Overview

Chris Braun is a name partner with the firm and focuses on a variety of complex litigation, transactional, administrative and legislative matters. He was elected to serve as the Firm’s Managing Partner in 2021. Since 1993, Chris has also served as General Counsel to the Indiana Food & Fuel Association (formerly the Indiana Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association) and has written more than 30 articles regarding the petroleum industry.

Over the past 38 years, as defense counsel, Chris has been retained in hundreds of cases to represent individuals and corporate defendants in a wide variety of complex claims and lawsuits involving breach of contract, business litigation, toxic tort, real estate, insurance coverage and environmental matters. As plaintiff’s counsel, Chris regularly represents individuals and corporations in similar matters and has served as lead counsel in dozens of client matters that have each resulted in recoveries of more than $1,000,000. He has often testified before various Indiana House and Senate committees and has drafted more than 40 Indiana environmental statutes and regulations, including those impacting the petroleum industry and Indiana’s Underground Storage Tank Excess Liability Trust Fund.

Chris has also served as lead counsel in numerous transactions for both buyers and sellers of environmentally impacted properties and businesses. Chris has also assisted in the drafting of more than 30 pieces of legislation, including numerous appearances to testify regarding legislation.

Awards

  • 2023 Selected by Alumni of Wabash College to serve on the Board of Trustees, will serve a four-year term ending 2027
  • 2022 Selected as a Fellow by the American Bar Foundation, which is limited to 1% of lawyers admitted in the United States
  • 2022 Selected by the Wabash College Board of Trustees to serve as National Chair of the College’s Annual Fund, to serve as Chairman of the Honorary Degree Committee and to serve on the Board’s Executive Committee
  • 2020-2021 Selected “Lawyer of the Year” in Indianapolis for Environmental Law by Best Lawyers in America
  • 2019 Elected by Alumni of Wabash College to serve on the Board of Trustees; serves on the Board’s Advancement Committee
  • 2019 Selected as Guest Speaker for the Federal Judicial Conferences in Miami, Florida and Redondo Beach, California
  • 2017-2019, 2024 Selected for inclusion Indiana Super Lawyers as one of Indiana’s Top 50 Super Lawyers
  • 2018, Recipient of “Bishop William L. Higi Leadership Award” for Catholic Leadership at Guerin Catholic High School’s 2nd Annual Gala
  • 2017, Inducted into the Wabash College Hall of Fame with Football Team from National Championship Runner-up Team
  • 2001-2024 Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America – Environmental Law and Environmental Litigation
  • 2004-2024 Selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers– Environmental Law
  • 2011 Distinguished Senior Fellow, Indiana Bar Foundation
  • 2010 Recipient of Indiana Lawyer’s Distinguished Barrister Award
  • 2008 Inducted as a Fellow to the American College of Environmental Lawyers as a leading environmental lawyer in Indiana.
  • More than 20 years – Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Education

  • J.D., 1984, Southern Methodist University
  • B.A., 1981, (Political Science), Wabash College; Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Political Science and English), Oxford, England, 1980-1981

Bar Admissions

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1988
  • United States District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, 1988
  • District of Columbia, 1984
  • United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1986
  • United States Supreme Court, 1987
  • State of Indiana, 1988
  • Registered Civil Mediator beginning in 1996
Experience

Since 2001 Chris has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at The Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law teaching more than 1,000 students advance trial techniques and alternative dispute resolution.

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations

  • Fellow, American College of Environmental Lawyers
  • Member, American Bar Association Sections Litigation, Tort and Insurance
  • Member, District of Columbia Bar Association
  • Member, Indiana State Bar Association
  • Member, Indiana State Bar Association Litigation and Environmental Sections
  • Member, Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Member, Indiana Bar Foundation

Community Affiliations

Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN 

  • Member, Board of Trustees 2019-Present
  • National Chairman of Wabash’s Annual Fund

St. Theodore Guerin Catholic High School, Noblesville, IN

  • Chairman and Founding Member for the development, fundraising and construction of a new $30 million Catholic High School
  • School Governing Board Member
  • Chairman, Curriculum Committee

St. Maria Goretti Catholic School, Westfield, IN.

  • Chairman and Founding Member development, fundraising and construction of a new $8 million K-8 Catholic Grade School

Park Tudor School, Indianapolis, IN

  • President, Park Tudor School Board of Directors
  • Park Tudor School Board of Directors – Previously Served as Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary
  • Chairman, Park Tudor Head of School Succession Committee
  • Chairman, Park Tudor Strategic Management Plan 2011-2015
  • Chairman, Park Tudor Finance Committee
  • President, Park Tudor Booster Club
  • Park Tudor Co-Curriculum Committee Member
Articles & Events

2022  |  Speaking Engagement

CLE Presentation at the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Meeting in November 2022 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada

2019  |  Speaking Engagement

Selected as Guest Speaker for the Federal magistrates Judicial CLE Conferences in Miami, Florida and Redondo Beach, California

2017  |  Speaking Engagement

Webinar Speaker, “Environmental Risk Management: Principles and Application”

2017  |  Publication

ISBA “ELTF Off the Shelf: Perception on Legislation and Rule Changes to the ELTF”

2015  |  Speaking Engagement

Speaker at ISBA ICLEF Presentation on “Environmental Dilemmas, The Tougher Topics of Business Law”

2015  |  Publication

ISBA Environmental Law CLE: “The Past, Present and Future of Indiana’s Successful ELTF Program”

2015  |  Publication

“Property Tax Appeals: Are You Paying Too Much In Property Taxes Based On An Inflated Property Valuation?” Summer 2015 Edition, Fueling Indiana.

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