Lawyer reprimanded for collecting unreasonable fee
A South Bend attorney was reprimanded by the Indiana Supreme Court on Friday after agreeing that she violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by collecting an unreasonable fee.
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Lawyer accused of forging judge’s name suspended again
A suspended Decatur lawyer who faces multiple disciplinary charges — including for accusations that she signed a judge’s name on a phony divorce order and sent emails posing as a deputy prosecutor — has again been suspended for failing to cooperate with investigations.
Gary mayor, IP practice chair carrying on Shirley’s legacy
One has realized her dream of being mayor of her hometown and the other is leading in a legal field that has typically attracted more men than women. Neither likes the spotlight, preferring to share any recognition, but both are credited with carving new paths for women and mentoring the next generation.
New Albany attorney J. Todd Spurgeon to become ISBA president
A couple of years into his practice at Kightlinger & Gray, a senior partner at the firm gave J. Todd Spurgeon a simple directive: “You are going to get involved in the bar association.” The rest, as they say, is history: Spurgeon’s now the incoming president of the Indiana State Bar Association.
J. Lee McNeely recognized as Legendary Lawyer for distinguished career
A small-town attorney with a folksy manner and sly wit, J. Lee McNeely never wanted to be anywhere other than his hometown of Shelbyville. The Indiana Bar Foundation named him the 2018 Legendary Lawyer in recognition of his public service, community service and contributions to the legal profession during more than 50 years of practice.
Improving legal representation for the indigent
Nearly two years after a national organization released a report that was highly critical of Indiana’s public defense system, a statewide task force has issued a report of its own that lays out the issues hindering Hoosier defendants’ access to counsel and makes recommendations for improvement.
COA affirms ruling for lawyer on legal malpractice claim
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for a Bloomington lawyer accused of legal malpractice, finding the evidence negated the proximate cause element of the claim.
Noted attorney to speak at McKinney on ‘foodborne litigation’
An attorney who has represented thousands of people sickened by contaminated food products dating back to the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak will speak at Indiana University McKinney School of Law Thursday.
Red Masses scheduled around the state
Catholic dioceses around Indiana are preparing to celebrate the traditional Red Mass in coming weeks. Special receptions will follow each service and feature keynote speakers discussing an array of topics of interest to the legal community.
Sweeney first judge in 8 years confirmed to Southern District
James Sweeney was confirmed by a voice vote in a rare show of Senate bipartisanship. The next day, a Barnes & Thornburg colleague saw him at work and wondered why he was not taking at least a little time off. Sweeney said he wanted to pull his weight.
Open House: Fox Williams & Sink restore new life to a 1920s Broad Ripple building
The orange textured exterior had to go, but otherwise the one-story building with a walkout basement on the edge of Broad Ripple Village was the perfect spot for the lawyers of Fox Williams & Sink LLC.
Legal analytics help lawyers respond to client questions
in an age of technology, new legal tech tools are being designed to provide attorneys with more specific answers for clients’ numerous questions about expected case outcomes. Legal analytics tools provide data on how a judge typically rules on summary judgment motions, how long a particular judge generally takes to decide a case or how often opposing counsel chooses to settle.
Taft rolls out 24/7 care initiative as firms study family needs
Law firms are recognizing the personal and professional responsibilities that compete for attorneys' attention and finding ways to address those needs, including providing services such as around-the-clock family care for children and aging parents.
Eye on the Profession: Does culture in the legal workplace matter?
One of the new tensions of moving a law firm or legal department toward more businesslike behavior is culture. Critics constantly ask, “Will our culture be ruined?” “Will our culture be changed?” “Should we even be concerned about the impact change may have on culture?” “Does culture matter?”
Fighting fear, stigma of impairment due to mental health issues
Legal employers interested in helping colleagues impaired by issues such as substance abuse, depression or cognitive degeneration now have a versatile toolkit they can customize to meet the needs of their attorney and the organization.
Indiana BMV directed to repay final $3.3M in fee overcharges
Indiana drivers who were overcharged by the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles could soon find it easier to claim the last $3.3 million of a much larger class-action settlement. A bureaucratic snafu had prevented people from receiving their payments from the state attorney general’s unclaimed property division, so Marion County Judge Heather Welch directed the BMV to refund the money itself through credits or refund checks.
SCOTUS tackles big docket, pace likely to persist
In reviewing the recently ended U.S. Supreme Court term that included several landmark cases and three reversals of precedent, retired 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge John Tinder finally had to quote baseball legend Yogi Berra as to what might happen in the 2018 term.
IU McKinney 3L charts rare path: Going solo after graduation
Many law school students graduate with the goal of joining a well-established firm and securing a steady income as soon as possible. But Erika Bryant is among those who would rather take a risk on themselves.
Attorneys must be mindful of how they discard digital technology
Just as an attorney would shred outdated paper documents, contacts stored in a cellphone and files on a hard drive must be kept private when the old devices are discarded.
Cloud storage foreshadows upgraded standards, security for small firms
Advances in technology have led the world into an era of easy accessibility, something that attorney Bryan Stoffel is grateful for. His solo practice is one of many that rely heavily on the cloud for everyday functions, such as billing, law practice management and filing client paperwork.