M. Evan Buckley

Partner

Evan represents a variety of clients in business and regulatory matters and delivers a strategic approach to ensuring compliance, developing agreements, and addressing disputes. He often handles complex matters in highly-regulated industries—utilities, railroads, alcohol, gaming—and he has significant experience representing individuals and businesses before federal, state, and local administrative agencies and courts. Having served as a registered lobbyist, Evan strives to provide solutions-driven, responsive representation.

A substantial part of Evan’s practice has been dedicated to the public utility field—he regularly provides assistance to electric, water, natural gas, solar, telecommunications, and related utilities and businesses, including statewide organizations, before the Kentucky Public Service Commission and in other contexts. 

Evan served as interim General Counsel for R. J. Corman Railroad Group, a Kentucky-based organization employing 1200-plus people in 20-plus states and operating 18 short line railroads with a combined total of more than 1,300 miles of track.

In the alcohol sector, Evan regularly provides licensing assistance, regulatory guidance, and corporate counsel to new and established breweries, wineries, and distilleries, as well as various retailers and alcohol brand owners.

In addition, Evan has served as counsel to non-profit charitable gaming licensees and their leadership in both administrative and related criminal matters, as well as advised for-profit entities dealing with litigation, regulatory compliance, and government affairs issues connected to historic horse racing, advanced deposit wagering, games of skill, and similar areas.

Within the construction industry, Evan often assists in the drafting and negotiation of complex engineering, procurement, construction and installation agreements involving projects such as off-shore windfarms, hazardous waste incinerators, and high-voltage transmission infrastructure. He likewise handles simple contracts and document preparation for all manner of clients.

Originally from Villa Hills, just south of Cincinnati, Evan now lives with his wife, Allison, and their kids in Lexington, Kentucky.

Credentials

Education

University of Kentucky College of Law (J.D., 2010)

  • Kentucky Law Journal
  • Moot Court Board
  • Honor Council
  • Thomas P. Bell Law Scholarship
  • James & Mary Lassiter Fellowship
  • International Trade Law CALI Award

University of Louisville (B.S., 2007)

  • Political Science
  • National Merit Scholar
  • McConnell Scholar
  • Harlan Scholar

Bar admissions

  • Kentucky

Court admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky

Affiliations and memberships

Kentucky Bar Association

Fayette County Bar Association

Leadership Lexington, 2016-2017

LFUCG Ethics Commission (2015-2023), vice chairman (2019-2023)

Distinctions

  • Kentucky Rising Stars® 
  • Best Lawyers®
    • Ones to Watch” in Lexington for Corporate Governance and Compliance Law (2023-2024)

Career Highlights
  • Acquisition of Privately-Held Company with Gaming Licenses

    When a publicly-traded company sought to acquire a privately-held company whose assets included certain gaming vendor licenses across multiple jurisdictions, they turned to Dinsmore for assistance.  Our attorneys worked closely with the client to provide counsel on the complex regulatory requirements encompassed by the transfer of the gaming licenses upon completion of the transaction. We also advised on the content and interpretation of four different jurisdictional gaming licensing schemes, including tribal agreements, to ensure the transaction would proceed successfully and without any disruptions to our client’s ongoing business.

News
  • August 15, 2024

    250+ Dinsmore Attorneys Named 2025 Best Lawyers ®, Ones to Watch

  • August 17, 2023

    200+ Dinsmore Attorneys Named 2024 Best Lawyers®, “Ones to Watch”

  • August 18, 2022

    Best Lawyers® 2023 Names 63 Dinsmore Attorneys “Ones to Watch”

  • January 12, 2022

    Dinsmore Promotes 21 Attorneys to Partner, Makes Board and Office Leadership Appointments

Events
  • January 22, 2023

    Kentucky Guild of Brewers Education Conference and Trade Show 2023 | New Brewer Boot Camp: Putting the IP in your IPA: Trademark, Copyright, and Other Branding Considerations

  • September 9, 2021

    Join Dinsmore at the Craft Brewers Conference