For almost two decades, Christopher Brown, Esq. has represented funeral and cemetery businesses with respect to their legal and regulatory matters, as the chair of his firm’s Funeral and Cemetery Legal Department. During this period, he has represented the Alderwoods Group (California), Inc. (fka Loewen Group International, Inc.) in nearly all their legal and regulatory matters in California, including its purchases, sales and various licensing. Moreover, Mr. Brown has represented several independent funeral establishments and cemeteries throughout the State of California. In addition, his real estate and business law practice has coupled well with his funeral and cemetery practice. With his firm, Dowling, Aaron & Keeler, Inc., being one of the largest business law firms in the central region of California with offices in Fresno, Bakersfield and soon to be in Visalia, and the broadness of such practice areas, his firm has the unique ability to provide both efficient and effective legal services for the funeral and cemetery industry in California. Moreover, Mr. Brown has served on the board of directors of the Central Valley Funeral Directors Association, and is a member of the Cemetery and Mortuary Association of California and the California Funeral Directors Association. He has also lectured at the convention and local meetings of the California Funeral Directors Association. In brief, below is a sampling of Mr. Brown’s areas of practice:
- Funeral and Cemetery Regulatory Compliance: Working with State officials and local establishments on licensing applications and violations, including settlements involving funeral and cemetery trust funds.
- Funeral and Cemetery Transactional Matters: Handling the acquisition, merger, sale and liquidation of funeral and cemetery locations, including, but not limited to, leases, real estate purchases, local permitting (e.g., conditional use permits, waivers, etc., for various types of uses, including crematories).
- Funeral and Cemetery Litigation: The size and full service nature of Dowling, Aaron & Keeler, Inc.’s practice groups make it one of the few knowledgeable and capable firms to cover and oversee funeral and cemetery litigation, including, but not limited to, third party suits and internal employee disputes.
In sum, Mr. Brown’s extensive experience in the funeral and cemetery industry’s ins and outs when combined with his firm’s broad base of practice areas, including, but not limited to, real property, municipal law, land use, business entities, employment and environmental matters, provides efficient, thorough and cost effective legal and regulatory assistance throughout the State of California.