Stephen Wagner

Stephen M. Wagner grew up in Indianapolis and attended Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School where he graduated as co-valedictorian in 1987.  Mr. Wagner graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1991 with a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and received his J.D. cum laude from the Indiana School of Law – Bloomington in 1994.  After being accepted to the U.S. Attorney General’s Honors Program, Mr. Wagner attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, before working for the Department of Justice in 1994-1995 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  In 1996 Mr. Wagner returned to Indianapolis to practice with the prestigious law firm of Riley Bennett & Egloff.  In June, 1997 Mr. Wagner left Riley Bennett to found the Wagner Law Firm, P.C. In June 2000, Mr. Wagner brought in partner Jason R. Reese to form Wagner Reese, LLP, a firm dedicated to representing injury victims throughout Indiana and nationwide.

Mr. Wagner practices exclusively in the areas of plaintiff’s personal injury, wrongful death, civil rights violations, police brutality, jail death, product liability, medical malpractice, and mass torts. For the last twenty years (2004-2023), Mr. Wagner has been selected by his peers as an “Indiana Super Lawyer,” an award presented to the top 5% of practicing attorneys in Indiana as published in the Indianapolis Monthly and Super Lawyer magazines.  From 2018-2023, he was named one of the “Top 50 Personal Injury Attorneys in Indiana” by Super Lawyer. In 2006, Mr. Wagner was also selected by the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association as the “Indiana Trial Lawyer of the Year” for his work on the high-profile police action shooting case of Leaf v. Sheriff of Marion County.  Mr. Wagner has also been named a “Distinguished Fellow of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation” for his significant contribution to the legal profession and leadership within the community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association.  Mr. Wagner is a frequent lecturer in the areas of civil litigation, civil rights violations, and work injuries, and has published numerous articles in both national and local legal publications regarding the interaction between work comp claims and third party litigation, police brutality and jail death cases, and various other civil litigation topics. Mr. Wagner has taken numerous cases to a jury trial in Indiana and across the country, including auto and truck accident cases, medical malpractice cases, civil rights cases, and premises liability cases, and has obtained numerous 7-figure and several 8-figure recoveries for clients.  Frequently sought out by the media for his commentary in high profile legal cases involving police brutality, daycare negligence, and fraternity hazing, Mr. Wagner relishes representing the “little guy” and helping David defeat Goliath.

Mr. Wagner and his wife, Courtenay, have four adult children.  Outside of work, he enjoys volunteering at his church, playing blues harmonica, acting in community theatre, cooking on the grill, rooting for the Colts/Pacers/Irish, and working out.