Although he's set to retire later this month, Friedlander will continue to serve as a senior judge, and Marion Superior Court Judge Robert Altice will be taking his place. The handful of Hoosier law firms that combined during the last two years highlight a pair of emerging trends of interest to those who watch law firm merger and acquisition activity. In June, 53-year-old David McAvoy not only marked his 25th year working at Eli Lilly, he also participated in a 155-mile race through the largest desert region in Asia: the Gobi Desert.

In a rural county ravaged by prescription pain pill addiction, the local sheriff has a vision for rehabilitation. A little-noticed bill signed into law May 5 provides new protections in the workplace for victims trying to untangle themselves from domestic violence situations. Judge John Tinder is retiring, but he expects to seek opportunities to assist parties with litigation consulting, compliance and arbitration.

At least two of Indiana’s five Supreme Court justices were openly skeptical of arguments that the state’s scheme for criminalizing synthetic drugs such as Spice and bath salts is unconstitutional, as the Court of Appeals ruled.  Female attorneys are taking leadership roles in traditionally male-oriented practice areas. Some companies are rethinking benefit policies in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage.

Lawyers will have to file electronically in all Indiana state courts by the end of 2018, according to a plan overseen by Supreme Court Justice Steven David and Court of Appeals Judge Paul Mathias. Hamilton County will get the ball rolling in a few weeks. Local efforts to limit Fourth of July festivities fizzle because of state law. While it's now common at criminal trials, St. Joseph County obtained its first conviction using DNA evidence in 1992.

Two trial court judges with a breadth of experience hearing criminal and civil matters and a public defender who’s tried hundreds of appeals are finalists to be the next Indiana Court of Appeals judge. Indiana Tech Law School plans on reapplying for provisional accreditation after the ABA denied its first application. Immunity laws are flourishing in Indiana.

Law firm websites have come a long way since the mid-1990s, when sites, such as Ice Miller LLP’s, featured mostly text and simple graphics. The Indiana Supreme Court has pulled the plug on an audio-video transcript pilot project. Longtime criminal defense attorney Robert Hammerle has joined Indianapolis firm Pence Hensel.

Indianapolis attorney and Marine Corps veteran Ed Smid has made it his mission to see that those who died in Afghanistan and Iraq are remembered and honored. In doing so, he’s also strengthened bonds among families of the fallen and provided valuable aid to survivors. Corporate clients are reshaping big law firms, seeking quality work but at cheaper prices. Blogs allow attorneys to market their services, find clients and express themselves.

The Mediation Assistance Program in the Southern District of Indiana, which appoints pro bono counsel to help litigants settle cases, setttled 28 out the 43 cases MAP counsel worked on in 2013. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals isn't sure why the Supreme Court of the United States sent the Notre Dame contraception mandate challenge back to the lower court for another look. Nearly 25 years after graduating law school, four IU McKinney alumns reflect on their careers.

A retired lawyer is among the elite few to participate in every 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, which began in 1977. Bettie Page’s name and image popularized by once-scandalous pinups from the 1940s and 1950s remain hot properties still able to stir up trouble. The integration between Eskenzi Health and Indiana Legal Services coupled with the sustained effort to remedy the Medicaid waiver issue earned the Midtown Partnership national recognition.

Both sides say the courts will have a central role in interpreting Indiana’s amended Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Elder law, a practice area that started in the late 1980s, has grown quite a bit in the last 25 years. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard arguments on whether the Marion Superior judicial election system should be tossed out.