Biography
Stephen Brandenburg is a plaintiffs’ trial lawyer with Sarkisian, Sarkisian & Associates, P.C., where he focuses on complex personal injury and wrongful death litigation, including trucking and transportation accidents, construction site injuries, medical malpractice, defective products, and serious motor-vehicle collisions. He is admitted to practice in Indiana and Illinois, as well as in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Stephen joined the firm in 2025 and represents individuals and families throughout Indiana and Illinois who have been seriously harmed by negligence.
Stephen is a graduate of Indiana University, where he earned his B.A. in Economics and Political Science in 2004. He went on to attend Indiana University Maurer School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2007. Over the course of his career, he has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2013 through 2022 and is an active member of the Lake County Bar Association, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, the Lake County Inns of Court, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Before joining Sarkisian, Sarkisian & Associates, Stephen spent more than a decade representing corporations and healthcare providers on behalf of insurance companies in complex, catastrophic-loss cases across Illinois and Indiana—experience that gave him firsthand insight into how insurers investigate, evaluate, and defend high-exposure claims.
Ultimately, Stephen chose to leave defense work and devote his practice exclusively to representing injured people. He believes that his skills are best used holding wrongdoers accountable and pursuing justice for those whose lives have been disrupted by serious injury or loss. He approaches every case as if it will be tried, moving matters forward deliberately and preparing them thoroughly to ensure they are truly trial-ready. That preparation strengthens his ability to negotiate from a position of power while remaining fully prepared to present a case to a jury when necessary. Clients can expect a lawyer who is highly prepared, clear in his explanations, and committed to ensuring they understand their options, the risks, and the potential outcomes so they can make informed decisions about settlement or trial. His background on the defense side, combined with his focus on plaintiffs’ advocacy, has contributed to significant recoveries in major personal injury and wrongful death cases, including multiple seven-figure results.
Stephen grew up in Fishers, Indiana, and moved to Northwest Indiana in 2007 shortly after law school graduation; his wife’s family is from the region, and together they have made it their home. He and his wife, whom he met in law school, have two daughters and three rescue dogs—though Stephen is content with three, his wife is convinced there is always room for one more. When he is not advocating for clients, Stephen places a strong emphasis on physical fitness and overall well-being, working out most mornings and training for and competing in Spartan races each year. He also enjoys tending a large vegetable garden from early spring through late fall and sharing the harvest with family and friends.