In the July 7 issue, IL reporter Katie Stancombe speaks with an Indianapolis lawyer who recently penned her first book examining the intersection between the HIV crisis, Ryan White, the economy in Kokomo and the court system. Also, Stancombe and IL senior reporter Marilyn Odendahl explore the summer associate experience and how it's been affected by the tumult of the last year. Plus, why some Hoosier health care workers are fighting against a vaccine mandate, and whether they have a legal leg to stand on.

It's Reunification Month, and one Indianapolis mother is being honored by the ABA for her efforts to regain custody of her son. Meanwhile, two Indianapolis attorneys spoke with Indiana Lawyer about their shared love of making music. And in the New Laws Focus Section, check out our annual list of new legislation enacted during the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly.

As the vaccine rollout continues, Hoosier law firm leaders are trying to decide when and how often they should bring workers back into the office. Other firms are adjusting to new digs after making pandemic-era moves. And in this issue's Focus, meet new ITLA President Dan Ladendorf.

In this week's Indiana Lawyer, Olivia Covington explores the broad range of questions candidates for the Indiana Court of Appeals fielded during interviews this month. The issue also includes a story by Katie Stancombe on the surprise plunge in bankruptcy cases and how bankruptcy practitioners are adapting. You'll also find the list of 58 new lawyers admitted to practice in the state, and a feature by Marilyn Odendahl on what the new admittees are thankful for.

With four months as Indiana attorney general under his built, Republican Todd Rokita has established an agenda based on "personal liberties." Meanwhile, as lawmakers prepare to redraw Indiana's congressional maps, grassroots organizations are pointing to tensions between rural and urban populations. Plus, meet Michael Carter, an Indianapolis lawyer who recently published his debut novel.

Less than a month after the deadliest mass shooting in Indianapolis history, questions are still being raised about whether Indiana's red flag law could have stopped the shooter from purchasing the two assault-style rifles he used at the FedEx Ground facility on the city's southwest side. Meanwhile, Kids' Voice of Indiana is preparing to take over as the GAL/CASA provider in the Marion County Courts after negotiations with Child Advocates ended unsuccessfully. Plus, meet the Evansville attorney who doubles as the leader of a women's wellness website.

Tanya Walton Pratt is making making history as the first African American chief judge of U.S. Court for the Southern District of Indiana, but she also is looking forward to a future past the pandemic and, she hopes, with a new judgeship for one of the America’s busiest federal courts. For women judges, their journey to the bench often begins with a mentor who plants seeds of encouragement. And two Indianapolis nonprofits that serve youngsters in the child welfare system, Child Advocates and Kids’ Voice of Indiana, have been at the center of an argument that many families have had: Who can better care for the youngest members?      

It’s no secret jury trials are declining across America, even as they are increasing in other parts of the world. What’s less obvious, though, is why that decline is occurring. Meanwhile, Marion County courts are struggling to get potential jurors to report. Immigration attorneys say challenges for unmarried international couples have risen as COVID kept them apart. And as President Joe Biden begins making nominations to fill federal judicial vacancies, Indiana lacks a clearly defined process for identifying qualified Hoosiers to fill the vacancies.

A new dual-degree program is giving agriculture professionals a chance to learn the legalities of their work. Meanwhile, the state of Indiana is fighting multiple court orders requiring disclosure of the state's lethal injection cocktail. Plus, law students are learning the value of in-person communication through their pandemic clinic experiences.

Indiana Capitol Police say they feel a special sense of pride and honor carrying out their duties safeguarding the Indiana Statehouse and other Circle City landmarks. A recent ABA resolution is urges new programs to assist law school graduates and law students experiencing financial hardship due to student loan debt. Family law practitioners and longtime colleagues James Reed and Michael Kohlhaas made a career move that runs counter to the current trend — they went from big to boutique, and they aren’t the only big law firm lawyers who have made such a change.