Indiana Lawyer announces 2022 Leadership in Law honorees: Senior Judge Barker receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Indiana Lawyer is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2022 Leadership in Law Awards, who will be honored at a recognition breakfast on June 1.

This year’s class of honorees is led by Senior Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, who has been named the 2022 recipient of the Leadership in Law Lifetime Achievement Award. This award honors a seasoned legal professional whose exemplary career has demonstrated excellence in community involvement, pro bono/volunteer service, mentorship and civility.

This is the second year for the Lifetime Achievement Award. The inaugural winners in 2021 were former Congresswoman Susan Brooks and Lacy Johnson of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

Since 2006, Indiana Lawyer has annually recognized 15 Distinguished Barristers and 15 Up and Coming Lawyers. Winners of the former award have been in the legal profession for at least 20 years while winners of the latter have been in the profession for 10 years or less. Honorees in both categories have demonstrated excellence in and out of the courtroom, regardless of how long they have been in the profession.

The 2022 class of Distinguished Barristers includes:

• Cynthia Adams of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

• Tina M. Bell of Christie Farrell Lee & Bell.

• Dennis E. Bland of the Center for Leadership Development.

• Bernice Corley of the Indiana Public Defender Council.

• Judge Jennifer L. DeGroote of the Allen Superior Court.

• Thomas M. Frohman of Indiana Legal Services Inc.

• Philip C. Genetos of Ice Miller LLP

• John R. Hammond III of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

• John David Hoover of Hoover Hull Turner LLP.

• Sharon Jackson of the Office of the Governor of Indiana.

• J. Richard Kiefer of Dentons Bingham Greenebaum.

• Seth Lahn of Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

• Bradley Skolnik of the Indiana Office of Admissions and Continuing Education.

• Marilee J. Springer of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.

• Alonzo Weems of Eli Lilly & Company.

The 2022 class of Up & Coming Lawyers includes:

• Joel A. Benson of Dentons Bingham Greenebaum.

• Ted Cotterill of the State of Indiana Management Performance Hub.

• Kimberly S. DalSanto of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

• Kayla Ernst of Ice Miller LLP.

• Chisara Ezie-Boncoeur of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

• Adriana Figueroa of Indiana University Health.

• Matthew M. Gardlik of Woodard Emhardt Henry Reeves & Wagner.

• Brittany Kelly of Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

• Lauren Nottoli of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

• Barath S. Raman of Lewis Wagner LLP.

• Maurice Scott of Scott Legal & Consulting LLC.

• Joanne Sommers of Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP.

• Joel Swider of Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman P.C.

• Andrew Tyler Thomas of Indiana Legal Services Inc.

• Brittney N. Yocum of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.

In addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, Indiana Lawyer also introduced the Legal Support Stars category in 2021. This award honors paralegals, legal secretaries and other legal support staff whose work keeps the practice of law and the judiciary functioning.

The 2022 class of Legal Support Stars includes:

• Kathryn Bischof of Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP.

• Vicky L. Bland of Katz Korin Cunningham P.C.

• Marianne Garrard of Church Church Hittle & Antrim.

• Michelle O’Brien Hubbard of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP.

• Sarah Quinn Kuhny of Barnes & Thornburg LLP.

Indiana Lawyer received nearly 100 nominations across the four Leadership in Law Awards categories. A total of 36 honorees were selected.

This year’s award winners were considered and chosen by a team from Indiana Lawyer and its parent company, IBJ Media, along with three Hoosier lawyers: Lance Ladendorf of Pavlack Law LLC, representing the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association; Marianne Mitten Owen of Stuart & Branigin Lawyers, representing the Indiana State Bar Association; and Nissa Ricafort of Broyles Kight & Ricafort P.C., representing the Indianapolis Bar Association. The Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana was also invited to participate.

The 2022 honorees will receive their awards at a recognition breakfast at 8 a.m. June 1 at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, 46204. Past winners, honorees’ firms/organizations and other members of the Hoosier legal community are invited to attend and hear from this year’s winners, including a live address from Judge Barker.

Those interested in attending should RSVP by May 18. For ticket and registration information, visit theindianalawyer.com/events/leadership-in-law, or email Indiana Lawyer Editor Olivia Covington at [email protected].•

Editor’s note: This article has been corrected.