Veteran South Bend business attorney hangs out his own shingle

A South Bend attorney opened his own firm this month, hoping to use his business and leadership expertise to support his community.

Chamberlin Legal opened at 510 South Main Street in South Bend on May 1, providing services in several areas, including contracting and business transactions, commercial real estate, regulatory and licensing guidance, and employee relations and policies.

“The last few years brought renewed focus to a goal I first articulated in fifth grade: owning a business,” said Kyle Chamberlin, the founding and managing attorney,  in a press release this week. “I am excited to take this entrepreneurial leap while remaining available to serve local clients.”

A graduate of Mishawaka High School and the University of Notre Dame, and a 2014 member of the Michiana Forty Under 40, Chamberlin, 41, told The Indiana Lawyer on Thursday that he hopes the firm will allow him to continue to have the privilege of working with locally-owned organizations to make the greater South Bend community a “thriving place to live and do business.”

Chamberlin brings 15 years of legal experience to the firm, previously serving as of counsel at THK Law LLP,  a midsized firm with offices in Indiana and Michigan, and as in-house counsel for two Michiana businesses, including a 1,500-employee automotive dealership group with operations throughout the Midwest, according to the firm.

Chamberlin said he enjoyed the operational side of things when he was working as in-house counsel for businesses but he missed that aspect of the work after moving into private practice.

In developing his own practice, Chamberlin attributes his success so far to his entrenched community involvement.

“I spent a lot of evenings participating in everything I could, whether it was nonprofit service or networking events in my 20s,” Chamberlin said.

Chamberlin found that building relationships and “doing good work” let the business development take care of itself.

With no staff and only a couple of weeks into the new job, Chamberlin said he’s been busier than he can keep up with. So he sees a future opportunity to grow the practice.

“One goal … is that I can recruit a team that is aligned with my vision for client service and pragmatic advice that allows me to spend more time engaging directly with my clients and less time behind my computer reviewing contracts,” Chamberlin said.

Ultimately, though, Chamberlin hopes this new role will be his “last job ever” and that it will be successful enough to see him through to a fruitful retirement.