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A longtime Indianapolis trial lawyer and a South Bend attorney were among the top honorees at the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association’s annual awards ceremony in May.
Mark Ladendorf of Ladendorf, Fregiato & Bigler is the recipient of ITLA’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award, while the association honored James Barth of Pfeifer, Morgan & Stesiak with its Max Goodwin Young Lawyer of the Year Award.
In accepting his award at the ITLA’s ceremony, Ladendorf applauded some of ITLA’s past leaders and saluted friends within the association.
“We’re all out there, busting our butt and trying to do the right thing so we can help our clients,” Ladendorf said.
Ladendorf’s career spans almost five decades, beginning with his admission to the bar in 1980.
His stint with ITLA included a term as president in 2013-2014 and Ladendorf has also been a member, and now emeritus member of the association’s board of directors since 1990.
Barth has worked for the South Bend firm since 2016, the same year he was admitted to practice law in Indiana.
The South Bend attorney said he was the first generation in his family to earn an undergraduate college degree and was drawn to law and being a trial lawyer because he wanted to advocate for people’s rights and help them.
Barth said it’s meaningful for him when clients get compensation for injuries they sustained.
“There’s a lot of peace of mind at the end of a case that we did our best and our client’s story was told,” Barth said.
He told Indiana Lawyer he was surprised when he heard of his nomination.
“I was just kind of humbled that the people who voted and who nominated me think that much of me,” Barth said.
The nominations
A group of eight attorneys nominated Ladendorf for the Lifetime Achievement Award.
In their nomination letter, the group cited Ladendorf’s contributions to LAW-PAC of INDIANA and his support of the ITLA Governmental Affairs program.
“Through his aggressive advocacy in both trial and appellate courts, we all have been the beneficiaries of Mark’s dogged determination to find justice through strategic use of the Seventh Amendment constitutional right to trial by jury, which—even if protected—is otherwise meaningless if not exercised,” the letter read.
The attorneys noted that Ladendorf is also a member of the ITLA CLE Faculty and the association’s College of Fellows
“Mark has spent his entire legal career with one focus: Representing the injured victims of wrongdoing and holding wrongdoers and their insurance companies accountable for the harms and losses they cause,” the letter concluded.
William Keller nominated Barth for his award.
Keller noted that Barth has served as first or second chair in 25 trials, presenting cases in both state and federal courts and had obtained a verdict of $1.7 million in a bench trial.
He has also been involved in 21 appeals, with three reaching the Indiana Supreme Court, and is admitted to practice before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and in Michigan.
Barth is a member of ITLA’s Board of Directors.
Keller wrote that Barth contributed significantly to the advancement of Indiana law through his amicus brief in Wings Etc. et al. v. Estate of Nathan Blount, with his argument before the Indiana Supreme Court preserving the ability to pursue dram shop liability claims under traditional common law negligence theories and reinforcing the duty of care owed by alcohol providers.
“Mr. Barth meets and exceeds the criteria for the Max Goodwin Young Lawyer Award. His courtroom successes and legislative involvement have advanced Indiana law. His dedication to community service and pro bono work demonstrates his commitment to making a positive impact. He embodies the professionalism and civility expected of young lawyers and is clearly a rising star in our organization,” Keller wrote.
Acceptance speeches
Barth called his award “humbling” and thanked his wife and partners at the South Bend firm for being sounding boards and helping him as he prepares for cases.
Ladendorf closed his acceptance speech by talking about the sleepless nights, countless outlines and long evenings of research he and other trial lawyers put in for their clients.
The longtime trial lawyer said his award was not about him, but the association and its members.
He said he had a great passion for ITLA and the work it and its members do.
“We work to slay the corporate giant. We work against insurance companies who deny claims for no reason at all. We work in the halls of government to try and beat some of the bad bills that come out every year. We battle and we continue the battle to help the citizens of our state,” Ladendorf said.•
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