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Equine Regulatory and Gaming Law

Nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in equine and gaming law, Laura navigates clients through the state and federal regulations that govern the industry. Previously associate general counsel for the Magna Entertainment Corporation (now The Stronach Group) and general counsel to Gulfstream Racetrack, allow her to provide clients with the benefits of her unique perspectives into the operations of racing, gaming and entertainment companies. Her work with leading gaming officials, legislators, and companies across the world enables her to not only stay abreast of new developments and legislation within the gaming industry but also offer proactive insight and counsel to clients to mitigate their risk as they move forward. Her work includes experience in simulcasting contracts, pari-mutuel wagering, online wagering (ADW), fantasy sports contests, handicapping contests, state regulation and licensing, payment processing, legal opinions, charitable gaming, sweepstakes and promotions. Laura is a general member of the International Masters of Gaming Law and the ABA's Gaming Law Committee.

Equine Law

Representing owners, breeders and trainers, purchasers and sellers, racetracks and trade associations, Laura draws on her passion for the equine industry to counsel clients in sport horse and thoroughbred transactions and disputes. She handles a variety of matters for clients, including purchase and sales of horses, the structuring of racing and sport horse partnerships, syndication of elite sport horses and thoroughbred stallions, Southern Hemisphere shuttle agreements and the acquisition and sale of commercial horse farms. Laura chaired the University of Kentucky College of Law's Annual National Equine Law Conference for six years and is an adjunct professor of Law at the University of Kentucky, teaching Equine Law.

Business Law

Leveraging an MBA and law degree, with experience representing both international and domestic clients, Laura takes a practical, comprehensive business-focused approach to achieve results for her clients. She guides her clients through the evolving challenges facing domestic and global companies, including corporate and gaming compliance, company formation, corporate governance, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial lending.

A go-to lawyer on choice of entity, LLC and partnership formation, operation and sale or winding up issues, Laura currently sits on the American Bar Association’s LLC's and Partnership Committee, where she successfully chaired the drafting committee for the ABA's Model LLC Organizational checklist, resulting in publication of the annotated Checklist in the ABA’s Business Lawyer.

She utilizes her legal, business and marketing experience to provide balanced, thoughtful and creative solutions to her clients from start-up to acquisitions to eventual sale of the company. Laura is active with Awesome Inc., a business incubator in Lexington, Kentucky as well as the UK Gatton School of Business and the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship, where she has lectured and acts as a mentor in the fellowship and entrepreneur bootcamp program, respectively.

Commercial Lending

Working as lender’s counsel for national and regional banks and private equity funds, for more than 20 years, Laura's work includes real estate and asset-backed, middle market secured finance, including lending secured by racetracks, gaming facilities and thoroughbred bloodstock. She brings experience with Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 compliance and work-outs including loan documentation, inter-creditor agreements, subordination agreements, forbearance agreements and related documents. She is a member of the ABA's Commercial Finance Committee and Secured Lending Committee.

Speaking and Writing

Laura is a frequent author and speaker on corporate, gaming and equine law matters. Her recent speaking engagements include the American Law Institute’s Choice of Entity program, the Kentucky Bar Association’s annual meeting, the American Bar Association’s Gaming Law meeting, the National Equine Law Conference, as well as lectures at University of Kentucky’s Gatton School of Business, UK Law School and UK College of Agriculture. She has been published in Gaming Law Review and Economics, Casino Enterprise Management, Casino Lawyer, Business Lexington and The Blood Horse, and has been quoted in The New York Times, Legal Sports Report, the Toronto Globe & Mail, the Thoroughbred Times, and the Lexington Herald-Leader.