270.781.6500

Remembering Whayne C. Priest, Jr. November 13, 1937- March 14, 2025

ELPO Law is the largest full-service law firm in our region and deeply ingrained in Western Kentucky. Our attorneys serve on non-profits’ boards, volunteer in schools, donate to charitable causes and coach soccer teams. Many are raising their families here. This is our home, and we want to contribute, both by offering sound legal advice to those who are building Kentucky into a better bluegrass and by lending volunteer support to the organizations that make this a great place to live.

If you need to create an estate plan, handle an immigration issue, file a personal injury case or get assistance with a complicated business matter, we can help.

The History of ELPO Law:

In 1973, four attorneys came together to form English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP, a new law firm in Bowling Green, Ky. Charles E. English, James Lucas and Michael Owsley worked together at another firm, and they asked Whayne C. Priest Jr. to join with them to form ELPO. Charles English and Michael Owsley are still with the firm today. Jim Lucas passed away in 2004, and Whayne Priest passed away in 2025.

Whayne Priest had a strong background in municipal law as he served as the city solicitor for eight years. He continued to handle cases that involved local government throughout his career, including his work with the Inter-modal Transportation Authority, the organization that oversees the management of the Kentucky Transpark, a 1,200-acre high-tech business park in Bowling Green. Michael Owsley began working with several school districts throughout Kentucky, and was joined in his education law practice work by Regina Jackson, who came to ELPO in 1993. Other associates also assist in the area of education law, as ELPO now counts among its clients more than 20 school districts. Charles English handles business law cases, estate cases and many of the firm’s appellate cases. Mr. English also served as president of the Kentucky Bar Association, as did his son, Charles E. “Buzz” English, who is also an attorney at ELPO.

The firm added its first associate, Keith Carwell, in 1974. Mr. Carwell is still with the firm. Other attorneys joined over time, expanding the reach of the firm and the types of cases the firm handles.

For the firm’s first 20 years, Michael Owsley served as the managing partner of ELPO, guiding its business practices and growth, including hiring new associates and support staff. Regina Jackson took over this position in 2001, and under her tenure, the firm added a firm administrator, Travis Armstrong, in 2005. Bob Young served as managing partner from 2007 to 2010, and D. Gaines Penn became managing partner in January 2011. Bob Young returned as Managing Partner in January 2016 and continues to serve as Managing Partner today.

English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP has long contributed to the community in many ways. As a business, the firm contributes significantly to many community and some statewide causes. ELPO also contributes to the local economy as an employer, with 60+ people including attorneys and support staff working for the firm. In 1986, the firm built its current building at 1101 College Street in downtown Bowling Green.

Community

English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, LLP supports causes that uplift the spirits of the community and contribute to the common good. To make the strongest, long-term impact in our community, we choose to invest in non-profit organizations that serve the needs of children, provide arts programming, assist economic development efforts, and conduct or support health care research. As a firm, we believe those commitments will best serve the interests of our community and Kentucky as a whole.

Some of the commitments we have made include support of the Commonwealth Health Foundation Free Clinic, which provides health care to those who cannot afford it, and the CHC Hospitality House, a home away from home for those visiting patients at the local hospital. The firm supports SKYPAC, which is an arts center in Bowling Green, and supports Orchestra Kentucky. We are also supporters of the Bowling Green Hot Rods along with numerous activities with Western Kentucky University and through local school systems.

Global Reach

English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP is a member of Meritas, the premier global alliance of independent law firms. Meritas firms are able to offer a full range of legal services to meet every client need.

ELPO Law has 32 lawyers based in Bowling Green, Ky and provides a full range of legal services to our clients with experienced attorneys at cost-effective rates. Through our affiliation with Meritas, ELPO Law is able to broaden our ability to provide comprehensive legal services to our clients wherever their business interests may be because we can connect with quality firms that have strong ties to their local civic, business and legal communities in virtually every major market in the United States and across the globe. With 191 member firms in 96 countries, Meritas covers more global markets than any other national law firm and most legal networks.

As an invitation-only legal alliance, Meritas firms uphold the highest standards of legal advice and client service. Meritas firms share expertise, bench strength, local market knowledge, connections, and geographic coverage to represent clients most effectively. Recognizing that crucial legal matters come in all sizes and shapes, Meritas member firms approach each matter with a sense of urgency and collaboration, because what matters to you matters to all of us.

To learn more visit www.meritas.org.

Law Firm Growth Program

ELPO Law would like to invite you to join its Law Firm Growth Program. While our attorneys have been partnering with other firms for 50 years, this program has now been formalized by ELPO Law to assist other firms and solo practitioners in expanding your practice areas to provide increased services to your clients, while also allowing you to increase revenue.

As part of this program, ELPO Law is able to provide resources and expertise to your firm so that you can offer your clients a more robust, well-rounded portfolio of legal service offerings beyond what your firm is able to handle on its own.

Expand Your Firm’s Practice With One Phone Call

ELPO Law has a proven record of achieving outstanding results for our clients in cases ranging from personal injury to environmental law to estate planning, and more. Our attorneys concentrate on a few areas of law each and then combine their years of experience to create a highly successful, full service firm at ELPO Law.

Because of our reputation within the legal community, a large number of our cases are referred to us by other lawyers. Many of our referrals are received from lawyers who do not handle cases in a particular practice area or contingent fee cases.

We also receive referrals from other  law firms that do not have the time, expertise, or capital resources to properly pursue particular cases.

We welcome the opportunity to co-counsel, joint venture, or even assume clients’ representation on behalf of fellow attorneys. We are happy to have participation from the referring attorney in the case, or we can take care of everything for you – completely up to you!

Helping You to Help Your Clients

ELPO Law is honored to accept referrals from all attorneys, offering our skills and resources to benefit both your client and your professional reputation. As an experienced law firm in a number of practice areas, ELPO Law routinely works with fellow attorneys to provide their clients with the quality representation they need.

If you have a client or case that you would like to discuss with us or consider referring to us, please contact us anytime. Our law firm considers a client referral the highest compliment one lawyer or law firm can pay to another.

Referrals can be made either shortly after an incident occurs, during litigation, and every step in between. Of course, every potential referral is promptly considered by us on a case-by-case basis.

Co-Counsel and Referral Fees

ELPO Law can help you generate a source of income where you may not have the experience, expertise, capital or desire to take on a case due to your current case load.

As outlined in SCR 3.130 and KBA E-55, we will work with you regarding the division of attorney fees. Your clients have come to you because they know and trust you.  These Rules allow for you to co-counsel on a case with other lawyers and divide appropriate fees to those referring lawyers. The client’s prior consent is required.

Reasons You May Consider for Referring a Case:

  • Your firm does not handle that particular kind of case.
  • You do not have the staffing or resources to properly devote to the case.
  • You are concerned about the financial or time demands the case will put on your practice.
  • You need a second pair of eyes on a particularly complex case.
  • You prefer to collaborate with another lawyer to gain more experience in a certain type of case.
  • You do not represent clients with the type of case presented.
  • You currently practice law in a different state or are not admitted to the Kentucky/ Tennessee bar.

Whatever the reason, if you do not like the thought of turning away a potential client, but you still want the client to have the quality representation he or she deserves, we are here to work with you as a supportive part of your team to ensure that your clients receive the best legal representation possible.

If you are an attorney and you are interested in our Law Firm Growth Program, please contact us today at 270-781-6500 or inquiry@elpolaw.com.

ELPO Law is the largest full-service law firm in our region and deeply ingrained in Western Kentucky. Our attorneys serve on non-profits’ boards, volunteer in schools, donate to charitable causes and coach soccer teams. Many are raising their families here. This is our home, and we want to contribute, both by offering sound legal advice to those who are building Kentucky into a better bluegrass and by lending volunteer support to the organizations that make this a great place to live.

If you need to create an estate plan, handle an immigration issue, file a personal injury case or get assistance with a complicated business matter, we can help.

The History of ELPO Law:

In 1973, four attorneys came together to form English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP, a new law firm in Bowling Green, Ky. Charles E. English, James Lucas and Michael Owsley worked together at another firm, and they asked Whayne C. Priest Jr. to join with them to form ELPO. Charles English and Michael Owsley are still with the firm today. Jim Lucas passed away in 2004, and Whayne Priest passed away in 2025.

Whayne Priest had a strong background in municipal law as he served as the city solicitor for eight years. He continued to handle cases that involved local government throughout his career, including his work with the Inter-modal Transportation Authority, the organization that oversees the management of the Kentucky Transpark, a 1,200-acre high-tech business park in Bowling Green. Michael Owsley began working with several school districts throughout Kentucky, and was joined in his education law practice work by Regina Jackson, who came to ELPO in 1993. Other associates also assist in the area of education law, as ELPO now counts among its clients more than 20 school districts. Charles English handles business law cases, estate cases and many of the firm’s appellate cases. Mr. English also served as president of the Kentucky Bar Association, as did his son, Charles E. “Buzz” English, who is also an attorney at ELPO.

The firm added its first associate, Keith Carwell, in 1974. Mr. Carwell is still with the firm. Other attorneys joined over time, expanding the reach of the firm and the types of cases the firm handles.

For the firm’s first 20 years, Michael Owsley served as the managing partner of ELPO, guiding its business practices and growth, including hiring new associates and support staff. Regina Jackson took over this position in 2001, and under her tenure, the firm added a firm administrator, Travis Armstrong, in 2005. Bob Young served as managing partner from 2007 to 2010, and D. Gaines Penn became managing partner in January 2011. Bob Young returned as Managing Partner in January 2016 and continues to serve as Managing Partner today.

English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP has long contributed to the community in many ways. As a business, the firm contributes significantly to many community and some statewide causes. ELPO also contributes to the local economy as an employer, with 60+ people including attorneys and support staff working for the firm. In 1986, the firm built its current building at 1101 College Street in downtown Bowling Green.

English, Lucas, Priest and Owsley, LLP supports causes that uplift the spirits of the community and contribute to the common good. To make the strongest, long-term impact in our community, we choose to invest in non-profit organizations that serve the needs of children, provide arts programming, assist economic development efforts, and conduct or support health care research. As a firm, we believe those commitments will best serve the interests of our community and Kentucky as a whole.

Some of the commitments we have made include support of the Commonwealth Health Foundation Free Clinic, which provides health care to those who cannot afford it, and the CHC Hospitality House, a home away from home for those visiting patients at the local hospital. The firm supports SKYPAC, which is an arts center in Bowling Green, and supports Orchestra Kentucky. We are also supporters of the Bowling Green Hot Rods along with numerous activities with Western Kentucky University and through local school systems.

English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP is a member of Meritas, the premier global alliance of independent law firms. Meritas firms are able to offer a full range of legal services to meet every client need.

ELPO Law has 32 lawyers based in Bowling Green, Ky and provides a full range of legal services to our clients with experienced attorneys at cost-effective rates. Through our affiliation with Meritas, ELPO Law is able to broaden our ability to provide comprehensive legal services to our clients wherever their business interests may be because we can connect with quality firms that have strong ties to their local civic, business and legal communities in virtually every major market in the United States and across the globe. With 191 member firms in 96 countries, Meritas covers more global markets than any other national law firm and most legal networks.

As an invitation-only legal alliance, Meritas firms uphold the highest standards of legal advice and client service. Meritas firms share expertise, bench strength, local market knowledge, connections, and geographic coverage to represent clients most effectively. Recognizing that crucial legal matters come in all sizes and shapes, Meritas member firms approach each matter with a sense of urgency and collaboration, because what matters to you matters to all of us.

To learn more visit www.meritas.org.

ELPO Law would like to invite you to join its Law Firm Growth Program. While our attorneys have been partnering with other firms for 50 years, this program has now been formalized by ELPO Law to assist other firms and solo practitioners in expanding your practice areas to provide increased services to your clients, while also allowing you to increase revenue.

As part of this program, ELPO Law is able to provide resources and expertise to your firm so that you can offer your clients a more robust, well-rounded portfolio of legal service offerings beyond what your firm is able to handle on its own.

Expand Your Firm’s Practice With One Phone Call

ELPO Law has a proven record of achieving outstanding results for our clients in cases ranging from personal injury to environmental law to estate planning, and more. Our attorneys concentrate on a few areas of law each and then combine their years of experience to create a highly successful, full service firm at ELPO Law.

Because of our reputation within the legal community, a large number of our cases are referred to us by other lawyers. Many of our referrals are received from lawyers who do not handle cases in a particular practice area or contingent fee cases.

We also receive referrals from other  law firms that do not have the time, expertise, or capital resources to properly pursue particular cases.

We welcome the opportunity to co-counsel, joint venture, or even assume clients’ representation on behalf of fellow attorneys. We are happy to have participation from the referring attorney in the case, or we can take care of everything for you – completely up to you!

Helping You to Help Your Clients

ELPO Law is honored to accept referrals from all attorneys, offering our skills and resources to benefit both your client and your professional reputation. As an experienced law firm in a number of practice areas, ELPO Law routinely works with fellow attorneys to provide their clients with the quality representation they need.

If you have a client or case that you would like to discuss with us or consider referring to us, please contact us anytime. Our law firm considers a client referral the highest compliment one lawyer or law firm can pay to another.

Referrals can be made either shortly after an incident occurs, during litigation, and every step in between. Of course, every potential referral is promptly considered by us on a case-by-case basis.

Co-Counsel and Referral Fees

ELPO Law can help you generate a source of income where you may not have the experience, expertise, capital or desire to take on a case due to your current case load.

As outlined in SCR 3.130 and KBA E-55, we will work with you regarding the division of attorney fees. Your clients have come to you because they know and trust you.  These Rules allow for you to co-counsel on a case with other lawyers and divide appropriate fees to those referring lawyers. The client’s prior consent is required.

Reasons You May Consider for Referring a Case:

  • Your firm does not handle that particular kind of case.
  • You do not have the staffing or resources to properly devote to the case.
  • You are concerned about the financial or time demands the case will put on your practice.
  • You need a second pair of eyes on a particularly complex case.
  • You prefer to collaborate with another lawyer to gain more experience in a certain type of case.
  • You do not represent clients with the type of case presented.
  • You currently practice law in a different state or are not admitted to the Kentucky/ Tennessee bar.

Whatever the reason, if you do not like the thought of turning away a potential client, but you still want the client to have the quality representation he or she deserves, we are here to work with you as a supportive part of your team to ensure that your clients receive the best legal representation possible.

If you are an attorney and you are interested in our Law Firm Growth Program, please contact us today at 270-781-6500 or inquiry@elpolaw.com.