OnDemand Speaker Bios

Judge Jerry D. Crosby was born in Nashville, Tennessee, but has called Oldham County, Kentucky home since 1973. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Furman University in 1990 and a Juris Doctor from the University Of Kentucky College Of Law in 1993. In the Fall of 2000, he was first appointed and later elected to fill the remainder of a vacant District Court term in Henry, Trimble, and Oldham Counties. Judge Crosby assumed the role of Chief District Court Judge in 2002 for the 12th Judicial District and Vice-Chief Regional District Court Judge for Northern Kentucky. In December of 2020, Judge Crosby was appointed to fill a vacancy and subsequently elected as the General Jurisdiction Circuit Judge in the 12th Judicial Circuit. He currently serves as the Chief Circuit Court Judge in Oldham, Henry, and Trimble Counties and the Vice-Chief Regional Circuit Court Judge for Northern Kentucky. He oversees the 12th Judicial Circuit Drug Court Program. Judge Crosby is a past President of the Kentucky District Judges Association, a former member of the Continuing Judicial Education Commission, past co-chairperson of eCourt Rules Committee, and past chairperson of the Court Technology Governance Committee. Presently, Judge Crosby serves on the Evidence Rules Commission and the eCourt Program Management Committee. Judge Crosby lives in Goshen, Kentucky with his wife, Adrienne. They have two adult children.

Laura Day DelCotto is the founding member of DelCotto Law Group, a boutique firm with its primary location in Lexington, KY. She has a broad base of experience in representation of debtors-in-possession, borrowers in distressed financial situations, secured and unsecured lenders, committees, trustees, DIP lenders, lessors and asset purchasers. Ms. DelCotto’s primary practice is in Chapter 11 commercial bankruptcy as well as state court and out-of-court debtor/creditor related litigation, negotiations and workouts. She is nationally certified as a Business Bankruptcy Specialist by the American Board of Certification, a member of the American College of Bankruptcy, and rated A-V by Martindale – Hubbell. She was selected as Lawyer of the Year 2021 and 2024 by her peers in the 27th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America © in the area of Litigation – Bankruptcy, for Lexington, Kentucky and has been named as a Top 10 Kentucky Super Lawyer since 2017.

Ms. DelCotto is the current Chair of the Kentucky Bar Association Well-being Committee and is the majority owner of her own small firm, dealing with the day to day issues of running a firm in addition to practicing law.

Sarah Dufendach is a Claims Manager with Beazley Group and leads Beazley’s turnkey reinsurance cyber claims team. She manages small business, municipality, professional services and healthcare related data breach and cyber liability claims. Prior to joining Beazley, Sarah practiced as an insurance defense attorney in Philadelphia, PA.

Angela Logan Edwards is President & Chief Executive Officer of Lawyers Mutual of Kentucky. Prior to joining Lawyers Mutual, she was in private practice and a partner at the Dinsmore & Shohl and Woodward, Hobson & Fulton firms where she practiced in the areas of ERISA/benefits litigation, commercial litigation law and attorney malpractice defense. Before that Angela clerked for the Hon. Jennifer B. Coffman, United States District Judge. Angela received her undergraduate degree from Transylvania University and her law degree from the University of Kentucky. She is actively involved in a number of civic and community organizations, including but not limited to, the Filson Historical Society Board of Directors, the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law Visiting Committee, the Louisville Bar Association Diversity Committee and the Walden School Board of Directors. She is married to Judge Brian C. Edwards and the proud mother of Logan and Coleman.

Judge Brian Edwards has served as Judge of the Jefferson County Circuit Court’s 11th Division since September 4, 2009. From 2017-2019, he served as Chief Circuit Judge for the Jefferson County Metro Region. Over the course of his judicial career, he has been the recipient of numerous awards including the University of Kentucky College of Law Distinguished Jurist award in 2021, the Kentucky Bar Association’s Distinguished Judge award in 2018, and the Kentucky Justice Association’s Trial Judge of the Year award in 2014. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Edwards practiced law for 13 years receiving the Louisville Bar Association’s Frank Haddad Outstanding Young Lawyer award in 2004. He also taught at the University of Louisville in both the College of Arts and Sciences and at the Brandeis School of Law.

Judge Edwards attended Northwestern University, graduating with honors in 1992 before attending and graduating from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1996. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Pete Foundation, The Louisville Urban League, Louisville Soccer Alliance and also serves as the Founding Director of the West Louisville Soccer Initiative. Judge Edwards is married to attorney Angela Logan Edwards and they are the proud parents of two sons.

Charles “Buzz” English is a member of the Lawyers Mutual of Kentucky Board of Directors. His extensive legal career has centered around business litigation. He has extensive experience in federal court and has successfully argued before the Kentucky Supreme Court in precedent-setting cases. He believes in the power of preparation. “When I represent someone in a case, I want the other side to know that we’re going to prepare the case the way it needs to be prepared for it to go to trial.”

Like his father, Charles E. English Sr., Buzz served as President of the Kentucky Bar Association to further the profession of law. Beyond his extensive involvement in the Kentucky Bar Association, Buzz contributes to the profession on the national level. He recently completed a term on the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary as the Sixth Circuit Representative. He has also served on the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee for Bar Activities and is currently serving in the ABA House of Delegates.

Born at Ft. Gordon, Georgia and raised in Augusta, GA in a military family. Attended Glenn Hills High School and was a member of the varsity basketball team, track and field team and award-winning varsity cheerleading squad. Graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism - Public Relations and Advertising.

Worked as a Management Analyst for the Department of the Army conducting management advisory studies utilizing engineered manpower staffing standards and techniques to design the Most Efficient Organization models and implemented method improvements as well as administered and managed various productivity enhancement programs at Ft. Gordon, GA and Ft. Bragg, NC. Also served in a collateral appointment as Equal Employment Office Counselor and Sexual Harassment Trainer.

Graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law (now the J. David Rosenberg College of Law) in May, 1996 and admitted to the Kentucky Bar that October. Began legal career as Staff Attorney for Judge Gary Payne, Fayette Circuit Court, the first African-American to serve on the Fayette County bench. In March, 1997, joined the Fayette County Attorney’s Office as the Juvenile Prosecutor and Co-created the Truancy Intervention Program (T.I.P.) with the Pupil Personnel Office of the Fayette County Public Schools; wrote and obtained a Department of Justice Community Prosecution grant to fund and administer the Program before moving into the General Prosecution Division. Served as Special Assistant Attorney General as well as administered the Kentucky Victim/Witness Protection Program for Fayette County. Also served as a member of the Commission on Guardians ad litem and was a recipient of the Mayor’s Friend of Children Award.

In January, 2004, went into private practice with a primary focus of domestic relations and criminal law cases. Appointed to the Family Court panel to represent indigent parents and children in Dependency, Neglect and Abuse cases as well as termination of parental rights and adoptions. Also served on the Criminal Justice Panel providing representation to indigent federal defendants. Served on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Ethics Commission and Mayor Linda Gorton’s Commission for Racial Justice and Equality - Law Enforcement, Justice & Accountability Subcommittee. From 2001-2024 served as adjunct Instructor at the Gatton School of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky; and also served as an adjunct Instructor at the J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Previous Board of Director on Fayette County Bar Association.

On December 9, 2021, appointed by Gov. Andy Beshear to the Fayette District Court, Division 1 to complete the unexpired term of retired judge, Hon. Joe Bouvier; and in November, 2022, was elected to a full term. Developed and implemented the Fayette County Assisted Outpatient Treatment Court. Serves on the District Judges Association Education Committee. Serves on the Executive Boards of the Community Action Council and Ladies Veterans Connect and current member of the Kiwanis Club and NAACP. Proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Parent of one adult son.

Yvette Hourigan is a former trial lawyer, and Director of the Kentucky Lawyer Assistance Program (KYLAP). She graduated from the J. David Rosenberg College of Law and is a licensed attorney, a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, and a Certified Peer Support Specialist. Yvette is an inaugural member of the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health. She is the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (COLAP); the former chair of the ABA/COLAP Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee; and former member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. Yvette is the 2024 recipient of the Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Special Service Award. In 2021 she was awarded the KBA President’s Special Service Award by President Tom Kerrick for KYLAP’s service to Kentucky’s legal community during the COVID-19 pandemic. She received the Dave Nee Foundation’s “Uncommon Counselor” Award for her work in suicide prevention in the legal profession. Yvette is the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallion, a humanitarian award, from the University of Kentucky. She speaks locally and nationally on topics impacting lawyer competence and well-being, lawyer impairment, and suicide prevention. KYLAP’s work in these areas has been featured nationally on NPR, Legal View with Ashleigh Banfield, CNN, Bloomberg Law, The Guardian, and in The Huffington Post.

Alex is an experienced communications and marketing professional with a diverse background committed to customer success and delivering results. Since joining PhishingBox in 2022, he’s amplified the company’s mission to create a safer, more secure digital landscape through effective cyber training and education for organizations of all types and sizes.

Jonathan Meer is a partner in Wilson Elser’s New York City office and works closely with his colleagues in the firm’s Louisville, KY office. Jonathan maintains a particular concentration in coverage for directors and officers (D&O), with an emphasis on the growing area of D&Os in cannabis companies; professional errors and omissions (E&O); lawyers (LPL); employment practices; and cyber liability programs. Jonathan represents the interests of primary and excess insurers based in the United States, China, London and Bermuda in highexposure claims against directors and officers of public and private companies, nonprofit boards, financial institutions and insurance companies. He has addressed claims related to shareholder class actions seeking multimillion-dollar damages against public companies and their directors and officers, as well as other highprofile fraud cases involving a variety of issues. In addition, Jonathan’s litigation practice focuses on commercial litigation and professional liability. He has experience with matters arising under E&O policies covering attorneys, co-op boards, software developers, engineers, consultants, agents and other professionals. Jonathan also handles employment matters involving all types of discrimination and harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination claims.

Courtney joined the Lawyers Mutual team after beginning her career handling litigation—both criminal and civil—as well as transactional work. In addition to her role in relationship management, she is focused on providing relevant risk management resources and training. She is passionate about advancing wellness in the profession and has spoken across Kentucky and nationally about the connection between burnout, wellness, and our ethical obligations. She continues to handle pro bono appellate matters on behalf of victims of intimate partner violence and trains law enforcement on trauma-informed investigations. Courtney currently serves as the Communications Chair for the Fayette County Bar Association Women’s Law Association and is a member of the Professional Liability Defense Federation Diversity & Inclusivity Committee.

With 17 years of experience in Professional Liability, Nick has participated in the development, execution, growth and maintenance of insurance products and programs nationwide. As an industry leading global reinsurer, Beazley's Product Solutions division enables insurance carriers across the globe to expand their product offerings. Nick is a 2005 graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and is an active member of PLUS and the Professional Liability Defense Federation.