Ashley Witte Dawson

Ashley is a native of Northern Kentucky. Through her catholic upbringing, Ashley learned the value of hard work and discipline. At a very young age, it was apparent that Ashley would one day grow up to be an attorney. She always advocated for the "underdog." Her family noticed Ashley was skilled in debate, persuasion, and negotiation. She would negotiate anything from grades, to allowance, to curfew – she refused to settle on a first offer, no matter what the situation. Ashley even negotiated the purchase of her very first car at the age of 16. To this day, she continues to negotiate vehicle purchases for herself, her family members, and members of her law office. During her teen years, Ashley became intrigued with the law and legal system. This lead to her attending Morehead State University, where she focused her studies on Criminology. Something about the criminal justice system captivated her to the point she became desirous of focusing her efforts towards becoming a criminal defense attorney. During law school, her interest in criminal law became even more overwhelming when Ashley discovered everyday citizens were not always treated fairly within the legal system. Ashley began discovering that the general public often believed criminal defendants were automatically guilty based on flagrant allegations even though everyone is innocent until proven guilty. After graduating from Salmon P. Chase College of Law, Ashley partnered up with Adam Boyd Bleile and began focusing her practice on criminal defense. One of Ashley's first cases involved a young adult accused of a sex crime. Ashley quickly realized the client was a good person that was simply in a bad situation. Both the prosecutor and judge attempted to bully Ashley into a guilty plea because of the fact she was a new attorney at the time. Ashley stuck to her guns and refused to be bullied, especially as her young client's future was on the line. The court system's intimidation did not work. Instead Ashley sought to discover the truth. During her independent investigation, the accuser recanted the allegations. When Ashley brought this new information to the court, the judge and prosecutor again attempted to force a plea to the point the judge even threatened to hold Ashley in contempt and throw her in jail if she did not withdraw her motion. Ashley refused and continued to zealously advocate for her client. Eventually the entire case was dismissed and the client had a new chance for a bright future. After that case, Ashley's eyes were opened to the true colors of the criminal justice system and she vowed to never back down or be bullied. While Ashley goes to battle every day for her clients, she has also come to be known as your everyday girl next door. Everyone likes Ashley. Her charming personality allows her to excel in this profession. Ashley's likable demeanor, coupled with her aggressive defense techniques, makes her a well-rounded attorney. She always enters every legal battle with a bright smile on her face. However, prosecutors never mistake her kindness for weakness.