James Dotson Allen, age 57, passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2021. He was the husband of Shelia Duff Allen. His parents, David Allen and the late Barbara Dotson Allen, welcomed him into the world on May 14, 1964 in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. Jim received his Juris Doctor degree from Northern Kentucky University, Salmon P. Chase College of Law, and then went on to work as an attorney at Stoll Keenon Ogden.

His defense of Kentucky Retirement Services (KRS) in a collective action claim brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging age discrimination in the state’s retirement plan is one of the highlights of his career. After 12 years of legal wrangling, the case was brought before the United States Supreme Court, which ultimately decided in KRS’s favor. Jim was selected for the title of Lawyer of the Year for both 2016 and 2021 by the publication Best Lawyers in America. Also, he was a member of the Porter Memorial Baptist Church.

Those who are left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Caitlin Brooke Allen; his son, James Corey (Sarah) Allen; his brother, David D. Allen II; his mother-in-law, Patricia Duff; his sister-in-law, Sandy (Greg) Hackett; his brother-in-law, Todd (Twilia) Duff; his nieces, Lauren (Seth) Jarrell, and Hollie Charles; his nephews, David D. Allen

Jim’s mother, Barbara, his sister-in-law Loree G. Allen, his father-in-law Birchell Duff, and his nephew Jim Doug Charles have all passed away before him. On Tuesday, a visitation will take place in private, and a memorial ceremony will be conducted at the Clark Legacy Center in Brannon Crossing. Donations in memory of the deceased can be donated to the Porter Memorial Baptist Church in place of flowers.

The family respectfully requests that everyone wear masks and maintain an appropriate social distance.