You may not have realized it, but with this issue of the Indiana Lawyer – Volume 23, Number 1 – we celebrate an anniversary.

Much has changed in the 22 years since IBJ Media made the decision to launch a newspaper dedicated specifically to reporting Indiana’s legal news. Film was still the medium used to capture images for the publication, and a lower-cased “i” or “e” before a word would certainly have been considered a typographical error in 1990. But advances in technology have brought changes to media as well as the practice of law, and we’ve gone through the changes and discussed the challenges and opportunities they present together. As landmark legal decisions have been made, new practice areas have developed, and notable Indiana law firms have been created, merged or ceased to exist, the editorial staff of this newspaper has done its best to reach out to the newsmakers and opinion leaders involved and shared that information with you.

During the past 22 years, some things have stayed the same. Chief Justice Randall Shepard was Indiana’s chief justice when Indiana Lawyer published its first issue in 1990. When we celebrate our 23rd anniversary, a new chief justice will be serving our state. We thank Shepard for his support of our fledgling newspaper in the early days and for all the times he has paused from his busy schedule to talk with us in the years since.

As we celebrate another year, we reflect on our mission and promise to you, our readers. It is our job – our commitment – to report legal happenings throughout the Hoosier state. Accurate, fair and balanced reporting is not just a goal, it is an expectation. Have we wished for an “editorial mulligan” from time to time so that we could pull a story back and report it a bit differently? You betcha. But as we begin our 23rd year reporting the news, our staff continues to challenge itself to reach all corners of the state and report the stories Indiana lawyers will find interesting and compelling.

Some wondered if a legal newspaper was sustainable in Indiana. Would there be enough to report every two weeks? The answer is yes. Not only does Indiana’s legal community comprise more than enough interesting people and generate enough legal news fill a newspaper, since 2007, Indiana Lawyer has also produced a daily email newsletter that allows our editorial staff to deliver breaking stories and daily reports on Indiana’s appellate court opinions, law school and bar association news, and other legal updates. If you do not currently receive this free email news service (yes, I said free), I encourage you to visit www.theIndianaLawyer.com and sign up for the IL daily.

Like any 22-year-old, the Indiana Lawyer is still growing and evolving. We are constantly evaluating our work to reflect the changing legal landscape. But one thing has not changed – from Day One we have welcomed input and ideas from our readers. Whether you’ve been with us two months or 22 years, we encourage you to contact us, we thank you for reading, and we look forward to the next 22 years together.•