While the Rigsby Law Group is a relatively new firm (having begun business in early 1996), its professional personnel have lengthy experience in earlier practices. It is the merging of this experience which creates a synergy for the firm's current practice.

William F. Rigsby
In addition to degrees in accounting and law, and the practice of law since 1980, Bill has previous experience working for a certified public accounting firm and the Internal Revenue Service. He is licensed to practice in both Kentucky and Ohio. He has served as an adjunct professor at both the University of Kentucky College of Business and Economics, teaching in its graduate accounting program, and as an adjunct professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law, teaching introductory and advanced tax courses. He is the author of several law journal articles addressing an array of tax topics and has been featured on television and in the newspaper concerning tax-related issues. He is a speaker at continuing education seminars, bar association programs and employer-sponsored seminars addressing tax, corporate, estate and probate issues.

Such diverse experience provides a strong base for the concentration of his practice in tax planning, in business succession planning, in representation of taxpayers in tax controversies with tax authorities and in the acquisition and disposition of businesses. While the types of businesses for which he provides such services is quite diverse, he has had particularly extensive experience in the acquisition and disposition of television and radio stations. Email William.

Melissa H. P. Palmer
Melissa graduated from the University of Kentucy receiving departmental honors in Finance. Upon graduation, Melissa began a career as an insurance agent with Jefferson-Pilot Insurance Company. While building a life insurance and financial services career, she worked primarily with business owners to create employee benefits packages, establish qualified and non-qualified pension plans, implemented succession planning for both their personal assets, as well as for the continuation of the business. Melissa earned the National Quality Award and the National Sales Achievement Award, qualified for the Jefferson Pilot Club and the President's Club. She earned the Life Underwriting Training Council Fellow designation with honors from the National Association of Life Underwriters in 1994. She also earned both the Chartered Life Underwriter designation and the Chartered Financial Consultant designation with honors from the American College in 1996. In 1999, Melissa graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law and was admitted to practice in Kentucky. In 2000, she graduated with an LLM in taxation from University of Florida. Melissa's practice in the firm is mainly concentrated in the areas of tax and estate planning, probate matters, employer benefit planning, business formation, and business succession. Email Melissa.

OF COUNSEL

Thomas T. Lewis
Tom attended the University of Kentucky, where he double majored in accounting and finance. After receiving his undergraduate degree, he became one of the first students in the joint MBA/JD program at UK. Upon completion of the joint degree program, Tom took a position in the tax department of Ernst & Young, LLP in Cincinnati. During his career with Ernst & Young, LLP, he was involved in providing tax planning and tax return preparation services for a diverse client base ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. While at Ernst & Young, LLP, he became a Certified Public Accountant licensed to practice in Kentucky. He completed his tenure at Ernst & Young, LLP as a Senior Tax Analyst in the Personal Financial Counseling group, where he addressed a variety of tax and financial planning issues for high net worth individuals.

His practice in the firm is mainly concentrated in the areas of tax planning and representation for individuals and entities, estate planning, probate, business formations, business transfers and mergers. Tom is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Kentucky where he is teaching a class in financial accounting. Email Thomas.

R. Douglas Martin
Doug received his law degree in 1989 from the University of Kentucky College of Law. His experience in commercial transactions includes the finance, development, acquisition and leasing of manufacturing facilities, hospitals, hotels, shopping centers and malls, office parks, multi-phase residential communities, condominium regimes, golf courses, sports entertainment facilities, and horse farms. Doug served as General Counsel for the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development from 1993-1995, where he authored the Kentucky Investment Fund Act and the Kentucky Workforce Development Act. Doug has presented legal education seminars sponsored by the Kentucky Bar Association, the University of Kentucky, the Kentucky Industrial Development Counsel, and the National Business Institute, on issues concerning condominiums, lender environmental liability, commercial real estate, business organizations, nonprofit organizations, wetlands, taxation and financial incentives for Kentucky businesses. He has also authorized several legal articles, including: "Authorizations and Special Entity Conveyancing," Chapter 14, Kentucky Real Estate Law and Practice, 1996; "Basic Inc. v. Levinson: The Supreme Court's Analysis of Fraud on the Market and it's impact on the Reliance Requirement of SEC Rule 10b-5," 78 Kentucky Law Journal 403, 1989-90; and "Bankers Trust II: Underwriting, Commercial Paper Placement and the Risk of Loss Under the Glass-Stegal Act," 76 Kentucky Law Journal 497, 1987-88. While attending the University of Kentucky College of Law, he was honored as the outstanding second year Kentucky Law Journal staff member and was awarded the Calvin P. Rouse Award for Most Outstanding Scholarly Contribution to the Kentucky Law Journal, Volume 76. His practice in the firm concentrates in the areas of commercial law, business acquisitions and dispositions, and commercial real estate transactions. Email R. Douglas.