John C. Trimble

John C. Trimble

Partner
A dedicated and steadfast leader in the community, John has established himself as one of Indiana’s most sought-after legal minds—providing open and transparent communication and partnership for clients in complex litigation and mediation.
John C. Trimble
"Timely and open communication drive the ability to meet or exceed every client’s expectations. I strive to build transparent relationships with clients—establishing trust through collaboration."

For more than 40 years, John has been a force within the Indiana legal industry and the community.

As one of the most impactful mediators in Indiana, John is frequently hired by judges and lawyers to mediate some of Indiana’s largest and highest profile cases. He is also frequently named as an arbitrator in bodily injury, business dissolution, employment, and commercial disputes.

In addition to his dedication to his alternative dispute resolution practice, John’s practice is dominated by catastrophic, complex, and class action litigation in state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, bad faith defense, lawyer and insurance agent malpractice, business litigation, and catastrophic damages caused by all types of casualty risks.

Through the years, he has been admitted pro hac vice in more than 35 jurisdictions and is frequently hired by out-of-state firms to serve as local counsel in Indiana. He has also argued numerous appeals in the State and Federal appellate courts as counsel for a party and as amicus counsel for lawyer and trade associations. He has been repeatedly listed in state and local polls of attorneys as one of the top lawyers. Since 2004, John has been selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers® and ranked number one overall in Indiana from 2011-2021. He has also been a Defense Lawyer of the Year honoree and in 2000 the Defense Research Institute (“DRI”) named him Outstanding Defense Bar Leader of the Year.

In 2021, he received the distinguished Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award from DRI. This national honor is presented each year on behalf of DRI and recognizes one individual who exemplifies the highest level of professionalism and service to the legal profession, fosters respect and trust among lawyers, and preserves decorum and integrity of the judicial process. In 2022, he was named to Indianapolis Business Journal’s inaugural Indiana 250, which recognizes the most influential business leaders in Indiana, across multiple industries.

John plays an active and influential leadership role both at Lewis Wagner and in the Indianapolis community. He remains committed to protecting the legal profession’s future by supporting programs and activities that educate and drive discussion among the next generation of legal minds. He has served as President of the Indianapolis Bar Association, Board of Visitors Chair at I.U. Robert H. McKinney School of Law, President of the Board of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society and Chair of DRI’s national Judicial Task Force—lending his expertise and legal prowess to guide and preserve the legal profession. He has also served as President of the country’s oldest association of attorney mediators, the Texas-based Association of Attorney/Mediators. Presently he serves on the Board of Directors of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.

John considers his greatest achievements to be as a husband to his wife, Ann, and father to his two daughters, Laura, and Marie; Marie followed in his footsteps and now practices law.

 

For more than 40 years, John has been a force within the Indiana legal industry and the community.

As one of the most impactful mediators in Indiana, John is frequently hired by judges and lawyers to mediate some of Indiana’s largest and highest profile cases. He is also frequently named as an arbitrator in bodily injury, business dissolution, employment, and commercial disputes.

In addition to his dedication to his alternative dispute resolution practice, John’s practice is dominated by catastrophic, complex, and class action litigation in state and federal courts. He has extensive experience in insurance coverage disputes, bad faith defense, lawyer and insurance agent malpractice, business litigation, and catastrophic damages caused by all types of casualty risks.

Through the years, he has been admitted pro hac vice in more than 35 jurisdictions and is frequently hired by out-of-state firms to serve as local counsel in Indiana. He has also argued numerous appeals in the State and Federal appellate courts as counsel for a party and as amicus counsel for lawyer and trade associations. He has been repeatedly listed in state and local polls of attorneys as one of the top lawyers. Since 2004, John has been selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers® and ranked number one overall in Indiana from 2011-2021. He has also been a Defense Lawyer of the Year honoree and in 2000 the Defense Research Institute (“DRI”) named him Outstanding Defense Bar Leader of the Year.

In 2021, he received the distinguished Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award from DRI. This national honor is presented each year on behalf of DRI and recognizes one individual who exemplifies the highest level of professionalism and service to the legal profession, fosters respect and trust among lawyers, and preserves decorum and integrity of the judicial process. In 2022, he was named to Indianapolis Business Journal’s inaugural Indiana 250, which recognizes the most influential business leaders in Indiana, across multiple industries.

John plays an active and influential leadership role both at Lewis Wagner and in the Indianapolis community. He remains committed to protecting the legal profession’s future by supporting programs and activities that educate and drive discussion among the next generation of legal minds. He has served as President of the Indianapolis Bar Association, Board of Visitors Chair at I.U. Robert H. McKinney School of Law, President of the Board of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society and Chair of DRI’s national Judicial Task Force—lending his expertise and legal prowess to guide and preserve the legal profession. He has also served as President of the country’s oldest association of attorney mediators, the Texas-based Association of Attorney/Mediators. Presently he serves on the Board of Directors of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel.

John considers his greatest achievements to be as a husband to his wife, Ann, and father to his two daughters, Laura, and Marie; Marie followed in his footsteps and now practices law.

 

  • The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, 1973-1975
  • Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana, B.A., 1977
  • ICLEF Civil Mediation Training, 1989
  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1981
  • Supreme Court of Indiana, 1981
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1991
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 1981

Pro Hac Vice Admissions

  • Cook County Circuit Court, Chicago, Illinois
  • Court of Common Pleas, Stark County, Canton, Ohio
  • Fayette Circuit Court, Lexington, Kentucky
  • Fulton Superior Court, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Harris County Circuit Court, Houston, Texas
  • Laurel County Circuit Court, Commonwealth of Kentucky
  • Saratoga Circuit Court, Saratoga, New York
  • Superior Court, Sacramento, California
  • Superior Court, San Bernardino, California
  • Superior Court, Washington, D.C.
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio Western Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Central Division of California, Los Angeles Division
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern Division, Baltimore, Maryland
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern Division of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Division
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio Western Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Wicomico Circuit Court, Salisbury, Maryland
  • American Bar Association
  • American College of Coverage Counsel – Fellow, December 2017
  • Association of Attorney/Mediators – President, 2019-2020
  • Defense Research Institute
    • Board of Directors, 2003-06
    • Indiana State Representative, 2001-2003
    • Judicial Task Force on the Independence of the Judiciary – Chair, 2005-2008
    • Law Practice Management Committee – Chair, 2013-2015
    • Member Messaging Task Force, 2019
    • Membership Committee, 2020
    • Public Policy Committee – Chair, 2010
    • State and Local Defense Organization Relationship Committee – Chair, 2007-2009
    • Women In The Law Committee, Promotion & Leadership Vice-Chair Chair, 2015
  • Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
    • Board of Directors, 1993-2000
    • Diplomat, 2013
    • Legislative Chairman, 1991-1999
    • President, 1998-1999
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
    • Defense of the Judiciary Committee - Vice Chair
    • Insurance Steering Committee – Chair, 2019-2020
    • Law Practice Management Section – Vice Chair, 2016-present
    • Masters in Marketing Committee – Vice Chair, 2016-present
    • Membership Recruitment Committee – Vice Chair, 2019-2020
    • Sponsorship Committee – Vice Chair, 2017-present
    • State Representative of Indiana as part of the P&O Committee, 2016-present
  • Hanover College Alumni Association – Past President
  • Hanover College Board of Trustees, 1999 to present
  • Indiana State Bar Association
    • State Legislation Committee – Chair, 1996
    • Committee on Improvements to the Judicial System, January 2008
  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
    • Am Jur Award for High Paper in Contracts, 1979
    • Benjamin F. Small Fellowship for outstanding achievement, 1980
    • Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity Area IV Graduate of the Year (Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan), 1981
    • Faculty Award - Outstanding Graduate of the Year, 1981
    • Executive Director, Indiana Law Review, Vol. 14, 1981
  • Indianapolis American Inn of Court, 2004-present
  • Indianapolis Bar Association
    • Board of Managers, 2002-2004
    • Discipline/Grievance Committee, 1996 - present
    • Litigation Section, 1981-present
    • Past President, 2016
    • President, 2015
    • President Elect, 2014
  • Indianapolis Bar Foundation Distinguished Fellow
  • Indianapolis Law Club, 1994-present
  • Indianapolis Lawyers Club, 1998-present
  • Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, Inc.
    • Board of Directors, 2009-present
    • President, 2020-2021
  • Indiana Arson and Crime Association, Inc.
  • International Association of Defense Counsel, 1994-present
  • Judicial Excellence Political Action Committee (JEPAC), 2007-present
  • Kentucky Defense Counsel
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review – Rated AV® Preeminent
  • Seventh Circuit Bar Association

Awards

  • American Defense Counsel of Northern California and Nevada – Nathan Holt Memorial "Friend of the ADC" Award
  • Defense Research Institute
    • Defense Lawyer of the Year, 1991
    • DRI Tribute Recipient, 2018
    • Exceptional Performance Citation, 1999
    • Fred H. Sievert Award for National Outstanding Defense Bar Leader of the Year, 1999
    • Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award, 2021
    • President’s Award, 1999
    • Richard H. Krochock Award, 2019
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel – Connect Award, 2020
  • Hanover CollegeAlumni Achievement Award, 1998
  • Indiana Defense Lawyers Association – Indiana Defense Lawyer of the Year, 1991
  • Indiana State Bar Association – Presidential Citation, 2013
  • Indiana Super Lawyers – 2004-2023
    • Number one in Indiana, 2011-2017
    • Top 10, 2005-2007; 2009-2019; 2023
    • Top 50, 2004-2023
  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law – Distinguished Alumni Award, 2017
  • Indianapolis Bar Association – Professionalism Award, 2016
  • Indianapolis Bar Foundation
    • Distinguished Fellow
    • Life Fellow
  • Indianapolis Business Journal
    • Indiana 250 Recipient, 2022
    • "Who’s Who in Law,” 1998
  • Indianapolis Monthly Magazine – “One of Indianapolis’ Top Lawyers,” 1993
  • Insurance Institute of Indiana – Recognized for Legislative Assistance in the area of tort liability law in Indiana, 1999
  • The Best Lawyers in America – 2010-2023
    • Indianapolis, Lawyer of the Year – Insurance Law, 2013, 2016, 2023
    • Indianapolis, Lawyer of the Year – Mediation, 2020, 2023
    • Indianapolis, Lawyer of the Year – Personal Injury Litigation, 2015, 2019
  • The Indiana Lawyer – Distinguished Barrister, 2009

John is a prolific writer and speaker on a wide array of topics, and enjoys the opportunity to share insights with the legal community.

During his four decades of legal practice, John has gained both extensive mediation and trial experience.  

  • Eric J. Holcomb, Governor of the state of Indiana v Rodric Bray, Todd Huston, The Legislative Council, The Indiana General Assembly (Ind. Sup. Ct. April 2021)
    • Represented Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb in a separation of powers dispute with the Indiana legislature. Conducted oral argument at both the trial court and Supreme Court. Prevailed on the case in June 2022.
  • Mid-America Sound v Indiana State Fair Commission, et al. (Ind. Sup. Ct. March 2016)
    • Represented the Indiana State Fair in the defense of a claim for indemnity filed by Mid-America for damages arising out of a stage roof collapse at the fair on August 13, 2011, in which seven persons were killed and more than 70 injured.