Meet the Business Services Team at CCHA Law

At CCHA Law, our Business Services Practice Group is dedicated to meeting the diverse legal needs of businesses. Whether you’re starting, managing, acquiring, or selling a business, the guidance of an experienced business lawyer is extremely valuable. Our team not only possesses legal expertise but also a strong understanding of the goals of your business.

With a wealth of experience across various industries, our business attorneys have the skill and experience to help you solve your legal needs. We serve as trusted legal advisors to closely held businesses nationwide, helping you navigate complex legal challenges so you can concentrate on growing your business. Our attorneys help you deal with the legal problems facing your business so that you can focus your attention on your success.

Hamilton County and Boone County are two of the fastest-growing counties in Indiana, and we are proud to have offices in these counties, supporting local businesses and our friends and neighbors who run them. We serve clients across the state of Indiana and beyond with offices in Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Tipton, Zionsville, Crown Point, and Fort Wayne. We’re prepared to help you navigate your legal needs wherever you are.

Services We Offer

Our team believes that legal issues must be handled efficiently and effectively for your business to be successful. We have developed long-standing relationships with businesses that want to have a lawyer on their side, without having the expense of in-house counsel. CCHA Law’s Business Services team can help you deal with any business legal issues, such as:

• Business formations

• Commercial transactions

• Business financing

• Mergers and acquisitions

• Tax plans

• Buy-sell agreements

• Business succession plans

• Employment disputes

• Human resource issues

• Franchises

Meet the Team

Justin Hays

Justin started with CCHA Law as a Law Clerk. Following law school, he joined the firm as an associate in the firm’s Business Services and Real Estate practice groups. Justin advises a variety of businesses, from closely-held companies to multi-million dollar corporations. Justin’s practice focuses on commercial and residential real estate transactions, business sale and purchase agreements, contract drafting and negotiations, corporate formation, business succession planning, Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission permit applications and transfers, and trademark registration and enforcement matters.

Leslie M. Gieger

Leslie is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Leslie’s practice is a blend of corporate and real estate matters. She advises a variety of businesses, from closely-held companies to multi-million dollar corporations and focuses her practice on contract drafting and disputes, corporate formation, shareholder disputes, insurance and employment matters, business sale and purchase agreements, succession planning, and a variety of real estate matters.

Leslie seeks to understand her clients’ financial concerns, tax consequences, and general business plans in order to tailor a legal plan for any client’s specific needs.

Eric Douthit

Eric is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Eric advises clients on a variety of corporate and commercial matters, with an emphasis on emerging business creation, business mergers and acquisitions, real estate and zoning, and general corporate and business counseling.

As part of his representation of businesses and their owners, a large part of Eric’s practice is dedicated to assisting business clients from small, family-owned businesses, to multi-million dollar organizations in acquiring private or traditional financing and other commercial and business transactions and contract negotiations of all types, organizations and restructuring, dissolutions, shareholder agreements, succession planning, and ownership structures. His clients touch a variety of industries, including agriculture, health-care, software development, automobile dealers, transportation and logistics, real estate development, and hoteliers.

Sloan R. Schafer

Sloan began his career at CCHA Law as a law clerk during law school. Following graduation, he joined the firm as an associate in the firm’s Business Services and Real Estate practice groups. Sloan’s finance background allows him to understand his clients’ needs from a business-minded perspective. Sloan advises his clients on matters related to corporate formation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, securities offerings, and tax planning.

Julia Church Kozicki

Julia focuses her practice in supporting businesses and schools. She is a Noblesville native, a Jeopardy! champion, and a graduate of Noblesville High School, Indiana University and Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She served as general counsel for Sigma Kappa Sorority at the national headquarters in Carmel from 2002 - 2022, prior to which she clerked for U.S. District Judge Allen Sharp.

Julia was elected to the Noblesville Schools Board of School Trustees in May 2006 and re-elected in May 2010 and November 2014, with her 12 1/2 years the second longest tenure in board history. She was named one of 25 Noble Millers for the Noblesville Schools 150th Anniversary, served as the Region 5 director for the Indiana School Board Association and served on the board of the Noblesville Schools Education Foundation.

Steven M. Lutz

Steve is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section and previously served as CCHA Law's Managing Partner. He advises clients on a variety of corporate and commercial matters, with an emphasis on emerging business creation, business sales/mergers/acquisitions, and general corporate and business counseling.

Steve's primary practice involves counseling and representing business clients from small, family-owned businesses, to multi-million dollar organizations in a broad spectrum of commercial and business transactions, including contract negotiations of all types, real estate transactions, reorganizations and restructuring, acquisitions and sales, voluntary dissolutions, shareholder agreements, succession planning, and ownership structures. Steve gives every client, small or large, the same level of commitment and service.

Gregory A. Schrage

Greg is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Greg advises businesses, municipalities and individuals in many different areas of the law including general contract dispute and litigation, residential and commercial real estate, municipal law, secured transactions, family law, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder disputes, automotive and automobile law, and administrative law before state agencies.

With a primary focus on litigation and litigation defense, Greg provides skilled and individualized representation tailored towards obtaining the optimal resolution of the dispute in the most efficient manner. Greg’s focus on individual service and efficient results are also evident in his non-litigation matters including organization of business entities, buy/sell stockholder agreements, and personal and corporate transactions.

Kathleen E. Boaz

Kathleen completed two summer internships with CCHA Law before becoming a summer law clerk after her first year of law school. She now practices as an associate attorney in the firm’s estate planning, business services, and real estate practice groups. Kathleen obtained her Juris Doctorate from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in May of 2020. In 2024, Kathleen was selected as one of 25 attorneys across the State to be a part of Class 12 of the Indiana State Bar Association’s Leadership Development Academy. She is also a board member at the IU Health Tipton Hospital and has been serving since 2023.

Peter Hutson

Peter began his CCHA Law career as a Law Clerk and joined the firm's Business Services group after graduating from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2022. While in law school, Peter served as a Managing Editor of the Indiana Law Journal and as an advisor to first-year students.

Peter is a proud alum of Butler University and graduated cum laude in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies, along with a minor in History. During his time at Butler, Peter was heavily involved in student organizations, serving in executive capacities in both Greek life and the New Student Orientation Program. Prior to starting his legal career, Peter worked in both corporate hospitality and local government, building up a well-rounded knowledge of the Indianapolis metro area.

Matthew Skelton

Matthew S. Skelton is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Matt advises clients on a variety of personal, business and corporate matters, with an emphasis on land use, real estate and development, public-private partnerships, economic development ventures and business counseling.

A large part of Matt’s practice is dedicated to assisting clients from individual landowners and investors to multi-million dollar companies with significant real estate holdings. Matt counsels clients in making individual and business decisions, contract negotiations, corporate formations, succession planning, and ownership structures. His clients touch a variety of industries, including real estate investment and development, property owner associations, agriculture, educational institutions, public agencies and municipalities, and hoteliers.

Bruce M. Bittner

Bruce is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Bruce advises clients in tax planning, tax controversy, probate, estate planning and closely held business matters including bankruptcy. When away from the office, Bruce enjoys attending IU basketball and football games, running, swimming and cycling. Bruce is also a Member of The Sagamore Club and is an avid golfer.

Kyle B. Blowers

Kyle is a partner in the firm’s corporate litigation and creditors’ rights practices. He concentrates his practice on representing individual and business clients in debt collection matters and other obligations owed by other parties. Kyle currently represents a number of financial institutions and service providers with their debt collection issues. Conversely, he assists clients with debt restructurings for debts owed to creditors and litigation associated with those obligations.

Kyle advises businesses on various issues they face from startup to structuring to commercial litigation. In addition, he represents landlords in Boone, Hamilton, Madison, and Marion counties on a variety of tenant-related issues, including eviction proceedings and damage claims.

Additional team members in the Business Services practice group include:

Jon A. Becker

Roger L. Burrus

Douglas D. Church

David R. Day

Jack G. Hittle

Ben B. Hobbs

Emily Schmale

Business Services Resources

What is the Corporate Transparency Act?

Common Challenges with Family Business Succession Planning

What’s the Difference Between a Trademark and a Copyright?

CCHA Law and Indy Maven Team Up to Discuss Starting a Business

Contact the Business Services Lawyers at CCHA Law

CCHA Law has been in practice since 1880, and our award-winning legal team provides exemplary counsel to our clients each day. No matter what your legal problem is, our firm’s business lawyers have the skill and experience to help you solve it. Just give us a call at (317) 773-2190 or visit https://www.cchalaw.com/contact to contact us to schedule a consultation.