Bryan Babb is the chair of the Appellate Services Group, and a member of the Litigation Group, assisting clients with a wide variety of complex commercial appellate and litigation matters. Bryan also is a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee. Before joining the firm, Bryan served as a judicial law clerk for Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan, Jr. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point (B.S. 1989), Boston University (M.S. 1994), and Indiana University Maurer School of Law - Bloomington (J.D. cum laude, 1999), Bryan served as editor-in-chief for Volume 74 of the Indiana Law Journal. Prior to attending law school, Bryan served as a captain in the Field Artillery with 1st Armored Division, U.S. Army, Europe. Bryan has been the principal author of numerous appellate and amicus briefs in both state and federal appellate courts and has argued before the Indiana Supreme Court, the Indiana Court of Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Bryan also has served as an expert witness on the reasonableness of appellate fees, and his work in this regard was discussed by the Indiana Court of Appeals in Knightstown Banner, LLC v. Town of Knightstown, 882 N.E.2d 270 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008). Bryan is one of six attorneys from Indiana who have received membership into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
Honors / Awards
•Member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
•Best Lawyers 2014 Indianapolis Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year
•The Best Lawyers in America 2008-2020 in the Appellate practice area
•Indiana Super Lawyers 2009-2020 (Appellate)
•Top 50 Indiana Super Lawyers 2012-2020
•Chambers USA 2013, 2014, 2016-2019 in Litigation - Appellate
•2006 Carmel High School Distinguished Alumni Award
•Indy’s Best & Brightest Lawyers 2005 (40 and under) (Junior Achievement/KPMG)
•Henry Ossian Flipper Award, United States Military Academy
•Army Football Coaches Award for Leadership
Appearances / Publications
Speaker: Bryan has appeared as a featured guest in the Indiana Lawyer, on WJOB Radio, and on National Public Radio. He is frequently quoted in Indiana newspapers, including The Indianapolis Star, The Fishers Current, and The Carmel Current, while representing firm clients. Bryan has lectured on numerous aspects of appellate practice for the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, as well as for bar associations at seminars and conferences, including the following:
•“Ethical Issues in Appellate Practice” (Appellate Practice Advocacy, ICLEF, Nov. 2019)
•Speaker / Panel Discussion: “A Salute to Justice Robert D. Rucker’s Contributions to Indiana Law” (I.U. McKinney School of Law, May 2017)
•“Advanced Appellate Practice” (ICLEF, July 2012)
•“Appealable Orders” (ICLEF, May 2012)
•“Successfully Navigating the Appeals Process” (NBI Seminar, 2010)
•“Appellate Oral Advocacy” (Evening with the Appellate Judges, ICLEF, May 2009)
•Moderator: “Riding the Erie Railroad” / Panel Discussion: “State Law Issues in Federal Circuit and District Courts” (7th Circuit Bar Association Annual Meeting, May 2009)
•“Welcome to the 21st Century: An Appellate Perspective” (ICLEF, Oct. 2008)
•“Appellate Practice - Tough Topics” (ICLEF, May 2008, French Lick) (Program Chair)
•“Oral Argument Before Indiana’s Appellate Courts” (Appellate Practice Survey, ICLEF, Oct. 2007)
•“Motions Practice” (Appellate Skills Institute, ICLEF, Nov. 2006)
•“Civil Petitions to Transfer and Oral Arguments in the Indiana Supreme Court” (Criminal & Civil Appellate Practice, Lorman, Mar. 2006)
•“Making It Last: The Preservation of Issues for Appellate Review” (Evidentiary & Discovery Issues in Business Litigation, ICLEF, Oct. 2005)
•“Initiating the Appeal” (Appellate Practice Survey, ICLEF, Oct. 2004)
Author: Bryan has authored or co-authored various articles in legal and professional publications, including the following:
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “52 Ind. L. Rev. 617 (2019)
•Volume 24, Indiana Practice - Appellate Procedure, (3d ed., West Publishing Co., 2001-2018)
•“Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “51 Ind. L. Rev. 925 (2018)
•“Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “50 Ind. L. Rev. 1145 (2017)
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “49 Ind. L. Rev. 963 (2016) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “48 Ind. L. Rev. 1173 (2015) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “47 Ind. L. Rev. 969 (2014) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “46 Ind. L. Rev. 925 (2013) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “45 Ind. L. Rev. 959 (2012) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
•“Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Court Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, “ 44 Ind. L. Rev. 1033 (2011) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
•“Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Guidance for Appellate Practitioners, ” 43 Ind. L. Rev. 579 (2010) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
• “Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Rule Amendments, Notable Case Law, and Tips for Appellate Practitioners, ” 42 Ind. L. Rev. 813 (2009) [Reprinted with permission of the Indiana Law Review]
•“Developments in Indiana Appellate Procedure: Appellate Rule Amendments, Remarkable Case Law, and Refining Our Indiana Practice,” 41 Ind. L. Rev. 853 (2008)
•“Setting the Annexation Record Straight: The Myth Underlying Annexation Reform in Indiana” (Res Gestae, 2008)
•“Emotionally Distressed in Indiana: Separate Tests for Primary Victims and Bystanders” (Res Gestae, 2003) (cited in SCI Ind. Funeral Servs. v. D.O. McComb & Sons, Inc., 820 N.E.2d 700, 711 n.2 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005))
Outside the Office
Bryan spends his free time with his daughter and twin sons. He also enjoys exercising, watching Army football and riding with Team Heroes Cycling.
