With the month of May just weeks away, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Senior Corporate Counsel Jimmie McMillian talks with The Indiana Lawyer's Maura Johnson about the Indianapolis 500, the upcoming Freedom 250 in Washington, D.C., and why he loves interacting with motorsports fans. Plus, reporter Cameron Shaw checks in on a backlog of criminal cases in counties across Indiana.
As Indianapolis welcomes the men’s college basketball championship tourney this weekend, another springtime ritual associated with the NCAA has been playing out largely behind the scenes. Greg Weaver writes about how the Indianapolis-based nonprofit has been taking several aggressive steps in the tournament’s host city and across the nation to protect its branding and stop the unauthorized commercial use of its familiar trademarked phrases such as “Final Four” and “March Madness.” Plus, reporter Maura Johnson takes a look at secondary trauma, a problem that has been quietly impacting attorneys’ well-being for several decades, marking the legal profession with anxieties and physical symptoms much like those in the medical profession.
In this week's issue, reporter Maura Johnson explores a fascinating concept: Can ChatGPT practice law? It's a question an insurance company has asked the U.S. District Court for North District of Illinois to consider — and the debate only raises more questions. Plus, reporter Cameron Shaw checks in on a recently certified class lawsuit against Eli Lilly and Co. that was originally filed in 2014 and is still making its way through the system. What makes this suit especially interesting is that the plaintiffs are using RICO statutes to try to make their case.
Some customs and trade lawyers say that any tariff reimbursements to importers may take years to resolve, despite a federal judge’s order earlier this month giving U.S. Customs and Border Patrol 45 days to develop a procedure to review requests. The Indiana Lawyer's Cameron Shaw explores the rapidly involving situation that emerged after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, to impose hefty tariffs on nearly all national importers. Also, reporter Maura Johnson writes about attorneys battling on a different kind of court — a basketball court. From December through March, the attorneys trade dress shoes for sneakers and make their way to a local recreational center to participate in a 40-year legacy that is the Lawyer League.
Attorneys of all generations must eventually face the sometimes dreaded next step in their careers: retirement. For baby boomers, those 60 to 80 years old, it might be time to start developing a plan for hanging up the suit and tie, especially for those practicing in small to midsize firms. Reporter Cameron Shaw talks to attorneys about how to think about retirement — and why so many lawyers work into later life. Also, reporter Maura Johnson checks in with Indiana Legal Help, which is forging a new path after splitting from the Indiana Bar Foundation. Mark Torma, new executive director of Indiana Legal Help, said the change will help the nonprofit “be more flexible, be more mobile and innovate even faster than it can when it’s in a larger organization."
A federal lawsuit claims dozens of foreign companies are selling counterfeit James Dean products online in the United States. But Tom Murphy reports for The Indiana Lawyer that experts say a resolution won’t be easy in the shadowy, fast-paced world of e-commerce. The defendants, some of whom can’t even be identified, probably will never respond or appear in court. They may just disappear from online marketplaces only to reemerge later. Also, Greg Weaver reports that consumers, egg processors and retailers have filed six lawsuits since November just in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana against Seymour-based Rose Acre Farms and the four other top egg producers. The complaints allege that the producers manipulated the market to raise prices to a record high average of $6.23 a dozen for Grade A Large eggs in March 2025.
The Indiana Lawyer's Maura Johnson talks with experts about the increasing use of artificial intelligence among defendants who are representing themselves and what standards they should be held to. And reporter Cameron Shaw looks at what percentage of students graduating from Indiana's law schools are staying in the state. Regular readers won't be surprised by which school sees most of its graduates stay in state.
As the state continues to seek solutions to the ongoing attorney shortage, the Indiana State Bar Association has introduced an approach to directly support attorneys working in rural counties. Reporter Maura Johnson reports that in July, the bar association will launch its first-ever Rural Practice Academy, an 11-month fellowship during which members can learn from legal professionals and one another how to build and sustain legal practices in small communities. And reporter Cameron Shaw offers the latest on immigration legislation that could receive final approval next week.
In this week's issue, reporter Maura Johnson talks to a 31-year-old attorney who has been dubbed the "expungement queen" and specializes in helping people who have been convicted of crimes get a fresh start. And writer Sam Stall tells the story of Chanel Parker, who has spent nearly 20 years working at the Marion Superior Court Youth Services Center.
In this week's issue, reporter Cameron Shaw explores a proposed constitutional amendment that would give judges authority to keep some defendants in jail without bail if they fear they are dangerous. And writes about the implications of legislation that would set new rules for bail if voters give the constitutional amendment final approval. Also, reporter Maura Johnson looks at efforts at the state and federal level to increase security for judges.