Bonnie Hoskins
Education: Bonnie graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1978 with Honors and High Distinction. She next studied at the Centre for Renaissance Studies in Oxford, England before entering the University Of Kentucky College Of Law in 1979. While attending the University Of Kentucky College Of Law, Bonnie served as a member of the National Moot Court Team. She received her Juris Doctorate Degree in 1982. Since that time, she has practiced primarily administrative law specializing in workers' compensation defense.
Legal Experience: Bonnie clerked with Kentucky's Special Fund while in law school and then practiced with the Special Fund for a short time after completing her law degree. She engaged in private practice in Eastern Kentucky representing clients primarily in the coal industry from 1983-1986 before joining Stoll, Keenon & Park early in 1987. Since that time, she has practiced workers' compensation exclusively.
While working with Stoll, Keenon & Park, Bonnie served on the firm's Administrative Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. She was also instrumental in developing and upgrading computer software specifically designed for the Workers' Compensation Department.
In 2001, Bonnie founded Hoskins Law Offices PLLC.
Associations: Bonnie is a former Chair of the Workers' Compensation Committee of the Kentucky Bar Association In that role, Bonnie was asked by the Executive Director of the Department of Workers' Claims to serve on various advisory committees. Bonnie is also a regular speaker at Continuing Legal Education seminars and has published numerous outlines and articles in continuing education publications. Bonnie is also a contributing author to the University of Kentucky Workers' Compensation Desk Book.
Carl M. Brashear
Education: Mr. Brashear received a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Psychology from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, in 1985. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University Of Kentucky College Of Law in 1989 and received a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business in 1999. There, he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and an Honors member of the Financial Management Association's Student Division. Mr. Brashear has also completed additional course work in accounting and computer science.
Legal Experience: While in law school, Mr. Brashear worked as a policy analyst for the Coal Development Division of the Kentucky Energy Cabinet. He began practicing law in 1990 with the firm of Wells, Porter, Schmitt and Walker in Paintsville, Kentucky. Initially, he practiced in general insurance defense, but most of his work involved workers' compensation defense. Mr. Brashear later practiced workers' compensation defense for Clark, Ward & Cave and Stoll, Keenon & Park in Lexington, Kentucky before taking a position as a staff attorney with the Kentucky Workers' Compensation Board in 1994.
While working for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Brashear authored numerous opinions covering all aspects of Kentucky Workers' Compensation. He worked closely with Hon. Larry Greathouse, a former Commissioner of the Department of Workers' Claims, as well as a number of the current Workers' Compensation Board members. Mr. Brashear authored several opinions for the Board that the Kentucky Court of Appeals later adopted verbatim. He also prepared summaries of noteworthy opinions issued by the Board. During the 2000 legislative session, Mr. Brashear prepared analyses of proposed statutory changes which were used by the Legislative Research Commission.
In January of 2002, Mr. Brashear became associated with Hoskins Law Offices PLLC. His practice areas have been in workers' compensation and Federal black lung defense.
J. Landon Overfield
J. Landon Overfield recently retired as Chief Administrative Law Judge with the Kentucky Department of Workers Claims. Mr. Overfield received Bachelor of Arts (political science) and Juris Doctor Degrees from the University of Kentucky. He was admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in April of 1973 and is a member of the Kentucky and Henderson County Bar Associations. During his 21 years of private practice, Mr. Overfield was admitted to practice before all Courts of Justice and administrative tribunals in the Commonwealth Kentucky, the United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky.
A native of Henderson, Kentucky, Mr. Overfield returned home after completing his legal education and established his law practice. He was in private practice from April of 1973 until November 14, 1994. His practice began as a general practice but evolved to lean toward personal injury and workers compensation litigation. In both arenas he represented both plaintiffs and defendants. During the last several years of his law practice, he concentrated almost exclusively on workers compensation and personal injury. As a practicing attorney, Mr. Overfield represented injured workers, self-insured employers and employers on behalf of workers compensation insurance carriers.
Mr. Overfield was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge and served in that position from November 15, 1994 until his retirement on December 31, 2014. As an Administrative Law Judge, Mr. Overfield administered thousands of Kentucky workers compensation claims, conducted thousands of proceedings, and issued hundreds of opinions. He presided over dockets from Pikeville to Paducah, from Ashland to Bowling Green and in multiple other hearing sites in Kentucky. From September 1, 2008 through July 31, 2009 Mr. Overfield served as the "acting" Chief Administrative Law Judge. He was appointed Chief Administrative Law Judge effective September 1, 2010 and served in that capacity until his recent retirement.
Mr. Overfield is a member of the planning committee of the UK/CLE Worker's Compensation Institute, a member of the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Worker's Compensation Education Association and a member of the Executive Committee of SAWCA (Southern Association of Workers Compensation Administrators). He has been a frequent presenter in Kentucky workers compensation seminars.
After retiring from the DWC, he plans to practice on a limited basis performing contract work, offering consultation in workers compensation matters, reviewing files and preparing litigation plans and performing mediation services. Put 42 years of experience as a workers compensation practitioner and adjudicator to work for you and your client.