KENTUCKY JUSTICE ASSOCIATION

What KENTUCKY JUSTICE ASSOCIATION does

Kentucky Justice Association (KJA) is a nonprofit professional association serving plaintiff trial lawyers in Kentucky, succeeding the former Kentucky Association of Trial Attorneys (KATA). Headquartered in Louisville with a six-person staff led by CEO Maresa Taylor Fawns, KJA delivers a membership-based platform combining continuing legal education, legislative advocacy, peer networking, and litigation research resources to attorneys, paralegals, judges, and law students across the state.

The organization's core product is its membership platform, anchored by integrations with TrialSmith (700,000+ expert depositions from 70+ trial lawyer associations, plus AI Deposition Analysis) and SeminarWeb (live and on-demand CLE catalog with multi-state credit approval). Additional products include The Advocate bimonthly magazine, the Legal Notepad podcast, a Document Bank, DME Expert Research, a Verdicts & Settlements database, KJA Wellness, and an online store for past seminar materials. A public-facing Find a Lawyer directory supports consumer referrals to member attorneys.

KJA operates multiple revenue streams: annual membership dues, CLE registration fees ($79-$499 per program), the Annual Convention ($499-$699), tiered corporate sponsorships (Platinum, Diamond, Palladium, Gold, Silver, Bronze), The Advocate advertising, and voluntary contributions through the League of Justice program ($480-$10,000+ per year). Distribution is direct via the KJA website, in-person events across Kentucky, and self-serve online CLE, with no public API or mobile app.

Name

KENTUCKY JUSTICE ASSOCIATION

Legal name

Kentucky Justice Association

Website

https://kentuckyjusticeassociation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kentucky Justice Association is a nonprofit professional association serving Kentucky plaintiff trial lawyers, delivering CLE, legislative advocacy, and access to the TrialSmith deposition database of 700,000+ expert depositions through membership, events, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Legal professional association
• Continuing legal education
• Trial lawyer membership
• Legislative advocacy services
• Expert deposition database

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees at various levels including standard membership and League of Justice premium tiers ($480-$10,000+ yearly contributions). Core recurring revenue stream from attorney members.
2. CLE Seminar Fees: Continuing legal education programs offered as live seminars, webinars, and on-demand courses. Revenue from registration fees ($79-$499 per program). SeminarWeb platform delivers online CLE with per-program pricing.
3. Annual Convention and Event Registration: Major in-person events including Annual Convention ($499-$699) and specialized seminars. Revenue from attendee registration fees and sponsorships.
4. Publications and Educational Materials Sales: Sale of past seminar materials, audio recordings, publications including The Advocate magazine, and legal reference materials through the online store.
5. Advertising: Advertising sales in The Advocate bimonthly magazine reaching 1,200+ attorneys, judges, and legislators. Also membership labels at $335 for-profit companies.
6. Donations and Contributions: Voluntary contributions to the League of Justice program supporting legislative efforts. Monthly, yearly, or one-time donation options at various contribution levels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kentucky Justice Association is a member-governed nonprofit professional association that delivers continuing legal education, legislative advocacy, deposition and case-law research access, networking events, and member publications to plaintiff trial lawyers practicing in Kentucky. Core deliverables include annual membership, multi-format CLE (live seminars, live webinars, on-demand courses through SeminarWeb), the TrialSmith-integrated expert deposition database, the bimonthly The Advocate magazine, the Legal Notepad podcast, and an annual convention. The League of Justice donor program and tiered contribution clubs support the organization's 7th Amendment advocacy mission.

Product overview

KJA operates a membership-based platform and professional association serving Kentucky trial lawyers. The core offering combines membership access with integrated educational tools, including CLE programs (live seminars, webinars, and on-demand courses), The Advocate magazine, and resource databases. The product portfolio includes TrialSmith deposition databases with AI analysis capabilities, a Document Bank, DME Expert Research tools, Verdicts & Settlements Database, and the KJA Store for seminar materials and publications. Additional offerings include The Legal Notepad podcast and the League of Justice contributory program. The platform integrates with TrialSmith, SeminarWeb, and DepoConnect for specialized legal research and education delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• KJA Membership Platform Annual membership program providing Kentucky trial lawyers with access to the member directory, legislative updates, attorney resources, CLE programs, document databases, and networking opportunities.
• KJA Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Continuing legal education programs delivered as live seminars, live webinars, on-demand courses, and self-study CLE covering Kentucky-specific practice areas for trial attorneys seeking annual CLE credit compliance.
• Annual Convention Multi-day in-person gathering featuring CLE programming, the Judicial Forum, committee meetings, networking, and the Annual Convention, hosted annually in Kentucky.
• The Advocate Magazine Bimonthly print and digital publication covering Kentucky Supreme Court decisions, CLE seminar schedules, practice-area articles, and legislative updates for the Kentucky trial-lawyer community.
• TrialSmith Deposition Database Access Member access to the TrialSmith searchable archive of 700,000+ expert depositions from 70+ trial-lawyer associations, including AI-powered deposition analysis, expert-challenge insights, and related testimony across jurisdictions.
• Defense Medical Expert (DME) Research Contracted research reports on defense medical experts, providing KJA members with intelligence on opposing expert witnesses to support deposition preparation and case strategy.
• Document Bank Searchable repository of litigation documents (briefs, motions, depositions, and other filings) organized by expert name, cause of action, and document type for KJA member use.
• Verdicts & Settlements Database Database of Kentucky verdicts and settlements enabling members to research case valuation and comparable outcomes.
• KJA Online Store Online storefront selling past seminar materials, audio recordings, publications, and merchandise, with programming from 2012 through 2026 organized by year and practice topic.
• The Legal Notepad Podcast Podcast hosted by Kentucky attorneys delivering discussions on Kentucky law, federal law, and trial practice, including interviews and technical legal topics.
• League of Justice Donor Program Annual giving program with six tiered contribution clubs (Justice Club $10,000+, Advocate's Club $6,000+, President's Club $3,600-$6,000, Barrister's Club $2,400-$3,600, Contributing Club $1,200-$2,400, Friend's Club $480-$1,200) that fund KJA's legislative advocacy and unlock benefits including free or discounted CLE access.
• KJA Wellness Program Wellness initiative for KJA members providing mental health resources, on-demand video content, course materials, and connections to professional assistance programs tailored to attorneys.
• KJA Job Postings Board Job board enabling KJA members to post and search attorney positions and legal industry employment opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to 700,000+ expert depositions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Ringler AssociatesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlatinum Sponsor of Kentucky Justice Association. Settlement consulting firm with local consultants Brad Cecil (Louisville, 502-499-2086) and Ryan Christen Oliphant (Covington, 859-581-3709). Provides structured settlement consulting services to KJA members and sponsors the organization's events.
• EvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond Sponsor of Kentucky Justice Association. Legal technology or services provider supporting the organization's mission and events.
• LMICK (Louisville Medical Insurance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond Sponsor. Medical malpractice and professional liability insurance provider for Kentucky medical professionals.
• SupiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond Sponsor. Technology or services provider supporting KJA events and programs.
• Western Alliance BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond Sponsor. Full-service banking providing financial services to legal professionals, including IOLTA accounts and attorney practice loans.
• Esquire BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPalladium Sponsor. Banking services designed specifically for law firms and attorneys.
• TrialSmithcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the deposition database platform integrated into KJA's website. Offers 700,000+ expert depositions from 70+ trial lawyer associations. Members can access deposition search and purchase through KJA website or upgrade for unlimited access.
• SeminarWebcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the CLE catalog and delivery platform. Offers live webinars and on-demand programs with multi-state credit approval for Kentucky and other jurisdictions.
• American Association for Justice (AAJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trial lawyer association. KJA hosts Happy Hour at AAJ Annual Convention and connects members to AAJ litigation packets and national network of 70+ plaintiff lawyer associations.
• Aptiva HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor. Healthcare provider offering medical services relevant to personal injury cases.
• Physician Life Care PlanningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor. Life care planning services for catastrophically injured clients.
• The Forge CompaniesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold Sponsor. Business services provider.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Association for Justice: National plaintiff-trial-lawyer association that KJA explicitly partners with and that shares the same advocacy mission and many overlapping members; it is the natural umbrella organization and the most direct analog to KJA at the national level.

Direct peers

• Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys: State trial-lawyer association serving plaintiff attorneys in Missouri with CLE programs, legislative advocacy, and annual conventions — a structural parallel to KJA in a comparable Midwestern jurisdiction.
• Pennsylvania Association for Justice: State trial-lawyer association delivering CLE, advocacy, and member publications for Pennsylvania plaintiff attorneys, with a similar mix of conventions, magazines, and legislative activity as KJA.
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association: Midwest state trial-lawyer association providing CLE, legislative advocacy, and member services for plaintiff attorneys; operates a similar structure of events, publications, and a League-style giving program as KJA.
• New York State Trial Lawyers Association: Major state trial-lawyer association running CLE programs, a trial academy, and legislative advocacy in New York; another large-scale example of the model KJA operates at Kentucky scope.
• Ohio Association for Justice: Ohio state affiliate of the plaintiff trial bar offering CLE, advocacy, and networking for plaintiff lawyers; highly comparable to KJA in mission, governance, and revenue model.
• Tennessee Advocates for Justice (formerly Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association): State-level plaintiff-bar association in a neighboring state with the same mission — protecting trial rights, delivering CLE, and running an annual convention for plaintiff attorneys — making it the closest functional peer to KJA.
• Consumer Attorneys of California: Large California plaintiff-bar association offering CLE, legislative advocacy, and member resources; the scale leader among state plaintiff associations and a useful comparable for what a more expansive KJA could become.

Others

• TrialSmith: Technology partner providing the deposition database, AI Deposition Analysis, and case-law integrations that anchor KJA's member value proposition; included because it is the most strategically linked counterparty and a key dependency for KJA's differentiated offering.

Regional players

• Kentucky Bar Association: The integrated (mandatory) state bar for Kentucky lawyers; it regulates practice and also offers CLE, overlapping with KJA's audience but without the plaintiff-bar advocacy focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KentuckyJustice
• Facebookfacebook.com/KentuckyJusticeAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/KentuckyJusticeAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kentucky-justice-association

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KENTUCKY JUSTICE ASSOCIATION