About Damon
A Trusted Leader in Criminal Defense
For nearly a decade, Damon led Kentucky’s statewide public defender system, overseeing and supporting attorneys handling the most serious criminal cases across the Commonwealth. He has been selected to train and teach lawyers for the Kentucky Bar Association, the Kentucky Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the University of Kentucky, and has shared his experience at national conferences around the country.
Experience When it Matters Most
Damon’s career has come a long way since his first case in 1994, when he represented a young client charged with trespass in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. Over the past three decades, he has stood with clients in New York City, across more than 25 Kentucky counties, and before the Kentucky Supreme Court, in cases both large and small. Whether through negotiation, litigation, or the stress of a jury trial, Damon is committed to supporting clients through every step of the process.
Harvard-Educated, Kentucky Roots
Damon grew up in Harrodsburg and earned a degree in Mathematics from Transylvania University. He later graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. After a few years practicing law in New York, Damon returned home to Central Kentucky in 1997. His background reflects both deep local roots and rigorous legal training at the highest level, now applied in service to Kentucky clients.
Professional, Experienced, and Client-Centered Attorney
Damon L. Preston
From Harrodsburg to Harvard to here, Damon’s career has prepared him to give clients the assistance they need and deserve. He went to law school because he wanted to find a way to help people.
For more than three decades, Damon served his community on the front lines of the constitutional promise that every person is entitled to a lawyer, rising from a staff attorney in traffic court to Kentucky’s Public Advocate, where he led and supported more than 400 public defenders across the Commonwealth.
Today, he continues that commitment by serving his clients with thoughtful representation, clear counsel, and steady advocacy — all delivered on a first-name basis.
The right to be heard wouldn’t mean much if it did not also include the right to be heard by counsel.
–Powell vs. Alabama, US Supreme Court (1932)(paraphrased and emphasis added)
I’m trusting in the Lord and a good lawyer.
-Oliver North
Committed To Helping Clients
Detailed History
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1994 (cum laude)
- B.A., Mathematics, Transylvania University, 1991 (magna cum laude)
- Mercer County High School, 1987
Attorney Positions
- Public Advocate (Chief Defender of Kentucky), 2017-2026
- Public Advocacy Leadership Team (Deputy Public Advocate, General Counsel, Trial Division Director), 2008-2017
- Defender Supervisor (Appeals Branch, Cynthiana Trial Office, Paducah Trial Office), 2001-2008
- Staff Attorney, Richmond DPA Trial Office, 1997-2001
- Appellate Public Defender, Legal Aid Society, New York City, 1994-1997
Other Honors and Opportunities
- Chair, Criminal Law Section of the Kentucky Bar Association
- Adjunct Professor, University of Kentucky Law School
- Member, Governor's Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council
- Member, Chief Justice's e-Courts Management Committee
- Presenter, Kentucky Bar Association Annual Convention