Joshua Claybourn is the owner of the law firm Shiloh Counsel LLC. His clients range from startups to Fortune 500 corporations. He also serves as an Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute, focusing on constitutional law, separation of powers, executive authority, and federalism.

Claybourn provides strategic guidance on trademark clearance, registration, and portfolio management. He drafts and negotiates licensing agreements, advises on copyright protection and infringement, and manages disputes before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and federal courts. World IP Review recognized him as a "Leader" in trademark law.

His constitutional practice spans separation of powers, executive authority, First Amendment freedoms, and religious liberty. He litigates these issues in federal and state courts and authors amicus curiae briefs for distinguished scholars, former government officials, and public interest groups.

For municipalities, Claybourn advises on finance, tax abatements, economic development, public-private partnerships, infrastructure, regulatory compliance, and ethics. He counsels local governments on zoning, land use planning, and public records compliance.

His commercial practice encompasses mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and contract negotiations. He structures purchase and operating agreements, guides corporate governance, and develops litigation strategies.

Claybourn is a historian specializing in Abraham Lincoln. His debut book, Lincoln's Compass: The Declaration of Independence and the American Idea (Bloomsbury, 2026) traces Lincoln's life through the moral idea that guided him above all others: the Declaration of Independence. He is also under contract with the University of Illinois Press to co-write, with historian William Bartelt, a comprehensive history of Lincoln's formative years, from birth to age twenty-one. He has previously edited volumes on Lincoln's Indiana years and on American national identity.

Claybourn hosts the podcast Lincoln Log, where he speaks with prominent historians, and CNN's six-part documentary "Lincoln: Divided We Stand" featured his expertise.

He serves as president of the Abraham Lincoln Association (ALA) and sits on the boards of both the ALA and the Abraham Lincoln Institute. He belongs to the The Lincoln Forum, American Historical Society, and Organization of American Historians. He previously chaired the Southern Indiana Civil War Roundtable and founded the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War John W. Foster Camp No. 2, where he served as its first commander.

Claybourn writes on law, politics, history, and public policy for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Hill, The American Spectator, The Federalist, and National Review Online.

At the Cato Institute, he researches constitutional law, separation of powers, executive authority, and federalism. His work examines the balance of power within America's constitutional framework, connecting historical context to contemporary challenges.

He appears on television and podcasts and delivers public lectures. His Substack newsletter, Claybourn's Agora, examines the intersection of history, law, and current events.

Claybourn graduated from Evansville North High School, then earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics and Public Policy from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law.

The Indianapolis Business Journal named Claybourn one of Indiana's 250 most influential business leaders in the award's inaugural year. He serves on the board of Indiana Landmarks, America’s largest private statewide preservation organization. This group revives historic buildings, facilitates the sale and restorations of vacant and endangered properties, and champions preservation statewide through grants, loans, and advocacy.

Claybourn is a founding board member and longtime secretary of the Evansville Regional Sports Commission. He also serves as treasurer of the Indiana Jewish Historical Society.

His past service includes trusteeship of the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (2006–2009, 2011–2013), where he served as president in 2009 and 2012. Under his leadership, the Library Journal awarded the library its prestigious "5 Star Library" rating, an honor awarded to only one percent of public libraries nationwide. He served on the library's foundation board from 2008 to 2012 and held board positions with WNIN (2021-2024), the Newburgh Museum (2014-2016), and Mulberry Center, Inc. (2008-2012).

Claybourn has advised numerous political candidates and policymakers, including U.S. Congressional races, state legislative campaigns, and municipal elections. He served on the transition team for Evansville's 34th mayor, chaired the Government Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwestern Indiana, and served on the Newburgh Plan Commission from 2013 to 2015.