Lake County judge to lead ILS board

Lake Superior Judge Calvin Hawkins has been selected to be the next president of the board of directors of Indiana Legal Services.

On the bench in East Chicago since 2007, Hawkins has served as a director on the ILS board for 10 years. In part for his work in starting the “It’s Cool to Stay in School Program” which encourages Lake County students to get an education, he was recognized by Gov. Mike Pence at the 2013 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Indiana Holiday Celebration at the Indiana Statehouse.

Hawkins replaces Mary Fondrisi, partner at Smith Carpenter Fondrisi & Cummins in Jeffersonville. The board president’s term is for one year. Fondrisi led the board as it selected – for the first time – a new executive director for Indiana Legal Services.

Jon Laramore, former partner at Faegre Baker Daniels, was tapped to succeed Norman Metzger who had served as executive director since ILS was founded in the 1970s.

Pointing to Laramore’s recent victory before the Supreme Court of the United States, Hawkins said the new executive director was up to the task of leading the statewide agency. Laramore was the counsel of record in Mellouli v. Lynch, 575 U.S.___(2015), and successfully argued against the deportation of his Moones Mellouli.

“Under this administration, the concept of access to justice will not be just a slogan,” Hawkins said. “ILS will do its part to make it a reality for ‘all’ the citizens of the state of Indiana.”

Also appointed to new leadership positions on the board of directors were:
•    Phyllis Carr, Indianapolis, first vice president;
•    David Guerrettaz, Evansville, second vice president;
•    Ivan Bodensteiner, Valparaiso, treasurer;
•    Shirley Adams, Indianapolis, secretary.

Indiana Legal Services provides legal assistance to residents in all the state’s 92 counties. It has offices in Bloomington, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Merrillville, New Albany and South Bend.