Frost Brown Todd (FBT) has announced that Chris Habel will take the role as Member-in-Charge of the firm’s Cincinnati office, succeeding Jill Meyer who recently assumed leadership of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
Habel is a lifelong resident of the City of Cincinnati and has spent his entire 20-year legal career with FBT. He is a recognized leader in the community, has participated in C-Change (Class I), Leadership Cincinnati (Class 37), CBA CALL (2001) and Forty Under 40 (2007), and is currently the Board Chair of the UC Economics Center, and Board Chair of Valley View Foundation. The Hamilton County Commissioners appointed Chris to the Tax Levy Review Committee, where he has chaired subcommittees reviewing the Children’s Services, Zoo and Mental Health levies in recent years, and worked with the committee to review the Cultural Facilities Task Force proposal in 2014.
“Chris has led many major initiatives over the years, both inside and outside the firm. Succeeding Jill Meyer as our Cincinnati Office Member-in-Charge is a tough act to follow, but his colleagues at Frost Brown Todd have every confidence in his leadership and his commitment to the community and our clients,” says George Yund, FBT Chief Executive Officer.
Habel worked closely with Yund and FBT Chairman John Crockett as he chaired FBT’s Advancement Committee through the economic downturn. In that role, he was responsible for attorney recruiting, development, compensation and promotion. Habel is a problem solver who implemented FBT’s First Year Associate Program, which drew national recognition for cutting edge development of legal talent. His work in the area led him to the executive committee of the National Legal Mentoring Consortium, a national association of state supreme court administrators, law school deans, state bar associations and practicing attorneys focused on improving the training of new attorneys.
“Jill Meyer and I grew up at FBT together. She started a year after I did. We have worked closely with other firm leaders to build on the reputation our law firm enjoys in our community and beyond,” says Habel. “At FBT, I have a solid foundation – a great law firm with a couple hundred brilliant, caring, professional colleagues in the Great American Tower who want to help. We will carry on providing outstanding service to our clients, building relationships and playing our part in the big community conversations to shape Cincinnati USA and FBT’s role in it.”
Habel is a 1987 graduate of St. Xavier High School. He earned his B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC in 1992. He was a co-op engineer with Messer Construction and then went on to earn his law degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1995. He is a member of the Environmental Practice Group at FBT, where he utilizes his engineering, construction and legal expertise to help clients investigate, remediate and redevelop contaminated properties and solve complex environmental problems around the country and here in Cincinnati. Habel has long been recognized in Best Lawyers ®, Ohio Super Lawyers® and Chambers USA®. He is a member of the Queen City Club and lives in Mt. Lookout with his wife Angela and their three children Abby, Ben and Lydia.