CHRIS O’BRYAN earned both his Juris Doctorate and his undergraduate degrees from University of Louisville. He served as the Managing Partner of O’Bryan, Brown & Toner from its inception in 1991 through December 2018. Chris has been instrumental in helping the firm fulfill its original goal of becoming a well-respected, top tier litigation firm. Chris is also an accomplished trial attorney having successfully defended cases involving insurance coverage and bad faith, medical malpractice and an assortment of other types of professional malpractice claims against attorneys, insurance agents, directors and officers. Additionally, Chris has extensive experience in defending claims involving motor vehicle liability, liquor liability, product liability and premises liability.
Chris previously served for many years on the Board of the Louisville Bar Foundation and is currently an active member of the Insurance Law Committee of DRI. He currently serves on the Board of the Baptist Health Foundation. Chris and his wife, Carol, are the proud parents of three young adults: a son, Sean, and twins, Neal and Allison.
Professional Background
- Partner, O’Bryan, Brown & Toner, Louisville, Kentucky, January 1991-present
Primary practice areas include defense of cases involving physician and hospital liability, insurance coverage and bad faith, commercial contract disputes, motor vehicle liability, liquor liability, premises liability and product liability. Chris has conducted and lectured at numerous conferences and seminars in these areas of practice. Most recently, Chris presented “Bad Faith in Negotiations: A Good Faith Perspective on Kentucky Bad Faith” at the 2018 Kentucky Defense Counsel seminar.
- Managing Partner, O’Bryan, Brown & Toner, Louisville, Kentucky, January 1991-December 2018
- Partner, O’Bryan Law Firm, Louisville, Kentucky, June 1988-December 1990
Trial practice that centered on defense of motor vehicle claims, medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability and a variety of contract disputes involving business agreements, insurance coverage, policy interpretation, and bad faith claims.
- Attorney at law, Boehl, Stopher, Graves, and Deindoerfer, Louisville, Kentucky, 1985-1988
Honors and Awards
AV Preeminent® Peer review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
The Best Lawyers in America© 2005-2024
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in America© for work in the following areas:
- Litigation – Insurance
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Insurance Law
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- Named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America©:
- Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (Louisville 2018)
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (Louisville 2016)
Kentucky Super Lawyers®, 2007-2024
- Recognized in Kentucky Super Lawyers®
- Top 50 Attorneys in Kentucky 2018-2019, 2023
Louisville Magazine’s Best Lawyer and Top Lawyer, 2006-2016
- Medical Malpractice – Defense
- Insurance, Insurance Law and Insurance Litigation
- Personal Injury
Featured in February 2019 Business First People to Know in Insurance
Educational Background
J.D. University of Louisville School of Law; Student Bar Association; Student Divisions of Kentucky and American Bar Associations; Moot Court and Mock Trial programs. Honors: Dean’s List; Graduated in top 10% of class.
B.S. University of Louisville, Dean’s List
Court Admissions
Supreme Court of Kentucky
United States District Court for Western District of Kentucky
United States District Court for Eastern District of Kentucky
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Professional Memberships
American Bar Association
Kentucky Bar Association
Louisville Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Kentucky Defense Counsel, Inc.
Kentucky Hospital Association, Past Board Member
Baptist Health Foundation, Board Member
