Thomas C. Buchanan

Thomas C. Buchanan focuses his practice on complex civil and commercial litigation in trial and appellate courts. He has experience in all phases of litigation, from drafting substantive pleadings and motions, managing discovery, negotiating favorable settlements, taking cases to trial, and briefing cases on appeal.

Before joining Smith Gambrell & Russell, Thomas practiced at a boutique Indiana-based firm where he litigated cases involving contract disputes, real estate transactions, property taxation, and insurance coverage. He has an extensive background in appellate litigation, having briefed over two dozen appeals before the Indiana Court of Appeals, Indiana Supreme Court, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Thomas also previously served as a Law Clerk for the Hon. Leonard J. Feldman of the Washington State Court of Appeals.

During law school, he served as an Associate Editor of the Indiana Law Review, volunteered as a writing tutor for the Dean’s Tutorial Society, and completed a judicial externship with the Hon. Steven H. David of the Indiana Supreme Court.

Thomas's Practice

Representative Matters

• Assisted trial team in preparing for and conducting a week-long jury trial on behalf of investors in a limited liability company who sued its president for breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and breach of contract, which resulted in a favorable settlement for our clients.
• Successfully represented a purchaser of a tax deed in an appeal before the Indiana Supreme Court in a challenge to the constitutionality of a tax foreclosure sale, which resulted in the Court reversing the lower court and ruling in favor of the client.
• Successfully defended a challenge to the constitutionality of Indiana’s tax foreclosure sale noticing statute in an appeal before the Indiana Supreme Court, which resulted in the Court reversing the lower court and ruling in favor of the client.
• Drafted a successful motion to dismiss for lack of standing an appeal brought by a putative trust beneficiary claiming title to real estate.
• Drafted an appellate brief successfully arguing that a client could bring malicious prosecution claims against private citizens who provided false information to authorities that led to criminal charges being brought against the client, which resulted in the appellate court reversing the lower court and reinstating the client’s claims.
• Drafted briefs in an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on behalf of client seeking insurance coverage for wind and hail damage to its apartment complex.