About Benjamin Lee Kessinger
Benjamin Lee Kessinger III has spent more than three decades working at the intersection of private practice, in-house counsel work and dispute resolution. He arrived at law following an undergraduate study in political science and government and built a career that spans trial lists, federal appellate admissions and arbitration panels.
He earned a B.A. in political science and government from Auburn University in 1986. He continued his studies at the University of Kentucky College of Law and received a J.D. in 1989. Those credentials launched him into a legal career rooted in Kentucky but extending to federal courts.
Early in his career he was associated with Stites & Harbison, PLLC, a firm where he began practicing after law school. Over time he moved between firms, joining Kinkead & Stilz, PLLC in 2002 and later helping to establish Kessinger Law Group, PLLC, where he became a partner in 2015. He has handled matters in state and federal venues and holds admissions to practice before the courts of Kentucky, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the Federal Circuit.
In 1999 he took on an in-house role as CEO and general counsel for Digital Freight, Inc., a period that added corporate and operational responsibilities to his portfolio. That experience broadened his perspective on client needs beyond the courtroom and gave him first-hand exposure to business and transportation issues that intersect with commercial litigation and regulatory matters.
Alongside private and in-house practice, Kessinger has been active in professional organizations. He serves as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and is a certified arbitrator. He has held memberships in the International Association of Defense Counsel, the Kentucky Justice Association and the Transportation Lawyers Association. He chaired the Kentucky Bar Association Annual Convention in 2001 and has been involved locally, including service on the board of the Fayette County Bar Association Pro Bono Program (LAWCARE) from 1998 to 2004. He is also listed as a fellow of the University of Kentucky.
Today he practices through Kessinger Law Group, PLLC, where he continues to appear in Kentucky and federal courts and to accept arbitration appointments. His current practice includes handling litigation, appellate matters and arbitration work.
