Charles Ellis Bush II is an attorney in Ice Miller's Workplace Solutions Group. Charles advises employers on all issues related to labor and employment, including hiring, promotion, performance evaluation, harassment, leave of absence, wage and hour, reductions in force, discipline and discharge, traditional labor law matters and National Labor Relations Board administrative matters, and also represents colleges and universities in disputes related to Title IX and matters before the Office for Civil Rights. He works with his clients in Indiana and across the nation to develop effective strategies unique to their specific situations. Charles focuses on solutions that incorporate not only the law, but also its strategic and practical application to each client’s objectives.
Charles serves as a counselor for employers as they navigate difficult day-to-day decisions. He helps clients avoid employment-related disputes by training employers with regard to their employment practices, policies and handling of employee relations. He also assists employers in drafting and editing employee handbooks and agreements.
When litigation is necessary, Charles serves as an advocate for employers in legal proceedings. His experience includes representing employers in federal court jury trials and state court trials, as well as proceedings in front of state and federal administrative bodies.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Charles gained valuable management and hands-on operations experience while serving as a supply chain professional for companies in Ohio and Georgia. In those roles, he managed hundreds of employees and also led projects related to logistics planning and process improvements. On one project in particular, he earned his Six Sigma Green Belt by implementing a process that eliminated operational waste and saved the company thousands of dollars on an annual basis.
Charles is also active with many local and national organizations. In 2021, he was appointed by Mayor Joe Hogsett to the City of Indianapolis Ethics Commission. He also serves on the board of directors for At Your School and on the executive committee of the 1925 Society of the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Charles is also a corporate member of the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council and a member of the Indybar Diversity Job Fair Committee, the National Employment Law Council and the National Bar Association. Charles was selected by Ice Miller as its 2018 pathfinder representative on the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.
Charles graduated magna cum laude from Valparaiso University School of Law. While in law school, he served as a judicial extern for Judge Tanya Walton Pratt in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Charles earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Tennessee and majored in logistics and transportation.
