About
Meet Ted Bartenstein
Mr. Bartenstein is a trial lawyer and the Owner of Bartenstein Law. It was over 30 years ago that Ted tried his first will contest to a jury. He now focuses his practice on litigating Estate and Trust disputes, in both Kentucky and Indiana. These kinds of cases include:
- Will contests
- Trust contests
- Contested appointment of fiduciaries (Trustees, Executors, etc.)
- Disputed heirs
- Dower disputes (Claim to recover Spousal share of assets)
Mr. Bartenstein grew up in Northern Virginia, attended the University of Virginia for two years, and finished his undergraduate and law school training in Louisville. He and his wife, Teresa Clare Bartenstein have two adult children and three grandchildren living in California. In his spare time, he enjoys travel, playing music with his friends, attending live theatre and running the trails in Cherokee Park.
Besides Trust and Estate Litigation, in his over 35 years of practice Mr. Bartenstein has handled commercial litigation (representing companies) of the following types:
- Breach of contract
- Breach of duties owed between partners and co-owners
- Enforcement or defense against anti-compete clauses
- Misrepresentation (fraud or negligent)
- Interference in contractual relationships
- Conversion
- Business defamation or disparagement
- Collections
- Bankruptcy
His experience litigating real estate cases includes:
- Lease disputes
- Fraud and misrepresentation in sales
- Boundary disputes
- Adverse possession
- Construction defects
- Mechanics and other lien claims
He has represented insurers and insureds in the following types of cases:
- Policy interpretation
- Automobile
- Trucking
- Business
- Construction
- Products liability
- Fire and explosion
- Environmental claims
- Superfund allocation actions
- Regulatory actions involving the alleged release and discharge of industrial waste
- Insurance disputes for environmental claims.
Peer Ratings
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
Education
- University of Virginia, intermediate honors, 1979-1981
- University of Louisville B.A., 1985, Cum Laude
- University of Louisville J.D., 1988, Cum Laude
Bar and Court Admissions
- Kentucky Supreme Court
- Indiana Supreme Court
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Kentucky
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Claims
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
Professional Activities
- Kentucky Bar Association
- Indiana Bar Association
- Louisville Bar Association
Civic Involvement
- YouthBuild Louisville, Member of Board of Directors 2003-2013; President of Board 2007-2010; Cherokee Triangle Association- Food Court Co-Chair for the CTA Art Fair 1997-2025
- Cherokee Triangle Association- Volunteer for Tree Committee 2009-2010
Seminars
- Lorman Education Bad Faith April 28, 1999
- Lorman Education Bad Faith April 12, 2000
- Lorman Education Bad Faith April 3, 2001
- Lorman Education Bad Fatih January 18, 2002
- NBI Bad Faith, March 20, 2003
- Kentucky Society of CPAs Risk Management Conference – E&O and D&O Insurance – September 2005
- NBI Bad Faith, June 27, 2007
- NBI Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Claims February 2010
- NBI Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims, February 2, 2012
- NBI Litigating Bad Faith Insurance Claims, June 2014
Achievements
- Law Review (Journal of Family Law)
- Nettleroth Scholarship for Creative Writing
Additional Accolades
In addition to the cases mentioned above, Ted has successfully prosecuted and defended business litigation claims involving a variety of disputes between businesses and among business owners sounding in breach of contract, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duties. His same attention to understanding the motives and economic power reflected in contract terms for insurance policies is brought to bear on the contract terms for business deals, and helps clients and judges understand why certain results may not be unfair, even though they may seem that way at first glance.
Ted has also litigated complex discovery issues primarily in the area of bad faith litigation where courts seem inclined against protecting privileged and proprietary information. These disputes are vitally important to the clients involved, and demand careful attention to both the law, e.g., the parameters of relevance, and the details of what information exists, where it exists, and how it needs to be managed. His experience in business litigation and understanding of management challenges are invaluable in these efforts.
In estate litigation Ted recognizes these cases are fact-intensive and prides himself on the organization and management of the details, utilizing computerized litigation support to streamline and track work on the case.
Ted recognizes that most cases settle short of trial, but negotiating successful settlements requires meticulous preparation. He is experienced in spotting the critical issues necessary to fairly evaluate cases, and to make reliable predictions on which clients depend. The types of cases successfully managed for settlement purposes include catastrophic loss claims from car and truck accidents, toxic exposure, environmental damage claims, and insurance coverage matters.
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