Leitchfield, KY

James G. Womack

James G. Womack is a founding member of the Firm with over 30 years of trial experience throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky; United States District Court, Eastern and Western District of Kentucky; and, United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Over the years, James has litigated cases for both plaintiffs and defendants in areas of products liability, automobile negligence, premises liability, administrative law, debtor/creditor rights, real estate, insurance bad faith and coverage issues. For the last 10 years, his practice has focused almost exclusively on insurance defense issues. His experience also includes serving as the city attorney for Providence, Kentucky and as a Hearing Officer for the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. James attended the Salmon P. Chase College of Law and earned his law degree in 1990. He also holds a B.A. from the University of Southern Indiana, 1983. He has been recognized by his inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, 2018 Ed., for insurance litigation.

Darren Embry

Darren L. Embry is a Managing Member of the Firm, focusing his practice in the areas of Real Estate, General Business Formations and Transactions, Civil Litigation and Interstate Compacts. Darren is a Special Justice to the Kentucky Supreme Court, as well as a Mediator and Administrative Law Hearing Officer. Darren is an AV rated attorney in Martindale-Hubbell, a 2014 to 2025 Super Lawyer and recipient of Best Lawyers of America in 2021-2025. As a litigator, he has participated in over one hundred administrative, bench, and jury trials. He is Counsel to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission, Kentucky Self-Insured Auto Program, and Kentucky League of Cities. Darren received his J.D. from the University of Kentucky in 2001 and his B.A. from the University of Kentucky in 1998. He is licensed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky, and the United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit.

Curt Graham

Curt Graham is a Member of EMWN’s Lexington office and a trusted trial lawyer with extensive experience representing individuals, businesses, and governmental entities in complex litigation matters. Licensed in Kentucky and Indiana, Curt has successfully defended clients in both state and federal courts since 2013. His practice primarily focuses on the defense of governmental liability, personal injury, and class action claims. He has tried numerous cases to verdict and has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” for the past five years. Curt received his BBA in Finance from the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Samantha T. Nance

Samantha T. Nance is a managing member of the Firm. Her practice areas include wealth transfer planning, gift and estate tax planning, wills and trusts, asset protection planning, business succession planning, probate and estate administration, trust administration, complex corporate and taxation planning, business entity selection, formation, mergers, acquisitions and sales, business governance and compliance, commercial real property issues, and real estate transactions. She has also practiced extensively in administrative law, regulatory compliance, federal and state healthcare law, and complex civil litigation and appeals. Ms. Nance graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Transylvania University in 2005 and earned her law degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2012. She was a recipient of the Cull Academic Fellowship and a member of the Moot Court Board. She was selected for inclusion in the list of Kentucky SuperLawyers Rising Stars from 2017 to 2022 and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2021 and 2022. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky.

Kent Barber

Kent Barber brings 15 years of legal experience in sophisticated corporate and financial transactions to EMWN. He holds a distinguished rating from Martindale-Hubbell with a Very High Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards and has been selected as a Super Lawyer from 2020-2023 and was a Super Lawyer Rising Star from 2013-2018. Prior to EMWN, Kent served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Joseph M. Scott, Jr., Bankruptcy Judge, Eastern District of Kentucky. He practiced at DelCotto Law Group PLLC and then founded Barber Law PLLC, focusing on business and litigation matters, commercial real estate, bankruptcy, insolvency-related transactions, creditors’ rights, and general business law. Kent has experience representing individuals and businesses in consumer and commercial bankruptcy, debt restructuring, and commercial litigation. He earned his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2008 and a B.B.A., magna cum laude, from Morehead State University in 2020.

Joshua Ellis

Joshua L. Ellis is a Senior Attorney with the Firm. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Communications. After graduation, he played professional baseball for five years. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2016. He served as Staff Attorney for Hon. Judge James Ishmael. Mr. Ellis is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and United States District Court, Eastern and Western District of Kentucky. He has successfully litigated cases in areas such as premises liability, wrongful death, automobile negligence, trucking negligence, fire and casualty, employment law, and construction law. Prior to joining EMWN, he practiced with an insurance defense firm in Lexington for three years.

Matt Malone

Matthew R. Malone is a member of Embry Merritt Womack Nance, PLLC, with over twenty years of experience representing clients in litigation matters in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. He has experience in trial and appellate level litigation in administrative law, personal injury and wrongful death, federal and state criminal defense, and domestic relations. Matt worked as a member at Hurt, Deckard & May, PLLC for over twenty years before joining EMWN in August 2024. He is recognized as a Super Lawyer and is admitted to practice before the Kentucky Supreme Court, the Eastern and Western District of Kentucky, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court.