Editor’s Perspective: Leadership in Law 2021: Come be inspired

Have you ever met someone who inspires, challenges you, motivates you and maybe makes you feel just a little bit lazy? Have you ever met 37 such someones all at once?

That’ll be the backdrop of the 2021 Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law Awards, our annual program honoring standout lawyers in the Hoosier State.

As in years past, the 2021 Leadership in Law Awards will honor 15 Distinguished Barristers (at least 20 years in the profession) and 15 Up and Coming Lawyers (10 years in the profession or less). But that’s about where the similarities with previous years end.

For starters, this year we’re hosting a breakfast event at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, rather than an after-hours reception. You’ll start your day with the opportunity to network, meet leading lawyers, judges and law professors from across the state, and hear directly from the honorees. We’re also partnering with our sister paper, the Indianapolis Business Journal, to honor this year’s class of winners. But perhaps most excitingly, we’re honoring more legal professionals than ever in 2021, with two new categories of honorees to celebrate.

First up is our inaugural class of Legal Support Stars: the paralegals, assistants and other legal support staffers who keep your practices running. These are the people who, without whom, the practice of law and administration of justice could not happen. In honor of those indispensable contributions to the profession, Indiana Lawyer is recognizing five Legal Support Stars for the first time this year.

And then there’s the Lifetime Achievement Award, our most prestigious honor yet. This award is meant to recognize legal professionals whose contributions to the law and the community have made an impact not just on their immediate network, but on Hoosiers across the state.

Selecting our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award winner was no easy task. We looked at your nominations and came up with some names of our own, evaluating each candidate for their community engagement, volunteer/pro bono service, mentorship and civility. And you know what we discovered? Indiana’s legal community is so rich, we couldn’t pick just one winner.

That’s right, our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award winner is actually two winners: former Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Lacy Johnson, partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. These two individuals stood out to our selection panel — which included IBJ Media staffers and local attorneys — for their tireless commitment to public service and to the pursuit of justice, not just for Hoosiers, but for all Americans.

Brooks and Johnson will reflect on their careers at this year’s breakfast, which will begin at 8 a.m. Nov. 9. You’ll also hear from the other 35 honorees, who will share words of wisdom such as their advice for their younger selves, their experiences practicing during COVID and even their favorite fictional lawyers.

I’ve been a part of the Leadership in Law program for five years now, and each year I am inspired, challenged and motivated by the nominations we receive. Indiana’s legal profession is filled with lawyers, judges, law professors, politicians and more who do their jobs not for money or recognition, but out of a deep sense of purpose and commitment to justice. They represent their clients, serve their communities and raise their families, pursuing excellence at every turn.

I’m not a lawyer myself, but if I were, I’d want to be like our Leadership in Law winners.

Join us in honoring this year’s group of 37 winners on Nov. 9. RSVP by Nov. 1 to save your seat.

We’ll see you there!•

• Olivia Covington is editor of Indiana Lawyer. Reach her at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.