My DTCI board term is about to expire. It has been particularly rewarding to lend a voice from the northwestern part of the state as a member of the board of directors. Thus, I want to take the opportunity to reflect upon many grateful memories of being on the DTCI Board of Directors.
The Marion County Bar Association (MCBA) has invested significant time, thought and resources in 2019 to ensure we are mastering “small things in a great way.” Much of the work goes unseen, but these efforts represent fundamental building blocks integral to enhancing the MCBA’s reach and impact. We believe this approach is a proven formula for sustained relevance and long-term success.
I’ve been a public defender since I graduated from law school, and I have found criminal law attorneys especially collegial and close-knit. I was interested in hearing another attorney’s perspective on the criminal law community and wanted to speak with someone who had practiced both as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. Attorney Katie Jackson-Lindsay kindly answered some questions for me.
Recognition Awards, Day of Giving and Trivia Night are all upcoming events on the calendar for the Indianapolis Bar Association and Indianapolis Bar Foundation.
On November 14, join us as we gather in the Indiana Supreme Court courtroom from 3 to 4:30 p.m. for the IndyBar HEAL (Helping Enrich Attorneys’ Lives) Committee’s fourth annual Celebration of Life & Career. Each year, this memorial service gives us an opportunity to honor the lives and careers of local attorneys, judges and paralegals who passed away in the previous year.
Instead of fearing pro bono reporting the next time it comes around, look at it as a challenge or reminder to give yourself fuller life experiences through the service areas of poverty law, civil rights, charitable organization representation or administration of justice.
Member Appreciation Month isn’t over yet! Take a look below to see what we’ve got going on for the rest of the month. Get more details at indybar.org/loveourmembers.
This fall, IndyBar members will be honored for their contributions to our legal community. The Indianapolis legal community is fortunate to be home to many talented, dedicated professionals, and we need your help in identifying our colleagues who went above and beyond this past year!
A slight and modest modification to the medical review panel statutes, modeled after procedures used by other states, could remedy the problem raised in cases involving defendants from a breadth of practice areas.
“I’ve had a great career,” said longtime Whitley County attorney and prosecutor John Whiteleather, “and I hope I have contributed back to the community for what it provided to me.” Whiteleather’s colleagues on the bench and bar assure him that he did, recognizing him as the Indiana Bar Foundation’s 2019 Legendary Lawyer.
Recognizing a need to increase its engagement with younger attorneys, the Indiana State Bar Association last year launched two initiatives that the bar and participants say are showing promising results — a law school outreach effort and an emphasis on programming on a “living life as a lawyer” track.
Leslie Henderzahs says Indiana State Bar Association members often realize the value of the association when they least expect it. The incoming ISBA president cited as an example a recent proposal that Indiana lawyers provide their cellphone numbers with their Roll of Attorneys registrations. Few proposals have prompted such an outcry from attorneys, and Henderzahs said the state bar acted promptly.
For the past 30 years, I have always looked forward to my haircut because of the man who cuts my hair. Working on the ground floor of our downtown office building for more than 30 years, Winston is a man who possesses a passion and skill for identifying the positive meaning to be extracted from the bumps and bruises we all experience.
Low-income individuals are more likely to die younger and without wills or advance directives in place — but you can help! Attorneys, paralegals and law students are needed as volunteers to do intake, conduct private legal consultations with qualified applicants, draft paperwork and witness document signing. Estate planning attorneys are needed but non-probate-savvy attorneys will also be put to good use. Have a notary license? You’re needed too!
Two attorneys who have participated in the program, Bianca Black and Matt Dodson, recently reflected on their experiences as volunteers for Ask a Lawyer.
Each year, the IndyBar offers hundreds of educational programs, social events and opportunities for community involvement, all while introducing new resources and services to serve members of the legal profession. None of these important contributions would be possible without the work of many lawyers, paralegals and law students “behind the scenes” on section and division executive committees.
Jordan Slusher of Kightlinger & Gray, chair of the DTCI Young Lawyers, reported that 22 golfers enjoyed the Young Lawyer three-hour outing at TopGolf in July.[/caption]
A case that split the Indiana Supreme Court last December over a criminal defendant’s mental capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions dovetails into a larger question looming before the U.S. Supreme Court — whether states have to provide laws that allow for an insanity defense.
Space limitations for this column will not allow all the details of our adventure in adopting Eva and in being clients of a Kenyan lawyer, but the entire experience helped me better understand how our clients feel when they are battling serious problems and engage us for guidance and resolution.
Don’t have much time, but want to lend a hand? We have two opportunities for you to give back to our community for just two hours only.