Kayla’s entire career has been focused on federal criminal defense and civil rights cases. She has tried three federal criminal cases in just the past two years.  In 2022, she was appointed by the federal bench in the Western District of Kentucky to serve on the Criminal Justice Act Panel, where she represents individuals in criminal cases who are unable for financial reasons to retain counsel.

She obtained her Juris Doctor from the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, where she graduated magna cum laude.  During law school, Kayla served in various student leadership positions with the Student Bar Association, and was a representative on the Law School’s Honor Council. She was the Notes Editor for the Journal of Animal and Environmental Law, and a pupil member of the Louis D. Brandeis American Inn of Court. Pursuing her passion for criminal law, she participated in externships at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and at the Office of the Commonwealth Attorney.

Kayla hails from Louisville where she attended Dupont Manual High School, before attending the University of Kentucky where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, graduating summa cum laude.

In her free time, Kayla enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time outdoors.