ordinary Course of Business, Involuntary Petitions and Creditor’s Rights of Reclamation, Set-off and Recoupment.”
• Mid-West Regional Bankruptcy Seminar, “Pre-Packaged v. Pre-Negotiated Chapter 11 Plan and Liquidating Chapter 11 Cases.”
• University of Kentucky Continuing Legal Education, 9th Biennial Judge Joe Lee Bankruptcy Institute, “Professional Compensation and Disclosure Issues: Compensation: It can be Dangerous to your Pocketbook.”
• University of Kentucky, Continuing Legal Education, 7th Biennial Judge Joe Lee Mid-West/Mid-South Bankruptcy Institute, “Professional Compensation and Ethics Issues.”
• Kentucky Bar Association, Annual Convention, “Hot Topics and Emerging Issues in Commercial Bankruptcy: Scenarios in Round Table Discussion.”
• University of Kentucky, Continuing Legal Education, Commercial Law Seminar, “Creditors Remedies Upon Default.”
• National Business Institute, “Creditors Rights in Bankruptcy Chapter 11 Proceedings.”
• Kentucky Paralegal Association, State Convention, “Filing the Chapter 7 Petition.”
• Bank One, Lexington, “Security Interest in Personal Property” Outline, “Procedures for Loans Secured by Personal Property.”
• Forms Published, Colliers Bankruptcy Forms
• Forms Published, University of Kentucky Continuing Legal Education Bankruptcy Law Seminar

Attorney News & Announcements

• Fowler Bell PLLC Attorney Selected to the 2013-2014 Super Lawyers Kentucky Top 25 Women List
• Four Fowler Bell PLLC Attorneys Recognized by Kentucky Super Lawyers
• Two Fowler Bell PLLC Attorneys Selected for Inclusion in the 2014 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®
• Three Fowler Bell PLLC Attorneys Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America®; One recognized by Lexington Young Professionals Association
• Fowler Measle & Bell PLLC Recognized as Best Law Firm & Best Lawyers 2012