Dec. 9-22, 2020
Trying what a law firm saw as an eight-figure personal injury lawsuit to a successful jury verdict during a pandemic was just one aspect of an unusual recent trial. Women general counsel at three of Indiana’s life sciences giants are helping their companies pivot to meet the new challenges of the global pandemic and positioning their legal departments to be an integral part of addressing social inequities. And the Bayh-Dole Act has contributed hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy and supported millions of jobs since it was signed into law 40 years ago. But the landmark legislation now hailed as an engine of innovation and enterprise almost never came to pass.
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Veteran, young lawyers win $20M jury verdict in unique case tried amid pandemic
Facing unusual circumstances including a case tried during the pandemic, a team of plaintiff lawyers from Yosha Cook & Tisch secured a multi-million-dollar victory for their personal-injury clients. The total verdict reached $20 million, adjusted by a fault reduction for a net win of $12.2 million.
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Women general counsel lead at Lilly, Cook and Roche as life sciences adviser roles evolve
Women general counsel at three of Indiana’s life sciences giants are helping their companies pivot to meet the new challenges of the global pandemic and positioning their legal departments to be an integral part of addressing social inequities. They also are not interested in doing things simply because that is how things have always been done.
Read MoreIndiana switching to Uniform Bar Exam in July
Indiana’s decision to adopt the Uniform Bar Exam came after a year of study, and the decision wasn’t unanimous. As Chief Justice Loretta Rush explained, “I really respect the dissenting opinion and in many ways a lot of us agree with what they are saying. But we really felt the time had come.”
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Judging future jurists: Kirsch grilled in 7th Circuit bid while diversity calls grow and Flaum takes senior status
With two vacancies now on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, President Donald Trump’s nominee for an Indiana seat faced tough questioning on Capitol Hill while bar and civil rights groups called for change on the Chicago-based court, the only all-white federal appeals bench in the nation.
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Guardians seek changes to assist in final arrangements
A guardianship task force has recommended that the Indiana Legislature amend state statute to give guardians authority over dispositions if necessary. While the concept received general support in a recent meeting of the Probate Code Study Commission, the question remained: how do you balance the authority of a guardian with that of another party, such as a POA?
Read MoreCoalition enlists public for ‘shadow redistricting’
A coalition of activist groups has announced a new push against what it calls partisan gerrymandering by Indiana’s Republican-dominated Legislature. The organization All IN for Democracy is creating an Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission to shadow the Indiana General Assembly as it redraws the congressional and legislative maps next year using 2020 census data.
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Settlement of $66.5M resolves 262 lawsuits alleging unnecessary cardiology procedures
With the announcement of a multi-million-dollar settlement last month, long-running litigation against a northwest Indiana cardiologist and his associates is seemingly drawing to a close. But the scale and specifics of the allegations against Dr. Arvind Gandhi and his colleagues at Cardiology Associates of Northwest Indiana P.C. are still difficult to discern.
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Unleashing innovation: 40th anniversary of Bayh-Dole Act celebrates law credited with improving lives around the world
The Bayh-Dole Act, marking its 40th anniversary, has contributed hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. gross domestic product and supported million jobs by unleashing the discoveries in America’s leading universities. But the landmark legislation now hailed as an engine of innovation and enterprise almost never came to pass.
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Unwanted exposure: In right of publicity suits, models seek damages from adult clubs they say used images without permission
Professional models from across the globe are suing four Indiana strip clubs for using their photos without permission to advertise establishments located in Fort Wayne, Hammond and Indianapolis. The models are invoking Indiana’s Right of Publicity Statute, one of the strongest such laws in the nation.
Read MoreHiler: Conducting patent due diligence in corporate acquisitions
A company considering acquiring a target company having patent assets should evaluate such patent assets by having its lawyer gather information, verify facts, and assess risks associated with acquisition of the target company. This patent due diligence is performed by the lawyer to advise their client regarding issues impacting the potential acquisition, including, for example, acquisition price and structure.
Read MoreHartz: Don’t let intellectual property be an after-pandemic thought
Whether next month, next year, or even beyond, at some point, the COVID-19 pandemic will begin to end. The world may look and feel a bit different, but the intangible intellectual property system will still be here, and we can take steps now to better position you (or your clients) for what comes next.
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Dreyer: Lawyers must treasure the currency of character
Character is not an aspiration for lawyers, it is a requirement. It is not an exception, it is the rule. No other profession in the world carries such a heavy obligation because the consequences are so great if we fail.
Read MoreYoung: Grand jury reforms needed to restore public confidence
Inserting race elevates the question of the efficacy of grand juries, whether they can truly be a fair process that seeks to evaluate the weight of evidence or whether it is simply a prosecutor’s tool to advance or diminish a case before it can take on a life of its own.
Read MoreBont: White collar update: Sacklers, Flynn elude criminal charges
In the current administration, it is somewhat unusual for the government to prosecute corporate wrongdoing using every weapon in its arsenal. Particularly given the Department of Justice’s recent practice of publicly announcing decisions not to prosecute corporations that have been under criminal investigation, the recent announcement of resolved criminal charges against Purdue Pharma is unique.
Read MoreStart Page: Apple M1 plus Big Sur equal big changes for computers
Apple recently updated its operating systems for Mac and iOS (iPhone and iPad). Apple also announced a new line of computers built with its own processors. While this development is largely under the hood, these new chips represent some new potential for computing.
Read MoreJLAP: Grief is more than just the ‘holiday blues’
There is more in the air than holiday cheer. It feels heavy and different, the kind of energy you can’t put your finger on. David Kessler, renowned grief expert, issued a wake-up call: “We are all dealing with the collective loss of the world we knew. The world we knew is now gone forever.” If you feel like singing the blues, you are not alone.
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IndyBar: Then and Now: Practitioners Reflect on 50 Years in Practice
Filled with tragedy, joy, loss and happiness, events of 50 years ago remain clear in the minds of colleagues who have been fortunate enough to have practiced law since then. We had the chance to sit down with a few of them to gain insight to just some of the many things that have changed.
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IndyBar: IndyBar’s Giving Raises Over $26,000 for Indianapolis Bar Foundation
It’s the season of giving and even during the hardships of 2020, generous sponsors, bidders and donors helped the Indianapolis Bar Foundation raise over $26,000 during IndyBar’s Giving, this year’s online silent auction to benefit the programs and initiatives of the foundation.
Read MoreIndyBar: Volunteers Needed to Serve on IndyBar Law Practice Management Committee
Would you consider yourself to be an expert in law practice management? The IndyBar needs your services and expertise! We’re looking for volunteers to serve on the new Law Practice Management Committee.
Read MoreIndyBar: Serve on the IndyBar Tax Section Executive Committee
The Tax Section of the Indianapolis Bar Association is in the process of selecting its slate for the 2021 Executive Committee and positions are available for new committee members.
Read MoreDTCI: Justin K. Curtis: Assignment of Claims for Recoverable Depreciation
Many states have not addressed the situation where a policyholder attempts to assign rights and benefits that the policyholder is not yet entitled to — either because they have yet to satisfy certain conditions under the policy or because the claim has not been reduced to a fixed and certain amount (“contingent benefits”).
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