Two lawyers among 14 new lawmakers joining Legislature’s 2025 session

Legislation addressing “noncompliant prosecutors” who “blanketly” refuse to bring charges for certain crimes is expected to be introduced when lawmakers gather at the Indiana Statehouse next month to begin the 2023 legislative session. (IL file photo)

Two lawyers are among the 14 new lawmakers joining the Indiana Legislature for the 2025 session, which kicks off in earnest on Jan. 8.

They are Republican Reps. Andrew Ireland of Indianapolis and Garrett Bascom of Lawrenceburg.

Ireland was elected in November to succeed Rep. Mike Speedy, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress and has been appointed by Gov.-elect Mike Braun as secretary of business affairs. Speedy has a law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

Ireland is an attorney at Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary in Indianapolis where he focuses his practice on class action defense and complex litigation and business disputes. He has a law degree from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Bascom was elected to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Randy Lyness, R-West Harrison, who did not seek reelection. 

He established Bascom & Kisor LLC in 2023 where he practices in a variety of areas including criminal, family, personal injury, business and probate law. He has a law degree from the Indiana University McKinney School of Law.

Overall, the number of lawyer-legislators in the Indiana General Assembly stays at 23, the same as in 2024. In 2022, 21 of the state’s 150 lawmakers held a law degree.

The other lawyer who left Legislature before this year’s session was Ryan Hatfield, who was elected as a Vanderburgh Superior Court judge. 

The highest ranking attorney in the Legislature is top Republican in the Indiana Senate, President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray of Martinsville.

Other state senators with law degrees are:

• Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne (University of Iowa)
• Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis (Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law)
• Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso (South Texas College of Law)
• Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis (University of Dayton School of Law)
• Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange (IU McKinney)
• Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle (IU McKinney)
• Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford (IU Maurer School of Law)
• Sen. R. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis (IU McKinney)
• Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis (IU Maurer)
• Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton (IU McKinney)
• Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago (John Marshall Law School, now the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law)

Other members of the Indiana House with a law degree are:

• Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers (George Washington University)
• Rep. Jennifer Meltzer, R-Shelbyville (IU McKinney)
• Rep. Kyle Pierce, R-Anderson (IU McKinney)
• Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon (IU McKinney)
• Rep. Alex Zimmerman, R-North Vernon (IU McKinney)
• Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis (Harvard Law School)
• Rep. Ryan Dvorak, D-South Bend (IU McKinney)
• Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary (Valparaiso)
• Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington (IU Maurer)