John E. Christopher is a Founding Partner of Fraternal Law Partners. He helps fraternal clients navigate the legal challenges of non-profit organizations, including seeking and maintaining tax-exempt status, corporate governance matters and grant-making. He also advises national fraternities and sororities, their chapters and their foundations diverse issues including corporate governance and fund stewardship, domestic and foreign grant-making, maintaining the corporate integrity of affiliated organizations, policy and procedure drafting and review, self-dealing and excess benefits transactions review and guidance, and representation of organizations facing IRS audit, issues related to risk management and housing issues. He is a frequent contributor to the Fraternal Law Newsletter, a quarterly publication dedicated to the legal issues relevant to Greek life organizations. He regularly presents at conventions and leadership institutes on issues related to taxes and tax exemption, corporate governance and other topics.

Christopher has been named an Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Star by Law and Politics Media and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for nonprofit organizations and taxation since 2007. He is a member of the Ohio State, Kentucky and American Bar Associations. He pledged Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity in 1985 and activated in the spring of 1986. He serves on the board of directors and as treasurer of Old Main Holdings, a nonprofit corporation serving Phi Kappa Tau’s housing organizations. An active member of the fraternal community, Christopher currently serves as treasurer and as a member of the board of directors of the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence. He has served on many volunteer boards and committees within his home community. His passion is coaching youth sports, particularly lacrosse, and was the head coach of the 2018 state champion Mariemont Junior High School Boys Lacrosse team.

Christopher has practiced law since 1994. He earned his J.D. from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University (cum laude, 1993) and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Florida (1994). He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Kentucky (B.A., 1990) where he was a chapter officer, a member of the Interfraternity Council and served on the board of the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference.

Before helping found Fraternal Law Partners, John was a partner in the Cincinnati office of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.