Raymond T. Seach

Partner

Assistant: Nikki L. Viau

317-955-7149

Biography

Ray Seach is an AV-Rated attorney focusing on litigation and transactions involving products, premises, environmental, aviation, shareholders, contracts, financing, and insurance matters. He has significant jury trial experience representing local, regional, and national companies. Ray has also litigated appeals to the Indiana Court of Appeals, and has argued before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ray also represents companies and their owners with business formation, shareholder agreements, financing, acquisitions, leasing, franchising, and shareholder disputes. Through his work as a Certified Public Accountant before attending Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, Ray gained experience with auditing entities and their financial statements, which provides a strong foundation for his work as a litigation and business lawyer.

Community Activity

  • Notre Dame Alumni Association
  • Indiana University Alumni Association
  • Holy Spirit at Geist Church

Representative Matters

Commercial Litigation:

  • Defended and continues to defend international HVAC manufacturer in its Indiana product liability and contract claims related to fires, property damages, and other losses.
  • Represented and continues to represent major CSST manufacturer in its Indiana product liability claims related to gas plumbing lines, and related fire loss claims.
  • Obtained summary judgment or declaratory judgment in numerous large-loss construction accident, and construction defect coverage cases.
  • Prosecuted claims by a corporation against a former employee and his business for breach of fiduciary duties, resulting in a favorable verdict at trial for the corporation.
  • Obtained defense verdict at trial for former employees in claims by employer for alleged conversion and breach of fiduciary duties.
  • Prosecuted claims by former business owner against the current owners for breach of fiduciary duty, which led to a significant settlement for the client.
  • Following a significant fire, defended two jury trials against the property insurer for alleged bad faith in denying the property owners’ claim, which resulted in settlement of the claim for less than 10 percent of the alleged damages.

Aviation:

  • Represented aircraft operators in numerous over-spray cases and negotiated successful resolutions of those cases.
  • Defended multiple catastrophic fire claims related to major fire losses, and other aircraft damage claims.

Injury Litigation:

  • Obtained defense verdict at jury trial for claims against property owners related to serious personal injuries arising out of the property owners’ alleged failure to properly control animals on their property.
  • Obtained defense verdict at jury trial related to injuries resulting from misuse of a moped by a minor.
  • Defended a catastrophic injury claim against a product manufacturer through challenges to the Plaintiff’s expert, leading to a favorable settlement for the manufacturer.
  • Obtained numerous Orders granting Summary Judgment for manufacturers in mass tort litigation claims.

Transactions:

  • Represented major shareholder in takeover efforts regarding public corporation and related share disposition.
  • Assisted large manufacturer with sale of more than twenty Indiana plant locations.
  • Represented franchisor of nursing home services in obtaining required franchise registrations and preparing franchise agreements and disclosures.
  • Represented franchisees in review and evaluation of franchise documents.

Publications

Presentations

Insurance Institute of Indiana Annual Seminar for Insurance Professionals and Defense Trial Attorneys, Speaker and Moderator at Better Business Bureau Seminar for Business and Tax Planning, Speaker

Awards & Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®: 2022 – present
    • Litigation — Insurance
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
  • American Jurisprudence Award in Negotiable Instruments

Associations

  • Indiana State Bar Association Insurance Agency
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
  • American Bar Association
  • Seventh Circuit Bar Association
  • Indiana State Bar Association
  • Indianapolis Bar Association

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Indiana, 1993
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 1993
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1993
  • U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 1993
  • Certified Public Accountant in California (currently inactive)

Education

Indiana University Maurer School of Law, JD, cum laude, 1993

University of Notre Dame, BBA, with High Honors, 1986

Industries Served

Construction
Finance
Insurance
Manufacturing
Real Estate
Technology
Transportation

Practice Areas

Aviation
Business & Corporate Law
Business Litigation
Construction
Commercial Litigation
Insurance
Real Estate, Land Use & Zoning
Business Contract Drafting & Negotiation
Business Entity Selection & Formation
Business Mergers & Acquisitions
Business Contract Disputes
Non-competition Covenants
Shareholder & Partnership Disputes
Construction Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Insurance Defense / Insurance Coverage
Arbitration / Mediation / Alternative Dispute
Product Liability
Toxic Tort
Insurance Defense
Insurance Coverage
Land Use & Planning
Commercial Real Estate & Leasing