Peaceful protests over police use of force and racial bias in Indianapolis and around the state turned violent as police in the state capital launched tear gas and protesters vandalized and destroyed businesses. After protests turned to rage, attorneys familiar with inequities in the justice system said they understood the reason for anger in the streets. And inmates who have sought release from prison or jail due to COVID-19 have seen mixed results.
Suspended Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is fighting to stay in power, facing political rivals as well as a lawsuit that seeks to disqualify him from office. Juvenile probation officers in Marion and Monroe counties delivered for their young clients and their families, providing a gift in tough times. And as law school graduates faced unprecedented challenges from the coronavirus pandemic leading up the July bar exam, quick action by the Indiana Supreme Court delivered some certainty in uncertain times.
The 30-day suspension of Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is raising questions about whether he remains eligible to serve in office. The law school class of 2020 made history in more than one way with the first virtual admission ceremony. And a change in the federal courts for the Southern District of Indiana brings the promise of adventure in retirement a clerk who is hitting the road.
With courthouses across Indiana virtually empty, courts are turning to technology to keep dockets moving and planning for the future amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Law firms big and small have pivoted amid the pandemic, putting emphasis on keeping clients informed about coronavirus issues. And Indiana Lawyer is proud to introduce our 2020 Leadership in Law honorees.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, lawyers are doing their part to ensure health care professionals and others at a higher risk of infection have the tools they need to stay healthy. Meanwhile, law students are adjusting to the realities of virtual classrooms and the loss of pomp and circumstance for this year's graduating class. And in non-coronavirus news, an Elkhart man who says he was wrongfully convicted of murder 15 years ago has been released.
As Hoosiers and the nation embraced a new normal, established and new law firms are working through it, with some scrambling to practice remotely. The coronavirus pandemic has led law enforcement to turn to summonses for misdemeanor offenders, putting into practice a proposal that stalled at the Statehouse. And when the world returns to normal, two attorneys who turned their love of roller hockey into a league will return to the bonds of skates, friendship and beer.
At a special and emotional graduation ceremony for the federal court’s REACH re-entry program, Kenny Lewis’ accomplishments, inspiration and legacy were celebrated. The first woman lawyer at one of Indianapolis’ leading law firms has stepped aside after her career blazed a trail for female attorneys and firm leaders. And after controversy at the Statehouse this year, an effort is underway to review the juvenile justice system.
As the trial for the alleged gunman involved in the shooting of two Indiana judges nears, video evidence that could be key to the outcome remains under seal. Meanwhile, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law is marking a historic moment as it prepares to welcome its first dean who will be a person of color. And as the 2020 election gets closer, Indiana lawmakers and other political leaders say they are still uncertain of what the future might hold if Attorney General Curtis Hill receives professional discipline.
Women lawyers who practice in traditionally male-dominated white-collar defense practices have found a way to break barriers while building support and their books of business. Law schools and firms with ties to China are watching the coronavirus outbreak closely, with one expert cautioning the worst is likely yet to come. And a Notre Dame law school legal aid team that made a return trip to help asylum seekers found a more dire situation on the border.
Two Indianapolis attorneys are setting sail on a years-long voyage, where they will work while also working their way through the inland and coastal waters of the North America Great Loop. For married same-sex women, a court ruling in a birth certificate case brought relief, if not finality, to their desires to be legally recognized as parents. And from ballot boxes to hanging chads, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site has curated a collection of voting machines in America through the centuries.