Former Indiana House of Representatives Director of Fiscal Policy, Ben Tooley, Joins Taft’s Public Affairs Strategies Group

Taft, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, welcomes Ben Tooley as senior director of public affairs.

Tooley joins Taft's Public Affairs Strategies Group following nearly two decades serving as a trusted fiscal policy advisor to the elected leadership of the Indiana House of Representatives. During his tenure with the House, he played a central role in crafting many landmark fiscal policy initiatives, including major state and local tax policy reforms, the creation of innovative economic development incentives, and the successful effort to create a long-term road funding plan in 2017. Tooley was also the lead legislative staffer responsible for the development of eight state biennial budgets, including the most recent $46 billion state budget enacted in April 2025.

In addition, Tooley spent over ten years as the Director of Fiscal Policy for the majority caucus of the Indiana House of Representatives, serving under the leadership of former Speaker Brian Bosma and the current Speaker of the House, Todd Huston. Prior to that, he was a fiscal analyst in the House Ways and Means Office and worked as a budget analyst for the Daniels Administration. Tooley is a graduate of Wabash College and holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from the Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indianapolis.

"We are thrilled Ben has chosen Taft as the next step in his career. His deep knowledge of the state's biennial budgeting process and state and local tax policy will be extremely valuable to our clients," said Kyle Hupfer, co-chair of Taft's Public Affairs Strategies Group.

"It's exciting to join a firm with great momentum and dynamic growth," said Tooley. "Taft's platform provides a unique opportunity for me to apply my government and policy experience to offer clients insight and solutions to complicated problems."

Taft's Public Affairs Strategies Group has strategically grown since formally launching in 2021. In September 2024, Taft welcomed John R. Hammond IV as a partner following his nearly eight years serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. The team includes highly experienced professionals with decades of government experience to advocate for Taft clients.

Through a series of strategic mergers and significant organic growth, Taft has more than 1,100 attorneys spanning from the Mountain West region to the Southeast. In addition to its mergers with Sherman & Howard and the Mrachek Law Firm in 2025, Taft recently announced it will combine with Morris, Manning & Martin, a highly regarded firm with offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C, effective Dec. 31, 2025.