Chris Bloomer assists clients with all aspects of business, banking, commercial, and complex litigation matters. This experience includes a concentration in construction litigation, including claims for delay, liens, state and federal Miller Act claims, and accompanying dispute resolution. Mr. Bloomer also counsels parties at each seat of the proverbial construction table before project commencement, to ensure objectives are achieved, risks are minimized, and future litigation is avoided or considerably diminished.
Mr. Bloomer counsels political subdivisions, local units, public agencies, and each of their elected officials, department heads, and employees in matters involving Indiana’s Public Access Laws (Open Door Law “ODL” and Access to Public Records Act “APRA”), public bidding laws, public purchasing laws, sale, lease, and purchase agreements, public works projects, annexation, eminent domain, Indiana’s Unsafe Building Law, the Indiana Tort Claims Act, enforcement of local code violations, negotiation of interlocal agreements by and between multiple governmental entities, and guidance concerning the day-to-day operation of local government.
Prior to joining Krieg DeVault, Mr. Bloomer was a Senior Government Sales Manager for Aventis Systems, Inc., where he served as lead sales representative for all enterprise-class server, storage array, networking, and software orders for the Department of Defense, federal government agencies, and state and local agencies. Prior to his public sector responsibilities, Mr. Bloomer provided Aventis Systems’ solution-based services to small, medium and Fortune 500 clients throughout the Midwest. This advisory role, spanning a total of nearly seven years, honed Mr. Bloomer’s client-centric problem-solving approach, whereby he was able to increase client efficiencies, reduce costs, and drive customers’ businesses forward through the use of leading technology, business innovation, and a proven ability to identify and alleviate client challenge – skills which he continues to leverage within his legal practice at Krieg DeVault.
Representative Experience
- Represent clients with filing and foreclosing mechanic’s liens
- Represent owners and lenders in defense of mechanic’s liens
- Represent clients in mediation and other pre-trial settlement negotiations
- Successfully negotiated confidential settlement agreement and releases for insurance company sued by several plaintiffs
- Successfully negotiated settlement concerning alleged services provided to out-of-state construction project
- Successfully represented secured lender’s interests in mechanic’s lien dispute through negotiation of another party purchasing statutory release bond
- Obtained favorable judgment for insurance client accused of improperly denying coverage
- Obtained favorable judgment for global financial institution accused of mishandling cash deposit
- Represent commercial developers in landlord-tenant disputes and possessory matters
- Assist clients with pre-trial discovery, including small and large-scale ESI and hardcopy document review, redaction, and production
- Provide ancillary services to small, medium, and large corporations, including representation in Small Claims Court
- Advise municipal clients concerning interlocal agreements entered into by and between units of government
- Counsel municipal clients concerning real property acquisition and improvement, including the use of eminent domain
- Serve as outside counsel to municipal clients seeking to enforce state statutes, as well as local ordinances
- Deliver presentations to governmental clients, including department heads and key decision makers, with respect to best practices under the Indiana Code and recent developments in case law
- Present evolving trends in Indiana law to local units of government, including, among other topics: the Indiana Tort Claims Act (“ITCA”), public purchasing, public bidding and public works laws, Indiana’s Open Door Law (“ODL”), and Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (“APRA”)
Professional Associations
- Member, Indiana State Bar Association
- Member, Indianapolis Bar Association
Awards & Recognitions
- Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2022-2025
Seminars & Presentations
- Co-Presenter, "Indiana Construction Law: Guiding Commercial Contractors on Securing Payment – Mechanic’s Liens, Part 3", August 12, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Indiana Construction Law: Lien Rights, Deadlines, and Defenses - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 2", Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, April 18, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Introduction to Indiana Construction Law - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 1", Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, February 6, 2024
- Presenter, "APRA Records Requests: What must be disclosed? What can be withheld? Are there time limits for the government’s response and document production?," Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, July 27, 2022
- Presenter, "Bidding Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Considerations," National Business Institute, July 22, 2022
- Presenter, "Unsafe Building and Code Enforcement," Accelerate Indiana Municipalities & IMLA Municipal Law Seminar, June 24, 2022
- Presenter, “Bidding on Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Mistakes," AIM Ideas Summit, 2021
- Presenter, “Public Access: The Open Door Law and Where We are Going Under HEA 1437," Accelerate Indiana Municipalities & IMLA Municipal Law Seminar, June 2021
- Presenter, “Bidding Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Considerations,” AIM (Accelerate Indiana Municipalities), December 2020
Publications
Construction and Litigation:
- Author, "Owners / GCs / Subs / Suppliers / Lessors – Check Your Contracts. Court of Appeals Decision Highlights Challenges when Dispute Resolution Process Varies," August 25, 2022
- Co-Author, "Court Bulldozes Indiana Contract Provision Requiring Florida Litigation," August 9, 2021
- Co-Author, "Preserving (or Defeating) Mechanic's Lien Rights Amid COVID-19," July 22, 2020
- Co-Author, "COVID-19: What Every Construction Owner and Entity Should Do Right Now," March 26, 2020
Municipal and Governmental Law:
- Co-Author, "Public Access Counselor Addresses Board’s “Final Action” Under Indiana’s Open Door Law," February 14, 2022
- Author, "Eliminating Blight: Court Issues Opinion re: Indiana’s Unsafe Building Law," January 26, 2022
- Co-Author, "Open Door Law Update: “Declared Emergency” Virtual Meetings Continue Under Governor Holcomb’s Eighteenth Renewal of the Public Health Emergency Declaration," September 8, 2021
- Co-Author, "Public Access Alert: New Law Permits Electronic Meetings, but Requires Planning," May 19, 2021
- Co-Author, "Indy’s Amazon HQ2 Records Shielded by APRA (and What it Means for Local Economic Incentive Records)," February 26, 2021
- Co-Author, "Emergency Public Works Project? In Addition to Obtaining Bids, Declare the Emergency on the Record," February 1, 2021
- Co-Author, "Local Governments at Risk if Agent Waives Notice Requirement Under the Tort Claims Act," July 19, 2020
- Co-Author, "Exceptions to Indiana's Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act Extended Until June 13, 2020," May 21, 2020
- Co-Author, "Exceptions to Indiana's Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act Set to Expire on May 23, 2020," May 14, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Public Access Laws Further Suspended in Response to COVID-19," April 3, 2020
- Co-Author, "During a COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, What Constitutes an “Essential Matter,” Thus Warranting a Public Meeting by Local Governmental Entities?," - March 31, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Public Access Counselor Provides Open Door Law (“ODL”) Guidance Following Governor Holcomb's Most Recent COVID-19 Executive Order," March 20, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Open Door Law (“ODL”) Partially Suspended in Response to COVID-19," March 18, 2020
Education
-
J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2017
- IU Moot Court (Named to Order of the Barristers)
- ISBA Moot Court (Moved to semi-finals, arguing in front of the Indiana Court of Appeals)
- Legal Extern to Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush
- Indiana Law Review (Executive Board Member)
- Dean’s Tutorial Society Member
-
B.A. in Political Science, with Distinction, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014
- Dean's List
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 2017
Certifications
- Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt
Practices
Industries
Cooking
Home Improvement
Indiana Pacers
Krieg DeVault Podcast Series
Indiana Construction Law: Lien Rights, Deadlines, and Defenses - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 2 (Podcast)
April 18, 2024
Krieg DeVault Podcast Series
Introduction to Indiana Construction Law - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 1 (Podcast)
February 6, 2024
Litigation
Indiana Supreme Court Rejects Longstanding Rule Prohibiting Supplier-to-Supplier Lien Rights
June 7, 2022
Municipal
Open Door Law: “Declared Emergency” Ends – Prepare For Your Next Virtual Meeting
March 23, 2022
Municipal
Public Access Counselor Addresses Board’s “Final Action” Under Indiana’s Open Door Law
February 14, 2022
Municipal
Eliminating Blight: Court Issues Opinion re: Indiana’s Unsafe Building Law
January 26, 2022
Municipal
Public Access Alert: New Law Permits Electronic Meetings, but Requires Planning
May 19, 2021
Municipal
Indy’s Amazon HQ2 Records Shielded by APRA (and What it Means for Local Economic Incentive Records)
February 26, 2021
Municipal
Emergency Public Works Project? In Addition to Obtaining Bids, Declare the Emergency on the Record.
February 1, 2021
Municipal
Local Governments at Risk if Agent Waives Notice Requirement Under the Tort Claims Act
July 19, 2020
Municipal
IRS Postpones Time-Sensitive Deadlines for New Markets Tax Credit Investments and Expenditures
June 15, 2020
Municipal
In Response to COVID-19, IRS Extends Safe Harbors for Renewable Energy Tax Credit Projects
June 2, 2020
Municipal
Indiana's Open Door Law (“ODL”) Partially Suspended in Response to COVID-19
March 17, 2020
Construction
Indiana's "Little Miller Act" Alleviates Concern that Public Works Projects Remain Immune to Mechanic's Liens
November 5, 2019
Thought Leadership
Finding Elements of Adverse Possession Unmet, Record Owner Awarded Real Estate
October 30, 2019
Thought Leadership
Mechanic's Liens Remain Unavailable to Certain Construction Suppliers
June 23, 2019
Thought Leadership
AIA form documents offer predictability, cost-savings to contractors and subcontractors
February 6, 2019
Thought Leadership
AIA form documents offer predictability, cost-savings to contractors and subcontractors
February 6, 2019
Thought Leadership
Community Crossings Program Provides Matching Grant Funds for Local Roads and Bridges
June 4, 2018
Thought Leadership
"Local Trax" Program Provides Local Entities a Resource for Improving Rail Grade Crossings
May 6, 2018
Firm News and Events
Kendall A. Schnurpel Joins Krieg DeVault’s Business Practice; Will Focus on Tax Law
May 8, 2024
Firm News and Events
Krieg DeVault Announces 8 Attorneys as 2024 Indiana Super Lawyers; 9 as 2024 Indiana Rising Stars
February 28, 2024
Firm News and Events
Partner George C. Lepeniotis Elected to Krieg DeVault’s Executive Committee
January 2, 2024
Business
Is Your Business Ready? Preparing for and Complying with the Corporate Transparency Act
August 31, 2023
Firm News and Events
Frank A. Hoffman Joins Krieg DeVault’s Public Finance and Municipal Practice
July 31, 2023
Firm News and Events
Shawn E. Peterson Joins Krieg DeVault’s Public Finance and Municipal Practice
July 11, 2023
Governmental Affairs and Public Advocacy
Take Five: 5 Things you Need to Know About Indiana Government - June 2023
June 15, 2023
Firm News and Events
Known By the Successful Company We Keep® - Krieg DeVault Issues Annual Ad Showcasing Transactions from Many of Our Valued and Successful Clients
January 30, 2023
Firm News and Events
David E. Corbitt Named Chair of Krieg DeVault's Public Finance and Municipal Practice Group
January 8, 2020
Thought Leadership
Reminder - Additional Reporting Requirements Under Continuing Disclosure Agreements Effective February 27, 2019
February 27, 2019
Firm News and Events
Krieg DeVault Welcomes Three New Associates - Alexandria M. Foster, Scott C. Frissell, and Ben Vandeventer
October 22, 2018
Chris Bloomer assists clients with all aspects of business, banking, commercial, and complex litigation matters. This experience includes a concentration in construction litigation, including claims for delay, liens, state and federal Miller Act claims, and accompanying dispute resolution. Mr. Bloomer also counsels parties at each seat of the proverbial construction table before project commencement, to ensure objectives are achieved, risks are minimized, and future litigation is avoided or considerably diminished.
Mr. Bloomer counsels political subdivisions, local units, public agencies, and each of their elected officials, department heads, and employees in matters involving Indiana’s Public Access Laws (Open Door Law “ODL” and Access to Public Records Act “APRA”), public bidding laws, public purchasing laws, sale, lease, and purchase agreements, public works projects, annexation, eminent domain, Indiana’s Unsafe Building Law, the Indiana Tort Claims Act, enforcement of local code violations, negotiation of interlocal agreements by and between multiple governmental entities, and guidance concerning the day-to-day operation of local government.
Prior to joining Krieg DeVault, Mr. Bloomer was a Senior Government Sales Manager for Aventis Systems, Inc., where he served as lead sales representative for all enterprise-class server, storage array, networking, and software orders for the Department of Defense, federal government agencies, and state and local agencies. Prior to his public sector responsibilities, Mr. Bloomer provided Aventis Systems’ solution-based services to small, medium and Fortune 500 clients throughout the Midwest. This advisory role, spanning a total of nearly seven years, honed Mr. Bloomer’s client-centric problem-solving approach, whereby he was able to increase client efficiencies, reduce costs, and drive customers’ businesses forward through the use of leading technology, business innovation, and a proven ability to identify and alleviate client challenge – skills which he continues to leverage within his legal practice at Krieg DeVault.
Representative Experience
- Represent clients with filing and foreclosing mechanic’s liens
- Represent owners and lenders in defense of mechanic’s liens
- Represent clients in mediation and other pre-trial settlement negotiations
- Successfully negotiated confidential settlement agreement and releases for insurance company sued by several plaintiffs
- Successfully negotiated settlement concerning alleged services provided to out-of-state construction project
- Successfully represented secured lender’s interests in mechanic’s lien dispute through negotiation of another party purchasing statutory release bond
- Obtained favorable judgment for insurance client accused of improperly denying coverage
- Obtained favorable judgment for global financial institution accused of mishandling cash deposit
- Represent commercial developers in landlord-tenant disputes and possessory matters
- Assist clients with pre-trial discovery, including small and large-scale ESI and hardcopy document review, redaction, and production
- Provide ancillary services to small, medium, and large corporations, including representation in Small Claims Court
- Advise municipal clients concerning interlocal agreements entered into by and between units of government
- Counsel municipal clients concerning real property acquisition and improvement, including the use of eminent domain
- Serve as outside counsel to municipal clients seeking to enforce state statutes, as well as local ordinances
- Deliver presentations to governmental clients, including department heads and key decision makers, with respect to best practices under the Indiana Code and recent developments in case law
- Present evolving trends in Indiana law to local units of government, including, among other topics: the Indiana Tort Claims Act (“ITCA”), public purchasing, public bidding and public works laws, Indiana’s Open Door Law (“ODL”), and Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (“APRA”)
Professional Associations
- Member, Indiana State Bar Association
- Member, Indianapolis Bar Association
Awards & Recognitions
- Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2022-2025
Seminars & Presentations
- Co-Presenter, "Indiana Construction Law: Guiding Commercial Contractors on Securing Payment – Mechanic’s Liens, Part 3", August 12, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Indiana Construction Law: Lien Rights, Deadlines, and Defenses - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 2", Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, April 18, 2024
- Co-Presenter, "Introduction to Indiana Construction Law - Mechanic’s Liens, Part 1", Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, February 6, 2024
- Presenter, "APRA Records Requests: What must be disclosed? What can be withheld? Are there time limits for the government’s response and document production?," Krieg DeVault Podcast Series, July 27, 2022
- Presenter, "Bidding Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Considerations," National Business Institute, July 22, 2022
- Presenter, "Unsafe Building and Code Enforcement," Accelerate Indiana Municipalities & IMLA Municipal Law Seminar, June 24, 2022
- Presenter, “Bidding on Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Mistakes," AIM Ideas Summit, 2021
- Presenter, “Public Access: The Open Door Law and Where We are Going Under HEA 1437," Accelerate Indiana Municipalities & IMLA Municipal Law Seminar, June 2021
- Presenter, “Bidding Public Works Projects: Common Pitfalls and Considerations,” AIM (Accelerate Indiana Municipalities), December 2020
Publications
Construction and Litigation:
- Author, "Owners / GCs / Subs / Suppliers / Lessors – Check Your Contracts. Court of Appeals Decision Highlights Challenges when Dispute Resolution Process Varies," August 25, 2022
- Co-Author, "Court Bulldozes Indiana Contract Provision Requiring Florida Litigation," August 9, 2021
- Co-Author, "Preserving (or Defeating) Mechanic's Lien Rights Amid COVID-19," July 22, 2020
- Co-Author, "COVID-19: What Every Construction Owner and Entity Should Do Right Now," March 26, 2020
Municipal and Governmental Law:
- Co-Author, "Public Access Counselor Addresses Board’s “Final Action” Under Indiana’s Open Door Law," February 14, 2022
- Author, "Eliminating Blight: Court Issues Opinion re: Indiana’s Unsafe Building Law," January 26, 2022
- Co-Author, "Open Door Law Update: “Declared Emergency” Virtual Meetings Continue Under Governor Holcomb’s Eighteenth Renewal of the Public Health Emergency Declaration," September 8, 2021
- Co-Author, "Public Access Alert: New Law Permits Electronic Meetings, but Requires Planning," May 19, 2021
- Co-Author, "Indy’s Amazon HQ2 Records Shielded by APRA (and What it Means for Local Economic Incentive Records)," February 26, 2021
- Co-Author, "Emergency Public Works Project? In Addition to Obtaining Bids, Declare the Emergency on the Record," February 1, 2021
- Co-Author, "Local Governments at Risk if Agent Waives Notice Requirement Under the Tort Claims Act," July 19, 2020
- Co-Author, "Exceptions to Indiana's Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act Extended Until June 13, 2020," May 21, 2020
- Co-Author, "Exceptions to Indiana's Open Door Law and Access to Public Records Act Set to Expire on May 23, 2020," May 14, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Public Access Laws Further Suspended in Response to COVID-19," April 3, 2020
- Co-Author, "During a COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, What Constitutes an “Essential Matter,” Thus Warranting a Public Meeting by Local Governmental Entities?," - March 31, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Public Access Counselor Provides Open Door Law (“ODL”) Guidance Following Governor Holcomb's Most Recent COVID-19 Executive Order," March 20, 2020
- Co-Author, "Indiana's Open Door Law (“ODL”) Partially Suspended in Response to COVID-19," March 18, 2020
Education
-
J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2017
- IU Moot Court (Named to Order of the Barristers)
- ISBA Moot Court (Moved to semi-finals, arguing in front of the Indiana Court of Appeals)
- Legal Extern to Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush
- Indiana Law Review (Executive Board Member)
- Dean’s Tutorial Society Member
-
B.A. in Political Science, with Distinction, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indiana, 2014
- Dean's List
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 2017
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 2017
Certifications
- Legal Lean Sigma® White Belt