Angela Dunham
Deputy Executive Director
Office of Legal Services
Angela Dunham is the Deputy Executive Director of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's Office of Legal Services. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. Angela is admitted to practice law in Kentucky and before the following courts; Kentucky Eastern and Western Districts; Alabama Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts; the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth and Eleventh Circuits; and the U.S. Supreme Court. Angela provides legal advice on a daily basis to the leadership team of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and it's various departments and agencies. She has been with the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for 13 years, starting as a Staff Attorney III before moving to the position of Staff Attorney Manager. During her career with the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Angela has mainly focused her tenure on providing representation to the Cabinet, the Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Parole Board in legal proceedings before the state and federal courts of Kentucky, as well as the Kentucky Claims Commission.
William Codell
Staff Attorney Manager
Department of Juvenile Justice
William Codell is an attorney for the Department of Juvenile Justice. He is a graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law. He was admitted to practice law by the Kentucky Bar Association in 2005. Mr. Codell provides legal advice on a daily basis for all aspects of the Department's activities. This responsibility includes assisting with the drafting of policies and regulations implemented by the Department of Juvenile Justice. In addition, Mr. Codell represents the Department of Juvenile Justice in court proceedings throughout Kentucky. His areas of practice include juvenile law, employment law, administrative law, and civil litigation.
Shawna Kincer
General Counsel
Kentucky State Police
Shawna Kincer has served as the General Counsel for the Kentucky State Police (KSP) for the past 4 years. In this role, Kincer oversees the KSP litigation team, teaches criminal law to cadets at the KSP academy, manages the Open Records Division, sits on various boards, and oversees the internal disciplinary actions for sworn troopers.
Kincer Began her career as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney at the Fayette Commonwealth's Attorney's office in 2000. She served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney for 12 years before joining the Office of the Attorney General as the Executive Director of the Special Prosecutions Unit. Over her 17 year career in criminal law, Kincer successfully prosecuted a number of high profile cases, including Iron Horseman Case, Roger McBeth, and Frankfort Victims Advocate case. She has tried over 75 felony jury trials and obtained over 14 homicide guilty verdicts at trial.
Kincer is a 2000 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law.
Deaidra Douglas
Assistant General Counsel
Department of Criminal Justice Training
With over 19 years of experience in the practice of law, Deaidra Douglas became the assistant general counsel for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's Department of Criminal Justice Training on August 1, 2016. After earning her juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2001, Ms. Douglas served as a law clerk to the Bourbon County Circuit Court judge before opening a private practice in Paris, KY. There, she practiced in the areas of criminal defense; family/divorce; dependency, neglect, and abuse; real estate; social security disability; and juvenile law. She also served as the Bourbon County Teen Court coordinator and as secretary-treasurer of the Bourbon County Bar Association from 2005-2006.
In 2007, Ms. Douglas joined the Department of Public Advocacy where she served a 10-county area in eastern Kentucky. In 2009, she was promoted to directing attorney for the London DPA office. During this time, she attended the National Criminal Defense College Trial Practice Institute in Macon, Georgia.
While serving as directing attorney, Ms. Douglas managed circuit, district, and family court coverages in five counties, practiced death penalty cases, acted as the Defense bar FAIR Team representative and Laurel County Teen Court coordinator.
Shawn Chapman
Executive Advisor
Office of Legal Services
Shawn D. Chapman is an Executive Advisor to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's Office of Legal Services. Mr. Chapman brings a wealth of expertise to this role where he provides executive-level legal advice to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's executive leadership, General Counsel and other Office of Legal Services' attorneys, and the various departments and agencies under the Cabinet's authority and responsibility. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's executive leadership team relies on Mr. Chapman for strong legal and policy review of proposed legislation that may have a direct effect on the Cabinet. Mr. Chapman collaborates regularly with the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs to ensure that policy initiatives help better Kentucky by strengthening the Cabinet's mission to provide security and safety to both the public and those within state custody. He represents the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and its agencies, including the Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, in administrative hearings and court litigation. Additionally, Mr. Chapman oversees the legal review for the special law enforcement officer and special local peace officer commission process. His areas of practice include administrative law, open records law, government relations, civil litigation and appellate litigation.
Before joining the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Mr. Chapman served as Deputy General Counsel for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, where he advised the Commission and its staff in regards to day-to-day operations, and represented the Commission in both administrative hearings and court proceedings, including the successful defense of the outcome of the 145th Kentucky Derby. Prior to that position, Mr. Chapman practiced law at Fowler Bell, PLLC, focusing on insurance defense and general trial and appellate litigation. He also worked at the Kentucky Supreme Court for twelve years, serving as the senior law clerk/staff attorney to Justices Mary C. Noble, John C. Roach, and James E. Keller.
Mr. Chapman graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 2002 and was admitted to practice law in Kentucky in 2002.