The We the People 2021 Middle School Regional Championship hosted by the Indiana Bar Foundation has concluded, with the top three champions from 2020 again being among the 14 teams advancing to the state championship.
Fishers bested its rival Hamilton Southeastern to capture a first place in the high school regional round of the Indiana Bar Foundation’s We the People competition held Nov. 2 and Nov. 4.
Indiana Sen. Ron Grooms, R-Jeffersonville, a retired pharmacist who championed legal aid, announced Thursday he will be stepping down from public office Nov. 2.
Indiana’s new civic education law will be showcased during the second day of a national civic education policy summit hosted by CivXNow, which is bringing legislators, educators and civic leaders from across the country together to discuss ways to improve children’s understanding of democracy.
The Indiana Bar Foundation is making a final call for volunteers to serve as judges during the 2021 National High School Mock Trial Championship in mid-May.
The Indiana Bar Foundation, with the support of several major law firms, has launched a diversity initiative designed to remove financial barriers that can prevent high school students from participating in mock trial programs.
A bill incorporating civics education into Hoosier students’ middle school curriculum is headed to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk after House lawmakers voted Thursday to pass the measure.
Although the Indiana General Assembly has unanimously supported a $1 pro bono surcharge tacked onto the state’s filing fee for civil cases since 2012, a bill that would have increased the amount to $3 did not get a committee hearing this session, raising alarm that the key funding stream for legal aid could run dry just as the need is growing.
Saying the rights provided in the Constitution come with obligations, the Indiana Bar Foundation has issued a statement condemning Wednesday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol Building.
Looming evictions with so many Americans unable to pay their rent have been at the forefront of concerns, but legal aid offices and pro bono attorneys see other issues on the horizon. They expect more filings for bankruptcy and guardianships, and they believe more people will reach out for legal assistance with problems connected with consumer debt and domestic violence. Underpinning their ability to help is the need for money.
The 2019 Indiana Civic Health Index called attention to the issue of community participation and recommended the appointment of a committee to examine civic education. As a result, the Indiana Bar Foundation Civic Education Task Force was formed. At a Nov. 18 press conference, officials presented a final report urging a series of recommendations to improve civic education in Indiana.
The Indiana Bar Foundation Civic Education Task Force released a series of recommendations Wednesday for improving Hoosier students’ understanding of American democracy. The proposals include revising academic standards, providing more professional development for teachers and strengthening ties to the community.
Timothy Abeska, a retired South Bend attorney, is providing needed financial support to the Indiana Bar Foundation and, through a just-announced matching initiative, is incentivizing others to do the same.
Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David has been reappointed as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Indiana Bar Foundation.
Extra hours away from the outside world because of stay-at-home orders offered Indiana’s judges and attorneys at least one positive thing during the coronavirus-pandemic – time. Whether spending time with family or using quiet moments of solitude to revive rusty creative skills, many legal professionals are finding the joy and peace of everyday tasks in the midst of uncertain times.
About a month after Evansville got the heartbreaking news the National High School Mock Trial Championship would not be coming in May 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, the city and legal profession were told not to roll up the welcome mat just yet.
Getting more Hoosiers to vote is no easy task, but two initiatives announced last November have taken a couple of fundamental steps toward increasing election turnout in Indiana.
The 2020 National Mock Trial Championship scheduled to take place in Evansville this May has been canceled due to coronavirus crisis, leaving event organizers heartbroken and disappointed.
Reflecting his engineering roots, J. Mark Robinson offers a straightforward solution for the civil legal puzzle: real lawyers in real courtrooms representing real people on real legal issues. The Indiana legal profession recognized Robinson and his commitment by honoring him with the Randall T. Shepard Award for Excellence in Pro Bono. Robinson and other select members of the legal profession and educators were honored for their work in either civil legal aid or civic education at the Indiana Bar Foundation’s 2019 Awards Dinner.
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation expresses sincere gratitude to the 2019 Distinguished Fellows and Distinguished Life Fellows for their long and continuing support of our profession and community.