Edward L. Metzger III

Edward L. ("Lee") Metzger III is one of the premier trial lawyers in Northern Kentucky. He is licensed to practice in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and in the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Southern District of Ohio, and Southern District of Indiana. His practice primarily consists of defending those accused of serious crimes and representing individuals, businesses, and insurance companies in personal injury cases. He is well-recognized for his abilities, having been named by Super Lawyers© as a Rising Star from 2019-2023. The bulk of his civil practice is in the areas of insurance defense, personal injury, and wrongful death.

Lee's passion is in his robust criminal defense practice. He routinely defends those accused of serious felony offenses, particularly in federal court. The long and short of it is that you need Lee if you're in "big trouble," facing lots of time in prison or other serious consequences. Other lawyers often call him for advice on their criminal cases. He is a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel in the Eastern District of Kentucky at Covington, and has tried a number of criminal cases designated as "complex" by the federal judiciary. He has guided clients through many types of criminal allegations. Examples include:

- Arson

- Battery

- Bomb Threats/Terrorism

- Child Abuse

- Child pornography (possession, receipt, and production)

- Counterfeiting

- Conspiracy

- Drug offenses (e.g. methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, cocaine, crack, and pills/prescription drugs)

- False statement in application/use of a passport

- Federal crimes

- Felon-in-possession

- Forfeiture

- Fraud (e.g. mail fraud, insurance fraud, tax fraud, business fraud, etc.)

- Gun crimes

- Identity Theft

- Immigration offenses

- Insider Trading

- Money laundering

- Murder

- Public Corruption

- Racketeering/RICO conspiracies

-Robbery/Hobbs Act Robbery

- Sex offenses

- Theft offenses

- Unlawful distribution of drugs (i.e., "trafficking")

- White collar crimes

Lee also handles criminal appeals, § 2255 motions, and habeas corpus petitions for post-conviction relief. He is a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and regularly represents indigent defendants in criminal appeals. He has briefed a number of petitions for a writ of certiorari to the United States Supreme Court.

Examples of his success in the criminal arena include:

- Representation of a defendant who was federally charged in a carfentanil conspiracy that resulted in an overdose death. The mandatory minimum sentence was life imprisonment. Due to Lee's adept management of the case and the filing of several key defensive motions, the charge against his client was dismissed.

- Defense of a wrongfully accused individual in a child pornography case. The case was tried, resulting in a hung jury and subsequent dismissal.

- Defense of an innocent man charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The case was dismissed after the filing of several defensive motions.

- Representation of a defendant on appeal following his guilty plea. The defendant's conviction was vacated due to Lee's argument that the conviction was obtained in violation of the defendant's due process rights.

-Successful appeal of a sentence upon revocation of supervised release. Lee was able to persuade the court of appeals that the district court had improperly calculated the sentencing guidelines as a matter of law.

Lee also prepares simple wills, and helps families navigate the probate and estate administration process when a loved one passes away.