Cliff Travis | Attorney

Wm. Clifton (Cliff) Travis has had an active trial practice for over thirty years. The types of cases he has tried are as varied as the clients he has represented.  From defending the Dow Chemical Company in the celebrated breast implant litigation to representing a young man whose eye was lost as a result of negligent supervision by school officials, Cliff has represented plaintiffs and defendants before juries and judges in courtrooms (both at the trial and appellate level) throughout Kentucky and other states. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbel. Louisville Magazine lists him as one of Louisville's Top Lawyers.

Cliff is especially proud that his firm has been listed among the top five most active trial firms in Kentucky on numerous occasions.

While staying busy as a trial lawyer, Cliff has found time to author two legal text books (Admissibility of Evidence, A Manual for Kentucky Trial Lawyers, which was extended through a second edition, and No-Fault Automobile Law, A Comprehensive Guide for Kentucky Lawyers) and he has conducted over fifty legal seminars, including programs requested expressly by the Kentucky Bar Association (for its annual convention), the Indiana Bar Association and the American Association of Chiefs of Police. He is currently president of the Kentucky chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He served as a police court judge prior to entering the private practice of law.

In addition to his professional interests, Cliff has served hospital, school and civic organizations as an officer and director. Twice, his peers selected him to receive the Louisville Bar Association's Annual Service Award. He led the Louisville Bar Foundation as its president for two consecutive terms during its formative years. He served as President of the University of Louisville Law Alumni Association and was a director of the University's Alumni Association for 22 years. He served as president of his Rotary club and was honored twice as an outstanding community volunteer. His biography appears in editions of Who's Who in American Law and Who's Who Among Practicing Attorneys.

Cliff served on active duty in the Air Force before law school and retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1989.

Cliff is as bad at golf as he is good in the courtroom, but that doesn't keep him from playing golf as often as he can. He has fished the waters of the world and trophies from his hunts in Africa (where he lived for two and one-half years) hang in his home. He collects sports memorabilia and is an avid sports fan (particularly of the University of Louisville, the source of his undergraduate and law degrees, and the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a Master of Arts in Speech Communication). He has been honored by selection to his high school's hall of fame (Louisville Shawnee High School).

Cliff and Paula Travis have been married for forty-two years. Paula (who has a doctorate in Educational Leadership) is the Director of Nursing at Central State Hospital (Kentucky's largest mental hospital). David Travis, their son, is a partner at Travis & Herbert Attorneys. Their daughter Lyn is a fifth grade teacher with credentials qualifying her to become a principal in the near future.  Cliff and Paula have three grandchildren with one more on the way in March.