Joseph E. Lehnert

Joe Lehnert focuses his practice in the areas of creditor’s rights and bankruptcy litigation. Joe combines his exceptional litigation skills with holistic business advice to help clients navigate a wide array of business disputes, particularly in times of economic distress, downturn, or interruption. Joe’s clients rely on his ability to develop creative, pragmatic strategies to help KMK clients maximize value, mitigate loss, and find new opportunities.

Joe has represented secured and unsecured creditors, debtors, lenders, investors, purchasers, commercial landlords and tenants, and receivers and other court-appointed fiduciaries in state and federal trial and appellate court proceedings, including collection, eviction, foreclosure, receivership, dissolution, and bankruptcy reorganization and liquidation. Joe also advises clients in commercial loan workouts and out-of-court restructurings, including loan modifications, forbearance agreements, and loan sales. By leveraging the resources of a full service law firm, Joe is able to develop effective solutions and strategies to carry out the business and personal objectives of KMK clients.

Joe also represents several mass tort settlement trusts and qualified settlement funds and regularly advises on trust administration and claims processing matters including legal evaluation of claims, analysis of bankruptcy plan and trust distribution procedures and third-party discovery.  Joe has represented mass tort settlement trusts and trustees in both state and federal forums including with respect to claimant litigation and bankruptcy appeals.

Joe is significantly involved in KMK’s diversity and inclusion and community service initiatives. Joe is the Co-Chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and a member of Service Committee and planning committee for the Law Student Diversity Case Competition, as well as contributor to the KMK Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter. Joe has also served on the firm’s Women’s Initiative, associate liaison committee, and he regularly participates in the firm’s attorney recruitment efforts and summer associate program.

What was your first job?
I started my first job when I was 15 years old at a local McDonald’s, where I worked for almost 2.5 years. I worked every shift and learned every position inside the restaurant—from cleaning the restrooms, mopping floors, and draining the grease traps after working the drive-thru on a busy Friday night; to washing the dishes and kitchen equipment following the weekend morning breakfast rush; to working the grill and sandwich assembly line when buses of traveling youth sports teams would unexpectedly show up. I still contend to be the fastest burger wrapper around. At 17 years old, I would leave the Golden Arches to become a messenger clerk in the mailroom at KMK, where I am a Partner today.

How do you spend quality time with your family?
I enjoy taking my wife, Trisha, and our two kids, Javi and Jackie, on spontaneous adventures around town. We load up in the Jeep and make our way to any random part of greater Cincinnati for a fun activity or event—and oftentimes food is involved. Our go-to family food destinations include The Filson at the Banks, Sugar N’ Spice in Over-the-Rhine, Element Eatery food hall in Madisonville, the Harrison Avenue Wild Mike’s, Goodfellas Pizzeria in Pleasant Ridge, and of course our neighborhood Norwood Skyline. Trish’s and my favorite restaurant in town is Ripple Wine Bar in Covington, and we often spend “date night” at a Xavier basketball game or FC Cincinnati match.

What is something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I have ridden on a camel, a donkey, an elephant, and even on the fin of a dolphin—but I have never ridden a horse.