After decades of experience in civil litigation, firm members have opened the Ward Hocker Thornton & Brown Mediation Center to assist litigants and lawyers in resolving tough disputes. We have experienced and trained mediators who understand that mediation is a tool that allows litigants to exercise some control over the outcome of a case in a way that confidentially facilitates voluntary settlement and saves the costs of pursuing a case to trial. The attorneys in our mediation department have handled dozens of jury trials and hundreds of mediations as counsel and are prepared to assist you and your clients in achieving satisfactory resolutions.
Our Mediation Department facilitates settlement negotiations in all types of personal injury and property damage cases, including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, product liability, wrongful death, breach of contract, and construction defect cases. Our offices in Louisville and Lexington have videoconferencing technology to allow individuals to participate remotely or in person. Gregg and Ashley are also willing to travel to your office to conduct mediations.
Gregg is a Member in the firm’s Lexington office. He has been a member of the Kentucky Bar Association since 1988 and has tried over fifty cases to verdict since that time. A well-respected attorney with a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, he has been named a Kentucky Super Lawyer every year since 2009 and has been named as a Top 50 Super Lawyer since 2021. He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 2021 and was named was named Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for 2026.
Ashley is a Member in the firm’s Lexington office. She has been a member of the Kentucky Bar Association since 2008 and in that time has had significant first chair jury trial experience. She was honored as Kentucky Defense Counsel’s Trial Lawyer of the Year for 2017. She has a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating, and has been named a Super Lawyer rising star since 2016. She has been has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® since 2023.
Gene is a Member in the firm’s Louisville office. He has been practicing law in Kentucky and Indiana since 1988 and 1989 respectively. Gene completed 40 hours of civil mediation training with the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum. He also completed advanced ADR courses at the Strauss Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Caruso School of Law at Pepperdine University. In 2017 Gene completed the Arbitration Fundamentals and Best Practices for New AAA Arbitrators, put on by the American Arbitration Association. He is currently an active arbitrator for NAM (National Arbitration and Mediation). He is an AV Preeminent rated attorney by Martindale-Hubble and has been named as a Super Lawyer since 2013.
Pierce is a Member in the firm’s Lexington office. His legal career spans over four decades, has earned a reputation as one of the Commonwealth’s most respected mediators. Admitted to practice in Kentucky and federal courts since 1977, Hamblin has mediated well over 10,000 cases, helping individuals and businesses find solutions outside the courtroom. He has been named Top 50 Kentucky Super Lawyers 2009-2026.
Pierce is also a recognized authority in alternative dispute resolution. Since 2006, he has engaged in mediation and arbitration, having mediated over 10,000 disputes. He was a charter member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals from Kentucky beginning in 2010.
Leslie Vose is a Member in the firm’s Lexington office. She has been a member of the Kentucky Bar Association since 1978. She is a highly respected mediator with decades of experience handling complex disputes across a broad range of practice areas. Known for her strategic insight and steady judgment, Leslie brings a balanced, solutions-oriented approach to mediation, grounded in her extensive courtroom experience. Her career has been recognized with numerous honors, including being named among the Top 25 Women by Kentucky Super Lawyers and inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for employment law, representing both individuals and management. In 2024, she was named “Lawyer of the Year” in Lexington for Employment Law – Individuals. She also holds an AV Preeminent Peer Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and received the Henry T. Duncan Award for distinguished personal and professional conduct.
John is a Member in the firm’s Lexington office. He has been a member of the Kentucky Bar Association since 1994. He has experience with civil litigation focusing on insurance defense, medical malpractice defense, accident and injury law and mass tort. He has represented clients throughout Kentucky and the southeastern US. Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Rating Kentucky Super Lawyers, 2021-2026.
Brad Hooks is a Member in the Lexington office, focusing his practice on civil litigation defense and insurance coverage matters. With more than 27 years of experience, he brings deep legal knowledge and a practical, results-driven approach to dispute resolution. Drawing on his extensive litigation background, Brad provides valuable insight into the risks and complexities of trial, allowing him to guide parties toward efficient and effective resolutions. He is known for his professionalism, strong work ethic, and ability to navigate challenging disputes with a steady, even-handed approach.
Brad has been recognized as a Kentucky Super Lawyer from 2016 through 2026 and was named Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for 2026, with annual recognition since 2019.