Jeffrey D. Featherstun - Plews Shadley Racher & Braun

Overview

Jeff Featherstun has focused on insurance coverage and environmental law for about 30 years. He has worked on a series of cases that helped make Indiana probably the most favorable jurisdiction for policyholders facing environmental liabilities. This work played an important role in enabling hundreds of millions of dollars in environmental cleanups across the country. Jeff’s environmental law practice has included litigating a number of issues of first impression, clarifying federal and state environmental laws. Through these matters, Jeff has had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s largest companies, as well as many small businesses, municipalities and individuals.

Awards

2023, Recipient of Indiana Lawyer’s Distinguished Barrister Award
2009-2024, Selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers – Insurance Coverage
2012-2024, Listed in Best Lawyers in America® for Insurance Law, Litigation-Environmental, and Litigation-Insurance
2021, Best Lawyers in America® “Lawyer of the Year” in Indianapolis – Insurance Litigation
2011-present, Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated

Education

J.D., 1992, University of Michigan Law School
B.A., 1989, With High Distinction, Indiana University – Bloomington

Bar Admissions

State of Indiana, 1993
United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 1993
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1993
United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, 1994
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1997
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2013

Experience

Savers Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Rockhill Inc. Co., 1:21-cv-01802, Oct. 14, 2022 (S.D. Ind.)
State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company v. Flexdar, Inc., 964 N.E.2d 845 (Ind. 2012)
Travelers Insurance Company v. Maplehurst Farms, Inc., 953 N.E.2d 1153 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011)
Continental Ins. Co. v. N. Ind. Pub. Serv. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 37095 (N.D. Ind.)
Rose Acre Farms, Inc. v. Columbia Cas. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16730 (S.D. Ind.)
State Auto. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Flexdar, Inc., 937 N.E.2d 1203 (Ind. Ct. App. 2010) (one of Mealey’s Litigation Report: Insurance’s ten most significant insurance coverage decisions in the nation of 2010)
City of Mishawaka v. Uniroyal Holding, Inc., 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15135 (N.D. Ind.)
Cooper Industries, LLC v. City of South Bend, 899 N.E.2d 1274 (Ind. 2009)
Travelers Cas. and Sur. Co. v. U.S. Filter Corp., 895 N.E.2d 1172 (Ind. 2009)
Pflanz v. Foster, 888 N.E.2d 756 (Ind. 2008)
Air Liquide Am. L.P. v. Indep. Welding Distrib. Coop., Inc., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 47184 (S.D. Ind.)
American Chemical Service Site RD/RA Agreement Members v. Admiral Ins. Co., 396 B.R. 14 (S.D. Ind. 2008)
Travelers Cas. and Sur. Co. v. U.S. Filter Corp., 870 N.E.2d 529 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Cooper Industries, LLC v. City of South Bend, 863 N.E.2d 1253 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007)
Golson-Dunlap v. Am. Motorists Ins. Co., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22699 (S.D. Ind.)
Reliance Ins. Co. v. Raybestos Prods. Co., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5487 (S.D. Ind.)
City of Mishawaka v. Uniroyal Holding Inc., 2006 WL 163007 (N.D. Ind.)
Air Liquide Am., L.P. v. Indep. Welding Distrib. Coop., Inc., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 54881 (S.D. Ind.)
Wellman Thermal Systems Corp. v. Columbia Cas. Co., 2005 WL 4880619 (S.D.Ind.)
City of South Bend, Inc. v. Century Indemnity Co., 824 N.E.2d 794 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005)
City of South Bend, Inc. v. Century Indemnity Co., 821 N.E.2d 5 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005)
In re Allied Prods. Corp., 42 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 248 (N.D. Ill. 2004)
In re Allied Prods. Corp., 288 B.R. 533 (Bankr. N.D. Ill. 2003)
Employers Ins. of Wausau v. Recticel Foam Corp., 716 N.E.2d 1015 (Ind. Ct. App. 1999)
Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Summit Corp. of Am., 715 N.E.2d 926 (Ind. Ct. App. 1999)
Shell Oil Co. v. Meyer, 705 N.E.2d 962 (Ind. 1998)
Huntzinger v. Hastings Mut. Ins. Co., 143 F.3d 302 (7th Cir. 1998)
Bastin v. First Ind. Bank, 694 N.E.2d 740 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998)
Shell Oil Co. v. Meyer, 684 N.E.2d 504 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997)
Seymour Mfg. Co., Inc. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., 665 N.E.2d 891 (Ind. 1996)
Riverside Oil, Inc. v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 1994 WL 904293 (C.D. Ill.)

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations

Member, Indiana Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Member, Indianapolis Bar Association, Environmental Law Section
Member, American Bar Association
Co-chair of the ABA Section of Litigation Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Energy/Environment Subcommittee

Articles & Events

2022 | Speaking Engagement

“Trends and Topics in Reservation of Rights Letters,” American Bar Association Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee CLE Seminar, Tucson, AZ

2017 | Presenter

“Environmental Insurance, Recent Developments,” Indiana Environmental Management Conference presented by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management

2016 | Speaking Engagement

“Using Historical General Liability Insurance to Offset Long-Tail Liabilities: Recent Legal Developments” RIMS (The Risk Management Society) Indiana

2015 | Speaking Engagement

“Environmental Insurance Coverage – Case Law Update” Indiana State Bar Association Annual Meeting. Sponsored by the Environmental Law Section

2015 | Speaking Engagement

“Environmental Insurance, Recent Developments,” Indiana Environmental Management Conference presented by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management

2014 | Speaking Engagement

Indiana Chamber of Commerce Environmental Conference, “Environmental Insurance,” October

2013 | Speaking Engagement

“Environmental Insurance Coverage – From Kiger to Flexdar and Beyond” – Indiana State Bar Association Annual Meeting. Sponsored by the Environmental Law Section.

2013 | Speaking Engagement

“Insurance for Environmental Liabilities” – Indiana Environmental Management Conference presented by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.