Trials are the training ground in which this generation of lead trial lawyers prepares the next. My concern was and is that the ability to effectively exercise the right to trial will someday (maybe soon) be limited because there will be no one left with experience doing the work.
In conjunction with its 2019 Annual Meeting in Bloomington Nov. 21-22, DTCI recognized the outstanding defense lawyers of the year.
Click here to see photos from the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana in Bloomington.
The Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana named its 2020 officers and directors at its 26th Annual Conference and Annual Meeting last month. The officers and directors will take office Jan. 1, 2020.
This year, the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana has participated as amicus in a variety of issues of significant interest to the defense bar. Here are highlights from some of those key cases.
Indianapolis attorney Donald Smith knows the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana has value. His goal during his year as the organization’s president is to show others that value, too.
The September community service event at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana was hosted by the Young Lawyers Committees of DTCI and ITLA. Six DTCI members and two ITLA members attended.
Indiana’s state and federal courts have long held that the incurred risk and product alteration defenses under Indiana’s Product Liability Act (IPLA) constitute “complete defenses.” But applying the misuse doctrine, particularly as a complete defense, is nuanced and requires a more thorough understanding of Campbell Hausfeld/Scott Fetzer v. Johnson and related law than the headlines might suggest.
The law limits an uninsured person’s recovery to economic damages when an insured driver is at fault. Insurance companies are actually prohibited from paying noneconomic damages to uninsured claimants who have had a financial responsibility citation within the previous five years.
In assessing workplace violence situations, there are clearly certain occupations where the risk of aggression is higher. Even though the risk of workplace violence exists in many different vocations, there are some proactive approaches that employers can and should use to minimize the risk.
The annual meeting of membership and the Board of Directors will take place Nov. 21-22 at the Monroe Convention Center in Bloomington.
Considering the clear prohibition against expert contingency fee agreements expressed by the Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct and the overwhelming authority from other jurisdictions, it is likely courts in our state will adopt a rule excluding contingent expert testimony, should the issue arise.
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.
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.
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]
Most pharmacies’ legal and financial exposure is not with the diversion of controlled substances (e.g., stealing, selling or dispensing drugs without a legitimate medical purpose); it is instead with the tedious, prosaic record-keeping requirements that often go neglected.
New jury research shows jurors often use the cognitive heuristic of “anchoring and adjusting” to assist their task. In other words, jurors look for an anchor that provides a starting point for the value they may assign to an injury, and they adjust the value from that anchor depending on the evidence. Although the value may be adjusted, the anchor strongly influences the outcome.
Who among us has not had a client who elected not to bring a lawsuit against another party for fear of never being able to collect a judgment? Perhaps worse, we are sure many of us have pursued a case for a client all the way to trial or judgment, only to have the opposing party seek bankruptcy protection at the 11th hour. Fortunately, Indiana law provides an underused opportunity to earn protection and security for your clients when faced with the uncertainty of whether a case is worth pursuing for fear little or no recovery.
Every lawyer must answer The Clash’s Mick Jones’ question, “Should I Say or Should I Go?” many times, in one context or another.
As this year’s graduates prepare to take the July bar exam, I cannot help but think back to when I was taking the bar and preparing to begin my legal career. A daunting task, certainly. But with the support of many in the Indianapolis legal community, I got through it with only a few bumps and bruises. And I learned a lot along the way. For the developing young lawyer, this article offers some practical guidance to help you continue growing professionally.