The Winters Law Group LLC

11/20/2025

We are extremely pleased to announce that last night, the Lexington City Council voted to preserve 12 National Registered-listed properties in the Aylesford neighborhood. This decision will halt the proposed high-rise development and prevent the demolition of these important, historic, multi-use buildings.

This victory would not have been possible without the outpouring of support from over 50 community members who spoke in support of saving the neighborhood they love and live in. The council members heard their voices and the vote reflected what a community can accomplish when they come together.

Last night The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Aylesford Place Historic Neighborhood, Transylvania Park Neighborhood, and Aylesford Action secured a victory over aggressive development and The Winters Law Group was proud to represent them.

On a personal note, the building pictured below, located at 273 E Maxwell is where I personally lived while I attended undergrad and law school at UK. At the time, I appreciated the low cost of rent, especially since I was paying for tuition and living expenses on my own. Rent on the preserved block remains affordable, in direct contrast to the high rates being charged by big-box, luxury student apartments.

11/19/2025

A public hearing opposing the zone change in the Aylesford neighborhood will be held tonight at 5pm. I will be representing the The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Aylesford Place Historic Neighborhood, Transylvania Park Neighborhood, and Aylesford Action.

This zone change would result in the demolition of 12 National Register-listed properties. In place of these historic, purpose-built, multi-family housing units, the developer seeks to build an eight story, modern student housing complex.

Despite an overwhelming outpouring of public opposition, the Planning Commission voted to approve the rezoning that would allow this massive complex to move forward, disregarding multiple policies in the 2045 Comprehensive Plan that call for preservation, adaptive reuse, and context-sensitive design.

Tonight's public hearing will be held at the Government Center at 5pm and can be streamed online at the link in the comments.

In an 8-2 vote, Lexington’s Planning Commission approved a change to rezone the Aylesford neighborhood to make room for an eight story residential complex. Commission staff recommended the approval, arguing the move follows Lexington’s Comprehensive Plan and would offer more housing for UK stude...

08/26/2024

The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, represented by Jessica Winters of the Winters Law Group, has been successful in achieving a ruling from the Kentucky Supreme Court striking down KRS 100.3471 as unconstitutional. In a 4-3 Opinion rendered on August 22, 2024, the Kentucky Supreme Court found that the statute, which imposed a bond requirement on litigants seeking to appeal planning and zoning decisions to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, violates the Kentucky Constitution’s guarantee of a right of appeal.
The Court stated: “By applying to good faith assertions of legal rights and failing to preserve the status quo, the bond of KRS 100.3471 admits to being nothing other than a price of admission to the Court of Appeals, and its only effect is to penalize Kentuckians wishing to challenge land-based zoning decisions beyond the circuit court by exercising their constitutional right of appeal.”
The Court held that the statute was “manifestly unconstitutional” as arbitrary, and that “[t]he Commonwealth has no legitimate interest in hindering good faith assertions of legal rights in a court of law.” The Court further found the statute to be a violation of the separation of powers, as the Kentucky Supreme Court, not the legislature, has the exclusive authority to regulate its appellate jurisdiction.
Unfortunately, the Court affirmed the decisions of lower courts finding that the Lexington Planning Commission’s vote authorizing a certificate of demolition for the Commonwealth Building at 120 W. High Street was supported by substantial evidence. Thus, it appears that this rare example of mid-century architecture in the Historic South Hill Neighborhood will be lost to demolition.

03/01/2024

The Winters Law Group LLC Announces A Successful $800,000+ Verdict Against Stanford Care and Rehabilitation

The Winters Law Group is proud to announce a successful verdict against Stanford Care and Rehabilitation on behalf of a former Director of Nursing, whose employment was terminated in response for her request for leave as an accommodation under the American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).

On Friday February 23, a jury unanimously found that Stanford violated Plaintiff’s constitutionally protected ADA rights. Plaintiff was represented by Jessica Winters, the Managing Member of the Winters Law Group, LLC.

After a week-long trial in Lincoln County Circuit Court presided over by Judge Montgomery, a jury found that Stanford was liable for failure to accommodate and retaliation when they terminated Plaintiff’s employment. The jury awarded more than $800,000 in damages, which included backpay, pain and suffering, and punitive damages.

This verdict reinforces the extensive litigation experience the Winters Law Group, LLC has in both state and federal court. The Winters Law Group, LLC has a personal focus on various practice areas, including Employment Law, Planning and Zoning, Social Justice, and Personal Injury.

02/09/2024

This week, I had the privilege of representing The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc. (“BGT”) before the Supreme Court of Kentucky as part of a continued effort to save the Commonwealth Building at 120 High Street. The Commonwealth Building is a rare example of mid-century architecture within a protected historic zone, yet our Planning Commission ruled that it could be demolished because it was not a “contributing structure” within the Historic South Hill Neighborhood.

The Blue Grass Trust has committed significant resources to challenging this decision, with the hopes that Kentucky’s appellate courts will enforce the protections that exist within Lexington’s local ordinances for such significant historic architectural resources.
BGT was stymied in its efforts by a law passed in 2017 by our legislature, which requires the posting of a significant bond to take an appeal from the Circuit Court to the Kentucky Court of Appeals- an appeal that is guaranteed by our Constitution.

We argued to the Kentucky Supreme Court that a legislatively-created appeal penalty of this nature, which effectively eliminates a Constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal for all but the wealthiest litigants, treats classes of litigants differently without rational basis, and violates the separation of powers, is unconstitutional.

The Court has yet to rule, but regardless of the outcome I have no doubt that BGT will continue to fight to preserve the historic resources that are essential to the fabric of our beautiful city.

https://ket.org/program/kentucky-supreme-court-coverage/bluegrass-trust-for-historic-preservation-v-lexin/?fbclid=IwAR0TyXJA0_LOqnAO6Sz2AsFgAP_BIQLSz8Jb17QXP4wBJv9bRTqO7RxEhEk

This case involves constitutional challenges to the bond requirements enacted in 2017 in KRS 100.3471 and impacting Court of Appeals jurisdiction over timely appeals from KRS 100.347 circuit court decisions regarding final planning and zoning actions. Oral arguments heard on Feb. 7, 2024.

11/30/2023

I'm proud to represent the Bell Court Neighborhood Association in their efforts to protect the fabric of their beautiful historic neighborhood. This was a big loss for that community, but it is inspiring to see how a group can work together for a common purpose.

Lexington City Councilmembers will allow a former art gallery on Main Street to be turned into a private club, despite concerns from the Bell Court neighborhood.

07/22/2022

I am very proud to be the recipient of the Lucy Graves Advocacy Award from the The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation. The award is given annually to "an individual or group that has exhibited advocacy leadership in supporting the historic preservation movement in Central Kentucky."

Thank you to the Blugrass Trust for their recognition of the preservation work that I am proud of and feel passionately about.

09/03/2021

A Lexington neighborhood successfully fought a plan to replace a home with an office building. But it’s been a long battle.

09/03/2021

I am proud to represent the Southern Heights Neighborhood Association in endeavors to protect its beautiful historic neighborhood, and am grateful for the vote of the City Council last night to uphold the Planning Commission's decision to deny a P-1 zone change for a property on Nicholasville Road that has served as the cornerstone of the Southern Heights Neighborhood for 100 years. Promoting infill and redevelopment while also preserving our intact neighborhoods and special places is a balancing act, and I am encouraged that the Council will make the tough decisions necessary to protect the character and beauty of our city.

A Lexington neighborhood successfully fought a plan to replace a home with an office building. But it’s been a long battle.

02/12/2020

Last night was a late one - the City Council meeting on the Maxwell Street zone change ended well past 10 p.m. The Council's vote to adopt the findings of the Planning Commission and deny the requested zone change from R-4 to B2A made the long fight worthwhile. I'm proud to represent The Aylesford Place Neighborhood Association in its efforts to protect the integrity of such a beautiful neighborhood.

In a major blow to a real estate developer Tuesday, the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council rejected a proposal to rezone an area on East Maxwell Street.

01/13/2020

The Winters Law Group is proud to have worked with a team of dedicated individuals to bring a series of large bronze sculptures to the riverfront in Downtown Ashland, Kentucky. Jenny Flanigan, who is of counsel with the Winters Law Group, drew upon her experience with importation and customs requirements in working to secure passage for the sculptures from the artist’s studio in China.

The Winters Law Group is proud to have worked with a team of dedicated individuals to bring a series of large bronze sculptures to the riverfront in Downtown Ashland, Kentucky.

10/08/2019

The Winters Law Group is a proud sponsor of Lexington’s annual street art festival, PRHBTN, which is now in its 9th year. This month, street artists from around the world will be in Lexington installing large-scale public murals that bring art to our streets and into our daily lives.

The Winters Law Group is a proud sponsor of Lexington’s annual street art festival, PRHBTN, which is now in its 9th year. This month, street artists from around the world will be in Lexington installing large-scale public murals that bring art to our streets and into our daily lives.