DTCI: Young Lawyer Spotlight — Ryan Shouse
Meet attorney Ryan Shouse in this ongoing series introducing new DTCI attorneys to the wider legal community.
New Lawyers
Articles
Indiana to switch to Uniform Bar Exam in 2021
Indiana has decided to join the growing majority of states and adopt the Uniform Bar Exam in July 2021, according to an announcement Tuesday from the Indiana Supreme Court. Justices also announced Tuesday that the February 2021 Bar Exam will be given remotely.
337 new lawyers admitted to practice in Indiana
The following new lawyers were admitted to practice last month. Many of those listed below participated in virtual admission ceremonies Sept. 21. Here are Indiana’s newest lawyers.
Crabtree: A healthy dose of humility never hurt anyone
The last thing Indiana Lawyer readers need is a new attorney giving them tips, best practices and pitfalls to avoid. So as a new attorney, I will instead tell a story about humility — something that any person can (and should) experience at any time in their life. I received a large dose of it after I was sworn in as an attorney.
Collins: New associates: Step one — develop your skills
Many of you recently passed the state bar exam and were sworn in to practice law within the last couple of months. I was in your shoes one year ago and will now impart some of the “knowledge” I have learned in my first year as a lawyer. It is up to you to decide if what I have learned is helpful to you or if I am full of it.
Trimble: 10 tips for new lawyers: Get your career off to a good start
On Sept. 21, 2020, a whole new cohort of lawyers took the oath to practice law in Indiana. You have joined our profession in the strangest and least predictable year that any of us has seen. We welcome you into the bar with enthusiasm, high expectations and hope that our profession will soon return to a semblance of normal. This year more than ever you will need our support, guidance and patience as you get started.
Online admission ceremony celebrates new lawyers, honors Justice Ginsburg
The Indiana Supreme Court hosted the Fall 2020 Bar Admission Ceremony by videoconference Monday in keeping with safeguards of hosting once events online amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the speakers encouraged new Indiana lawyers to look to the example of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Unprecedented August 2020 bar exam yields passage rates from the past
The overall passage rate for the Indiana August 2020 bar exam reached 74%, about 10 percentage points higher than the overall pass rate for the previous four July bar exams. Likewise, 84% of those taking the test for the first time passed while 53% of the repeat takers were successful, the highest rate for repeaters since 54% passed the February 2015 bar.
Fall 2020 Indiana bar admission ceremony to be held virtually
For the second time this year, new Indiana attorneys will be taking their oaths via videoconference during the Fall 2020 Bar Admission Ceremony, the Indiana Supreme Court has announced.
Bar applicants ace August 2020 exam
Indiana’s unprecedented bar exam that was reformatted and delayed until August 2020 because of the coronavirus has turned in a pass rate that tops the previous four years. Almost three-quarters of those who took the remote test passed, according to the list released Tuesday.
Web Exclusive: Young lawyers say hefty student loans limit life after graduation
A recent survey of nearly 1,100 young lawyers found that many new attorneys are making major financial, personal and career sacrifices as a result of their student loans. That includes decisions ranging from marriage and children to making big purchases or taking vacations. The survey hits home for many young Indiana lawyers.
Stretched to serve in ‘legal deserts’
Although there are more than 1.3 million attorneys in the United States, “legal deserts” can be found across vast expanses of the country and all over Indiana, according to a recent report from the American Bar Association.
IndyBar: Rising from the Shadows: The Importance of Mentorship During a Pandemic
The strength of our Indianapolis legal community has always been the pipeline of dedicated senior lawyers and law school alumni who invest deeply in our young lawyers to provide them with a guiding light. Your weapon to fight the ill effects of COVID-19 is an iron-willed commitment to mentorship.
Indiana in shrinking minority as Kentucky adopts UBE
In an order issued by the Kentucky Supreme Court on Friday, the commonwealth has joined the growing list of states adopting the Uniform Bar Exam, putting Indiana in an even smaller group of non-UBE jurisdictions.
DTCI: Young Lawyer Spotlight
Get to know a new lawyer through this occasional feature from Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana.
Advice on CARES Act’s freezing of student loan payments till 2021
People with federal student loans don’t have to make another federal payment in 2020. Now is the time, though, to decide what to do before your bill arrives in January 2021.
Report: Law school Class of 2019 had best employment rate since Great Recession
A new jobs report from National Association for Law Placement says law school graduates in 2019 enjoyed some of the best of times while nodding to fears that the 2020 graduates may experience the worst of times.
Faulty bar exam software tossed in favor of emails, open books
The Indiana Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday again revamping the July 2020 bar exam, opting to send test questions by email and allowing applicants to refer to notes and course materials during the test. The test is still scheduled to be administered remotely Tuesday under the new format.
Software headaches adding to bar exam worries
Two business days from the July 2020 bar exam, some Indiana applicants are reporting problems with the software and adding more anxiety that they will not even be able to log on to take the test Tuesday.
DTCI: Spotlight on New Defense Lawyers
The DTCI resumes its popular feature, “Young Lawyer Spotlight,” introducing a few of its new members to the Indiana legal community at large. DTCI members are encouraged to submit the names of their new associates for inclusion in future Spotlight features.