Joe Bilby
A Kentucky attorney with years of experience representing the interests of farmers and agriculture-related businesses in court and before administrative agencies.
Agricultural Legal Expertise
More than a decade of experience helping a wide range of agribusiness employers navigate their workforce issues and production challenges.
Agribusinesses
Agribusinesses must stay focused on meeting the needs of the farmers who depend on them, but they also have legal needs of their own. I’m here to help.
Employment Law & On-Farm Labor
Helping clients in agriculture and agriculture-related industries with workforce, labor, and government legal challenges.
Farms & Production Agriculture
Helping clients devise a winning strategy to reach the finish line in as effective and efficient a manner as possible.
About Joe
Joe has a deep understanding of Kentucky’s agricultural economy and an extensive network of relationships with agricultural producers, commodity groups and other farm organizations, and agribusinesses across Kentucky.
From 2016 to 2023, Joe served as the top lawyer for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
Working alongside Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner, Joe’s duties included representing the agency in court proceedings and helping to design and implement the legal framework for Kentucky’s hemp program which is now widely regarded as one of the best in the nation. From this experience, Joe developed a strong understanding of the legal system’s impact on the tens of thousands of Kentucky farm families and agribusiness owners who work hard to feed and clothe people around the world.
Joe lives in central Kentucky with his wife, Lesley, and their two children. He is a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, having deployed to Iraq and to Southeast Asia with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit during his active-duty service.
Joe is active in his community with service to local veterans’ organizations. He also volunteers as a YMCA youth sports coach. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law and the University of Virginia.