OCT. 14-27, 2020
Lawyers who have taken Red Cross disaster deployment training are ready to roll to deliver emergency aid when they get the call. Women law firm equity partners have made slow but steady gains over the past decade, but they see more work ahead to increase diversity. And the deans of Indiana University Maurer and McKinney schools of law are co-chairing a panel weighing the naming of facilities for former president IU David Starr Jordan.
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Ready to roll: Lawyers train to respond to Red Cross disaster zone deployments
Rob Gauss’ job description as chairman of the board of the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis doesn’t include deployment to the front lines of a national disaster zone. But that’s what he’s training to do.
Read MoreWomen rising: Firm leader ranks increase in past decade
Female lawyers say they’ve seen a concerted push over the last decade to develop women law firm leaders, and those efforts seem to be bearing fruit.
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Bravo, Parrish co-chair review of Jordan namings
When Indiana University decided to assemble a committee to reevaluate the naming of buildings and landmarks on the Bloomington campus after the school’s seventh president, David Starr Jordan, who afterward championed eugenics, the institution started by calling the law schools.
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Fighting words: Pro se’s 20-year legal battle morphs into crusade over perceived unfairness
Peter Prostyakov, a native of Moscow who’s now a U.S. Citizen living in Carmel, details what he concedes is his convoluted journey into the federal judicial system, where he believes courts act unfairly toward him and other self-represented litigants.
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Judicial College’s ‘graduates’ hone skills
The Indiana Supreme Court recently announced the 2020 class of Indiana Judicial College “graduates,” recognizing nine judges and magistrate judges for earning 120 hours of judicial education credits through programs offered by the court’s Indiana Office of Court Services. This year’s group is the 42nd to be inducted into the college by earning certification.
Read MoreIndiana Court Decisions — Sept. 24-Oct. 6, 2020
Read Indiana appellate court decisions from the most recent reporting period.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Creating a ‘dynasty’: Probate proposal could amend Indiana Rule Against Perpetuities in trust laws
Currently, assets in an Indiana legacy trust must vest within 90 years, covering a few generations of heirs. But a proposal before the Probate Code Study Commission would quadruple that time to 360 years, allowing for the creation of Hoosier “dynasty trusts” for the first time.
Read MoreCOA ruling gives Dead Man’s Statute longer reach
Under the Indiana Dead Man’s Statute, the deceased can tell no tales, but a recent decision by the state’s Court of Appeals has created uncertainty over when the survivors can speak, particularly where it concerns trusts.
Read MoreOlivieri: Indiana directed trusts create vital role for trust director
Prior to 2019, Hoosiers interested in creating a directed trust had to leave the state to do so. Now they do not, and Indiana banks and trust companies have a new product to offer customers and will be able to attract business from other states that still do not allow for directed trusts.
Read MoreBoldt: Go with the flowchart to show the course for estate plans
A helpful tool to simplify complex scenarios for clients is the use of visual aids or flowcharts to demonstrate key portions of a will or trust. Particularly in a trust instrument, a diagram of how assets flow is often very helpful to clients and helps them understand things simply.
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Stafford: Indiana has all sorts of election laws, but few favor voters
The Indiana Lawyer editorial staff has been covering Indiana’s voter suppression laws and how they are holding up to court challenges. So far, so good for several statutes, which is awful news for democracy and the right to vote.
Read MoreYoung: For voting to count, access to casting ballots is essential
A core tenet of American citizenship is access to the ballot. Defining who is and is not a citizen has been used as a chess piece in many partisan and nonpartisan fights. Again the voting ritual is upon us, and I challenge voters to mark their ballots then plan to hold those they voted for or against accountable.
Read MoreJLAP: Retirement — the view from the other side
Retirement. Depending on where someone is on the age spectrum, it is a prospect too distant to be felt with any sense of reality or something that is coming like a fastball straight at your nose. Two lawyers who recently retired and I exchanged our thoughts about life in retirement.
Read MoreStart Page: IPad OS update gives you permission to Scribble
For a long time, I’ve wanted a legal pad app for my iPad that could reliably turn my handwriting into text. The iPad and Apple Pencil should do this well, but there was too much friction in getting the text to be recognized and usable. That’s all changed with the latest iPad OS update. Apple gives users Scribble — the ability to hand-write in any field on the iPad and the iPad will turn handwriting into text, almost instantly. This is a serious tool.
Read MoreBar AssociationsBack to Top
IndyBar Guest Column: Crisis Empowerment Grant Update (and a Plea for Day of Giving)
The Crisis Empowerment Grant Program was a wholesale success! More than 110 cases were settled and dozens of cases have been finalized and paid out. More than 40 cases are still active and the selected lawyers continue to work with their clients to assist with their legal issues.
Read MoreIndyBar: Geyer to Lead Indianapolis Bar Association in 2023
The Indianapolis Bar Association’s Nominating Committee has announced the selection of Rebecca Geyer as the 2023 President of the Indianapolis Bar Association. Geyer will serve as the association’s First Vice President on the 2021 Board of Directors and as President Elect in 2022.
Read MoreIndyBar: Last Call: Apply to Serve on the Indianapolis Bar Foundation Board of Directors by Oct. 23!
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation (IBF), the charitable arm of the Indianapolis Bar Association, is a community-focused leader of the local legal profession. The foundation’s ongoing grants and programs are maintained solely through the generosity and energy of its directors, fellows and donors.
Read MoreIndyBar: Win Tickets to the 2020 Virtual BGD LegCon!
The IndyBar Government Practice Section is pleased to offer two tickets to Bingham Greenebaum Doll’s 29th annual Legislative Conference (LegCon) to section members. LegCon will be completely virtual this year and will take place on Thursday, Dec. 17. Registration, as well as the agenda and speaker lineup, will be available soon.
Read MoreIndyBar: Nominations Now Accepted for the 2020 IndyBar Pro Bono Awards
The IndyBar Pro Bono Awards honor IndyBar members who are practicing lawyers, retired lawyers, in-house and corporate counsel, and law students as well as local law firms who have made outstanding contributions toward delivering volunteer legal services to the poor and disadvantaged.
Read MoreIndyBar: Ask a Lawyer
IndyBar volunteers were scattered across the city on Tuesday, Oct. 6 for the biannual Ask a Lawyer legal advice program. Click here for photos from the event.
Read MoreDTCI: Flipping the Paradigm: Presenting Subsequent Remedial Measures as a Defense to Punitive Damage Claims against Motor Carriers
The legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi, is credited with saying, “Hope is not a strategy.” The trucking industry and those who defend it need to move beyond merely hoping that the jury will be convinced that the plaintiffs have failed to carry their burden of proof on punitives. Recent verdict history shows that arguing that the conduct at issue “wasn’t that bad” often fails.
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