Brian A. Cromer
Brian A. Cromer is the Chair of the firm’s Business & Finance Service Group. He has represented some of the largest companies in the U.S. and the international arena in corporate transactions and legal disputes, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance transactions, venture capital and private equity investments, and corporate governance matters. Brian's broad range of experience includes providing and organizing a variety of legal services for companies at all stages, from large public companies to middle market businesses to new ventures. He has represented clients in numerous business transactions where the individual deal value ranged from $25 million to $1 billion or more. He is located in the firm's Louisville, Ky., office.
New Louisville economic board attracts some of the city's top executives
by Michael L. Jones, Louisville Business First, July 18, 2024
Kentucky Chamber Elects Brian A. Cromer to Executive Committee
by staff writer, Attorney at Law Magazine, October 16, 2023
Counsel to major healthcare services provider in multiple acquisitions of physical therapy and related businesses in numerous states, including the negotiation of debt
Counsel to industry-leading metallizing business in sale transaction with a Japanese public company's U.S. holding company
Counsel to national provider of outsourced rehabilitation services in private equity-funded change of control transaction
Counsel to regional commercial insurance broker in change of control transaction with private equity platform company
Borrower's counsel to public health care company in $450 million syndicated credit facility
Business & Finance Service Group, Chair
Management Committee Representative to the Southern Law Network
Management Committee, Former Member
Business & Finance Group, Former Louisville Office Chair
Recruiting Committee, Former Co-Chair
Louisville Economic Development Alliance (LEDA), Board of Directors (2024-present)
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Director; Executive Committee (2023-25)
Leadership Louisville Bingham Fellows, Class of 2021
Louisville Orchestra, Corporate Support Group
21st Century Parks, Steering Committee
Greater Louisville, Inc., Former Member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors
Kentucky Wesleyan College, Former Member of Board of Trustees
University of Louisville, Former Member, Secretary and Treasurer of Board of Trustees and Chair of the Finance Committee (2017-18)
The Cabbage Patch, Former Board Member
Kentuckiana Minority Business Council, Former Board Member
The Lawyers Club, Former President
Harmony Landing Country Club, Former President
Leadership Louisville, Class of 2006
with high distinction
University of Kentucky College of Law
Kentucky Law Journal, Editor-in-Chief
Order of the Coif
Bellarmine University
Silver Knight Award, 1983 (exceptional athletic achievement and outstanding sportsmanship)
College basketball
Before attending law school, Mr. Cromer worked as a commercial banking officer for a major financial institution. Mr. Cromer has served in a number of civic and professional organizations relating to his practice. Mr. Cromer is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Louisville, Inc. where he has served on the Executive Committee and held the office of Secretary. He also chairs the Greater Louisville, Inc. Task Force on Tax Reform. Mr. Cromer served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Louisville where he was the Secretary and Treasurer of the board and Chair of the Finance Committee. He is a member and former President of The Lawyers Club. He is a former member of the Board of Trustees of Kentucky Wesleyan College and he served as a member of the Steering Committee of 21st Century Parks, a non-profit organization that acquired and developed Floyds' Fork, which has 4,000 acres of parkland in Metro Louisville. He is a former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Business Law Section of the Louisville Bar Association, and a former board member of the Kentuckiana Minority Business Council and The Cabbage Patch. Mr. Cromer is also a graduate of the 2006 class of Leadership Louisville. Brian enjoys thoroughbred horse racing, golf, college sports and playing the piano.
Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions (2006-25)
Kentucky Super Lawyers®(2007-14)
Kentucky Super Lawyers®, Top 50 Attorneys in the State (2010)
Chambers USA, "America's Leading Lawyers for Business"
Louisville Magazine's "Top Lawyers" for Business/Commercial Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law (2013, 2014)
. . . brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to his lending practice.
. . . part of the next wave of great lawyers.
I have worked with Brian for several years on a wide variety of matter sand have had consistently great experiences. In addition to being outstanding on general corporate matters and corporate transactions, Brian is an extremely versatile lawyers with a broad experience base. He is a real professional and a pleasure to work with.
Brian has exhibited the qualities that I consider essential in my outside counsel. He is highly responsive to my time requirements, creative in crafting solutions and willing to listen to his client. He was always able to meet the time pressures of the transaction. In several instances Brian came up with creative and effective solutions to deal issues that ultimately enable us to consummate the transactions.
Brian Cromer is an experienced and knowledgeable commercial transactions lawyer, who works effectively in direct contact with all levels of business management personnel. He is committed to client interests, and exercises excellent judgment in identifying issues requiring higher-level client decision-making. His integrity is without question.
Second Time’s No Charm: Delaware Court Rejects Elon Musk’s Tesla Incentive Package Despite Shareholder Ratification
Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) and Elon Musk suffered another setback in their continuing efforts to overcome a legal challenge to a 2018 performance-based stock option grant (the “Grant”) that, at today’s stock price, would be worth over $100 billion to Musk. Brian Cromer takes a look at the case in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2025 Best Lawyers® Publications
Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 97 of its lawyers are included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence according to the publication. Additionally, 12 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 30 attorneys are recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.
Easy Come, Easy Go: Delaware Court Upends Elon Musk’s $56 Billion Equity Incentive Plan
An extraordinary performance-based stock option plan (the “Grant”) awarded by Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”) to Elon Musk (“Musk”) was invalidated by the Delaware Court of Chancery last week, despite the fact that over 70% of Tesla’s disinterested stockholders approved it at a 2018 special meeting. Attorney Brian Cromer takes a look at the decision in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.
Kentucky Chamber Elects Brian A. Cromer to Executive Committee
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has elected Stites & Harbison, PLLC attorney Brian Cromer to its Executive Committee. Cromer will serve a two-year term on the 14-member Executive Committee, which represents a cross-section of key business and industry leaders from across Kentucky. He continues to serve as a member of the Kentucky Chamber’s Board of Directors.
The Corporate Transparency Act: Is Your Business Prepared For Sweeping New Federal Reporting Requirements?
On January 1, 2021, with bipartisan support, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”) as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (“NDAA”) when it overrode former President Trump’s veto of the NDAA. As part of an effort to combat money laundering, the financing of terrorism, and other illicit activities, the CTA requires business entities formed or registered in the United States that fall within the definition of a “reporting company” to disclose beneficial ownership information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the Department of Treasury. While the purpose of the legislation may be commendable, it casts an extremely wide net and imposes new compliance burdens on businesses beginning in 2024.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2024 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 101 of its lawyers are included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.
7th Annual Accounting Risk Management Seminar
Time: 11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
City Springs Conference Center, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
Stites & Harbison's Accounting Defense Team will present this Accounting Risk seminar on October 26th at the City Springs Conference Center in Atlanta.
Stites & Harbison, PLLC Lawyers Named to 2023 Best Lawyers® Publications
LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Stites & Harbison, PLLC is pleased to announce that 98 of its lawyers are included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©. Additionally, 11 Stites & Harbison attorneys are named as “Lawyer of the Year” and 19 attorneys are recognized in “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys early in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.