Tom Barker

Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and Associate General Counsel

Tom Barker is Associate Vice President for Philanthropy and Associate General Counsel. Tom has more than twenty years of experience in the public and private sectors.

As Associate Vice President for Philanthropy, Tom advises the Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement and other senior administrative and academic leaders on complex gift matters. Tom advises and participates in the cultivation, solicitation, and financial modeling of principal gift commitments; negotiation with donors and internal stakeholders; gift announcements and media; and select stewardship reporting. Day-to-day leadership of the Gift & Estate Planning Department, which includes the full spectrum of planned giving tools, strategies, and fundraising activities.

As Associate General Counsel, Tom advises on Philanthropy related legal matters, including gift and endowment agreements, probate and trust administration, non-cash gifts, and related charitable / non-profit tax issues. Tom is the Chair of the University’s Gift Acceptance Advisory Committee and Corporate Secretary of the UK Real Estate Foundation, Inc.

Additional professional experience includes private law practice prior to UK in the areas of estate planning, trust and probate administration, business and corporate and select civil litigation. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Tom is a published author in the Kentucky Law Journal, quoted by the Kentucky Supreme Court in Caneyville Volunteer Fire Dept. v. Green's Motorcycle Salvage, Inc., 286 S.W.3d 790 (Ky. 2009). Published decision in Federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals: Nature Conservancy, Inc. v. Sims, 680 F.3d 672 (6th Cir. 2012).

B.A., Transylvania University (cum laude)

J.D., University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law (Kentucky Law Journal)