Articles

Blomquist: Supporting our Legal Community Through Good Times and Bad

At the July meeting of the IndyBar Board of Directors, the board approved both the description and the structure of the IndyBar HEAL Committee. If you don’t know it yet, the HEAL Committee stands for “Helping to Enrich Attorneys Lives” and its mission is clear: to assist Indianapolis area legal professionals in times of personal or professional crisis. Under the leadership of Rusty Denton of Bingham Greenebaum Doll LLP, the HEAL Committee has defined its program and laid out its plan to offer assistance to legal professionals at their time of need.

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IndyBar: Board Approves Model Rule Guidelines for Marion County Judicial Selection

As part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate judicial elections issues reform, the Indianapolis Bar Association Board of Directors approved at its July 2013 meeting a set of Model Rule Guidelines for the Marion County judicial selection system. The Model Rule Guidelines were drafted through the bar’s Attorneys for an Independent Bench Committee, which was also authorized at the July board meeting to seek implementation of these rules. Visit www.indybar.org to view the Model Rule Guidelines.

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Blomquist: Why go it Alone? Mentors Provide Support

I went to the annual Women and the Law Division (aka WLD) summer social earlier this summer. This is one of my favorite IndyBar gatherings because women law students, lawyers and judges of all ages and from all career paths have a chance to socialize, network and just have fun. WLD Chair Nicky Mendenhall ran the show and we were all equally entertained and motivated by guest speaker Judge Robyn Moberly, the first women in the state of Indiana to be appointed a federal bankruptcy court judge.

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IndyBar: Interrogatories — Q & A with Jeffrey J. Graham

He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Valparaiso University School of Law. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable S. Hugh Dillin before joining his current practice in bankruptcy and creditor rights at Taft Stettinius & Hollister. He is Jeffrey J. Graham, and he has been served with interrogatories.

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IndyBar: Let’s Get Ready to Rumble: IndyBar to Host Election Law Debate

Introducing first, in this corner, we have Bill Bock, hailing from Kroger Gardis & Regas, representing such heavy hitters as the United States Anti-Doping Agency. And his opponent, a partner of the Faegre Baker Daniels firm, is Scott Chinn, legal advisor to Indy political stars and public officials alike. These two heavyweights of the Indy legal community will square off in a head-to-head debate on one of the most hotly contested topics of our day: election law. Keeping the fight clean will be Brian Bosma, partner at Kroger Gardis & Regas and Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives.

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IndyBar: Nominations Open for 2014 IndyBar Board of Directors

Service on the IndyBar Board of Directors provides a valuable opportunity to play a crucial role in the success and future of your local bar association. The nomination period for the 2014 Board of Directors of the Indianapolis Bar Association has now begun with Christine Hayes Hickey of Rubin & Levin PC appointed to chair the effort.

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IndyBar: Nominate a Colleague for an IndyBar Recognition Award

Do you know of a deserving IndyBar member who has worked hard for the community? Nominate him or her for an IndyBar award! Nominations are being accepted for the following IndyBar awards: the Dr. John Morton Finney Jr. Award for Excellence in Legal Education and the IndyBar Pro Bono Awards, which are presented in five categories: Practicing Attorney, Aiding Individuals; Practicing Attorney, Aiding Entities; Law Firm; Law Student and Paralegal. Go to www.indybar.org for a nomination form. Nominations are due September 30, 2013.

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Blomquist: Valuing Our Judiciary

I am writing this President’s column in San Francisco at a meeting of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. Yes, there is an association of us, frightening though that may seem, yet I unapologetically say it is a good thing. This association helps bar leaders and executives analyze and confront the unique challenges we have as our legal worlds collide, whether it be defining (and paying for) the ideal legal education in 2013, triaging the challenges of our underfunded courts, the changing professional landscape for today’s (and tomorrow’s) practitioners or the very real access to justice issues apparent by the increasing percentage of individuals and businesses who just cannot afford to hire a lawyer anymore to solve their problems.

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IndyBar: Memories Of Joe Russell

While still shocked from Joe’s death, having spent the day before and the morning of his death with him, I am trying to adjust my own perception of life based on Joe’s premature departure.

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Indy Bar: Stock the Schools to Benefit Local Students, Teachers

With over half of the children in Marion County unable to afford school lunch, it shouldn’t be surprising that there are little funds available for these students to purchase the supplies they need to succeed in the classroom. As the school buses head out for a new year, the IndyBar Professionalism Committee urges firms, agencies and legal departments to “Stock the Schools” in the committee’s inaugural school supply drive to benefit local non-profit Teachers’ Treasures.

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Blomquist: In Defense of Hope

I’ve been reading this book about the benefits of positive anticipation. Well actually I’ve owned this book for several years but I put everything aside and pick it back up when I start to believe that cynicism is the great disease of the era, and, frankly, I begin to feel infected.

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IndyBar: Go Green…and Save Green!

Saving the planet feels good…but does it feel as good as saving money? It turns out you can do both at the same time, according to IndyBar member Rick Mann, who heads up his own small firm in Indianapolis. Richard A. Mann PC was recognized for its outstanding efforts to go green in 2012 through the IndyBar’s Green Legal Initiative, which encourages firms, agencies and legal departments to adopt greener business practices.

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