Van F. Sims

 

Mr. Sims was born in Mayfield, Kentucky and grew up on a farm in Graves County. He attended Murray State University where he obtained a B.S. in Agriculture, graduating summa cum laude in 1975.  He obtained his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Kentucky in 1979 where he was selected to the Order of the Coif.  Mr. Sims was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association in October 1979.

 

Prior to joining Miller Hahn in 2021, Mr. Sims practiced in Paducah since 1979 with another well respected, local firm. Mr. Sims practice has focused on civil litigation involving personal injury for the defense. He has experience in the trial of motor vehicle accidents, products liability claims, premises liability, and wrongful death litigation.  Mr. Sims also has practiced in the areas of construction defect claims, insurance contract and coverage issues, real estate issues, contract litigation, probate and estate litigation and administration of estates. Mr. Sims has practiced cases at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts throughout West Kentucky.

 

His areas of practice include Premises Liability, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Insurance Coverage, Construction Litigation, Products Liability, Estate Litigation, Probate Administration.

 

Mr. Sims has been active in bar associations at the local and state level.  He served as President of the McCracken County Bar Association in 2000 and 2001.  He has been elected to serve on the Judicial Nominating Committee for the 2nd Judicial Circuit court from 1998 to the present. He is currently a member of the Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors and was recently elected to a third term starting in July 2021.  Mr. Sims currently serves on the Kentucky Bar Association Ethics and Rules Committees. He is a Life Fellow of the Kentucky Bar Foundation.

 

Mr. Sims is a member of the Kentucky Defense Counsel, Inc., having served as President in 2006 -2007 and on its Board of Directors from 2004 to 2008. Mr. Sims has been a member of the Defense Research Institute, Inc. since 1995.  He received an Exceptional Performance Citation from DRI for 2006-2007. Mr. Sims has served from 2000 to the present on the Board of Directors of the Western Kentucky Federal Community Defender, Inc. that provides counsel for indigent clients in federal criminal cases.

 

Bar & Courts:

• Kentucky Bar, 2019

• United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, 2019

 

Professional Associations:

• Kentucky Bar Association

• McCracken County Bar Association

• U.S. District Court Western District of Kentucky

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

 

Mr. Sims has served as president of several local civic groups. He is married to Phyllis Felts Sims. 
Mr. Sims enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with his wife, their daughter and granddaughters.