The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana announced today the selection of Mark J. Dinsmore as magistrate judge. He fills the position vacated by Jane E. Magnus-Stinson, who was elevated to an Article III judgeship in June.
 

Dinsmore

A Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Committee chaired by retired Magistrate Judge V. Sue Shields reviewed more than 50 applications and recommended five candidates for the position. The District judges of the court interviewed the candidates and chose Dinsmore.

Dinsmore is currently a partner at Barnes & Thornburg. He has focused on the use of technology to facilitate the management of complex matters and chairs the firm’s Litigation Department Technology Committee. Dinsmore has focused his litigation practice on management of complex cases, with concentrations in construction litigation and electronic discovery. He has also represented clients in international and domestic arbitrations, including representing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in an international arbitration arising out of the Dayton Accords that ended the Balkan war.

Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, he was a law clerk for Judge John D. Tinder when the judge was on the bench of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana. A Valparaiso native, Dinsmore is a graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law where he graduated first in his class. Before attending law school, Dinsmore served as a captain in the U.S. Army.

He serves as treasurer of the Indiana Legal Services board of directors and is a member of the Heartland Pro Bono Council board of directors.

U.S. magistrate judges are appointed by the judges of the U.S. District Court for a term of eight years and are eligible for reappointment to successive terms. Dinsmore’s appointment will be effective upon completion of required Internal Revenue Service and FBI background investigations.