Griffin Terry Sumner
Griffin is an accomplished appellate lawyer, focused on solving clients’ legal challenges—effectively and efficiently—with discerning analysis, incisive legal writing, and experienced advocacy. Clients praise her common sense approach to disputes and her ability to translate sophisticated legal arguments and technical jargon in ways that can inform and persuade judges.
Griffin leads appellate teams in a wide variety of cases: briefing and arguing appeals ranging from constitutional challenges to products liability claims to commercial disputes and employment claims – and everything in between. She has been appellate counsel in over 160 matters in the Kentucky appellate courts, in addition to handling appeals in many other federal and state appellate courts.
Griffin also regularly consults with clients and their trial counsel to develop and preserve arguments for future appeals and to assist with preservation of error at trial proceedings. Clients seek Griffin’s analysis and evaluation of cases before, during, and after trial for potential appeal or settlement.
Griffin is the co-author of the Appellate Practice treatise in West-Thomson’s Kentucky Practice series, and a contributing author of Kentucky-based chapters to two American Bar Association treatises: Superseding and Staying Judgments and the Appellate Practice Compendium. As a member of the ABA’s Council of Appellate Lawyers and the Kentucky Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee, she is also a frequent presenter on appellate topics and legal writing.
Representative Experience
Highlights & Recognitions
- AV® Preeminent™ Rated, Martindale Hubbell®
- Kentucky Super Lawyers (Appellate Practice)
- Louisville Magazine's Top Lawyers (Appellate Practice)
Memberships & Affiliations
- Council of Appellate Lawyers, Member; Executive Board, 2007-2010
- American Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee
- Appellate Practice Journal, Co-Editor, 2005-2009
- Kentucky Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee, Chair, 2011-2012
- Louisville Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee, Chair 2010-2011
- Louisville Bar Association, Member
FBT Publications
FBT Events
Press Releases
- 51 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys named to 2019 Kentucky Super Lawyers® and Kentucky Rising Stars® Lists
- 43 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Recognized by Kentucky Super Lawyers® and 14 Recognized by Kentucky Rising Stars® for 2018
- 31 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Recognized by Kentucky Super Lawyers and 14 Recognized by Kentucky Rising Stars for 2017
- WDRB Selects Frost Brown Todd as Legal Counsel
- Seven Frost Brown Todd Attorneys to Present at 2013 KBA Convention
- 40 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Recognized as Top Lawyers in Louisville Magazine
Civic & Charitable Organizations
- Volunteer and fundraiser for various charitable organizations, including St. Bernadette Catholic Church, Lakeside Swim Team, American Association for the Hard of Hearing, and Sacred Heart Academy.
Non-FBT Publications and Events
Various seminar presentations regarding legal writing and appellate practice
Co-author: Kentucky Appellate Practice (West-Thomson 2005)
Contributing author: The Appellate Practice Compendium (ABA 2012)
Contributing author: Superseding and Staying Judgments (ABA 2007)
Co-editor-in-chief: Appellate Practice Journal
Author: "A Critical Analysis of 1993 Amendments to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,"
U. Cinn. Law Rev. (1995)
Co-author: "Health Care Reform: A Free Market Proposal,"
Loy. Cons. L.J. (1995).