With courthouses across Indiana virtually empty, courts are turning to technology to keep dockets moving and planning for the future amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Law firms big and small have pivoted amid the pandemic, putting emphasis on keeping clients informed about coronavirus issues. And Indiana Lawyer is proud to introduce our 2020 Leadership in Law honorees.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, lawyers are doing their part to ensure health care professionals and others at a higher risk of infection have the tools they need to stay healthy. Meanwhile, law students are adjusting to the realities of virtual classrooms and the loss of pomp and circumstance for this year's graduating class. And in non-coronavirus news, an Elkhart man who says he was wrongfully convicted of murder 15 years ago has been released.
As Hoosiers and the nation embraced a new normal, established and new law firms are working through it, with some scrambling to practice remotely. The coronavirus pandemic has led law enforcement to turn to summonses for misdemeanor offenders, putting into practice a proposal that stalled at the Statehouse. And when the world returns to normal, two attorneys who turned their love of roller hockey into a league will return to the bonds of skates, friendship and beer.
At a special and emotional graduation ceremony for the federal court’s REACH re-entry program, Kenny Lewis’ accomplishments, inspiration and legacy were celebrated. The first woman lawyer at one of Indianapolis’ leading law firms has stepped aside after her career blazed a trail for female attorneys and firm leaders. And after controversy at the Statehouse this year, an effort is underway to review the juvenile justice system.
As the trial for the alleged gunman involved in the shooting of two Indiana judges nears, video evidence that could be key to the outcome remains under seal. Meanwhile, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law is marking a historic moment as it prepares to welcome its first dean who will be a person of color. And as the 2020 election gets closer, Indiana lawmakers and other political leaders say they are still uncertain of what the future might hold if Attorney General Curtis Hill receives professional discipline.
Women lawyers who practice in traditionally male-dominated white-collar defense practices have found a way to break barriers while building support and their books of business. Law schools and firms with ties to China are watching the coronavirus outbreak closely, with one expert cautioning the worst is likely yet to come. And a Notre Dame law school legal aid team that made a return trip to help asylum seekers found a more dire situation on the border.
Two Indianapolis attorneys are setting sail on a years-long voyage, where they will work while also working their way through the inland and coastal waters of the North America Great Loop. For married same-sex women, a court ruling in a birth certificate case brought relief, if not finality, to their desires to be legally recognized as parents. And from ballot boxes to hanging chads, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site has curated a collection of voting machines in America through the centuries.
In her State of the Judiciary address, Chief Justice Loretta Rush stressed problem-solving courts, criminal justice reform and other advances achieved by creating collaborative communities. Death penalty advocates and opponents do agree on one thing: the US Supreme Court ultimately will decide whether federal executions resume in Terre Haute. And the numerous law firm mergers and combinations announced in recent months in the Indianapolis market is being driven by client demand for varied legal services, firm leaders say.
What a long, appealing trip it's been: The Indiana Court of Appeals has finally made it to all 92 Hoosier counties to host oral arguments in its Appeals on Wheels program. The American Bar Association has some advice for transitioning lawyers, which is wise counsel for those moving between firms. And just weeks into the Marion County Prosectuor's Office's good-faith effort program, scores of Indianapolis residents have had their driving privileges restored while getting on the right road to catching up their child support obligations.
With Indiana already incorporating two components from the Uniform Bar Examination into its own attorney admittance test, a study commission recommends transitioning completely to the UBE. In Indiana Lawyer’s annual Year in Review, the top stories of 2019 were driven by scandal, but we also found lawyers doing remarkable things.