Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP - Debra H. Dawahare

Debra H. Dawahare is Chair of the Firm's Labor & Employment Service Team. She concentrates her practice in the areas of employment law and general litigation. Ms. Dawahare regularly counsels employers with regard to other employment issues, such as handbooks, policies, hiring, discipline and discharge.

Representative Litigation

Jury verdict in favor of Asbury College in breach of contract case.
Unanimous verdict in favor of Berea College in a sex discrimination case.
Summary judgment and published appellate decision in favor of Papa John's International, Inc. in a sex discrimination and retaliation case.
Summary judgment in favor of Green's Toyota in personal injury case alleging negligent repair.
Summary judgments or jury verdicts for defendants in numerous cases of sexual harassment, workers' compensation retaliation, disability discrimination, age discrimination and race discrimination.

Representative Clients

James River Coal Company
International Coal Group, Inc.
CMH of Kentucky, Inc.
3M
AT&T
Berea College
Centre College
Asbury College
Sayre School
Alice Lloyd College
Georgetown College

Professional Experience

Co-counsel with the late Bert T. Combs in the landmark case of Rose v. Council for Better Education, in which the entire system of school finance in Kentucky was declared unconstitutional
Taught legal writing at the University of Kentucky for several years
Volunteer mediator at the Mediation Center of Central Kentucky

Honors

Woodward/White's 2006-2010 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Labor & Employment
Recognized in Kentucky Super Lawyer 2007, 2008, 2009®
Chambers U.S.A.: America's Leading Lawyers in the area of Labor & Employment 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Leadership Lexington, Class of 2000
Leadership Kentucky, Class of 2008

Education

1983 - J.D., University of Kentucky

1979 - M.A., University of Kentucky

1976 - B.A., Centre College

Seminars

Regularly speaks on employment issues at bar association meetings and CLE seminars, as well as at training seminars for managers, supervisors and the workforce, and to civic groups
Provides workplace training for managers and employees

Publications

Contributing author to The Kentucky Unemployment Compensation Handbook (published by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 2006).
Author of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's booklet on preventing workplace violence.
Organizing editor and a contributor to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's recent guideline to Unemployment Compensation in Kentucky
University of Arkansas Law Review, Fall 2004, Public School Reform: Kentucky's Solution
Numerous articles and columns on employment topics.
Labor & Employment December 2008 Flyer

Professional Activities and Memberships

Fayette County and Kentucky Bar Associations
University of Kentucky College of Law's mentor program for women law students and other minority law students

Admissions

Kentucky State Bar
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Interests

Travel, reading, horseback riding

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