A measure that would strip Hoosier voters of the power to retain appellate judges and Supreme Court justices — transferring that authority to the Legislature — has drawn fire from the Indiana State Bar Association, which warned the proposal would politicize the appellate bench and threaten the independence of the judiciary.
In a career that has spanned 50 years, Douglas Church not only developed his own private practice but also played an integral role in the blossoming of Hamilton County. He served as attorney for the town of Fishers from 1980 through 2015 and for the city of Noblesville from 1988 through 1996, helping those communities formulate and implement strategies for growth.
Each of the seven Indiana appellate judges up for retention this year have received favorable recommendations from members of the Indiana State Bar Association. The state bar released results of its retention survey Wednesday morning.
While politicians often decry bureaucracy and red tape, a bill passed by Indiana legislators in 2020 changed a single word in a state statute and, as a result, raised an extra hurdle for Hoosiers trying to get a document recorded at their local county recorder’s office.
Michael Tolbert’s turn to lead the Indiana State Bar Association could not have come at a more challenging time. Having led multiple local bar groups, the Gary native takes the helm at the ISBA during a time of pandemic and persistent racial inequities that at times have put the law and lawyers on the defensive. Tolbert, though, is relentlessly optimistic.
The Indiana State Bar Assocation annual meeting will be a hybrid model allowing bar members to meet either virtually or in-person. Speakers will still offer CLE, sponsors will still share products and the House of Delegates will still meet. Perhaps most importantly, Hoosier lawyers will get the chance to reconnect after months of social distancing.
The Indiana Supreme Court is joining the effort to recruit poll workers for the November general election by offering incentives to encourage lawyers to spend the day helping Hoosiers cast their ballots.
When we learned that Jim passed away earlier this month, the outpouring of support and remembrances from past IndyBar and Indianapolis Bar Foundation presidents was immense. Nearly every IndyBar leader with whom I’ve interacted in my 15-year career shared a memory of how Jim touched the profession, and often their individual practices, in a tangibly positive way.
The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal profession has been a mixed bag. In some ways, the law, like many other industries, has suffered. Corporate clients are pulling purse strings tighter, while practice areas such as personal injury have seen a slowdown in cases. But in other ways, the pandemic has been a boon for lawyers.
Hoosier voters in November will decided whether seven Indiana appellate judges should retain their positions for the next 10 years. A Supreme Court justice, the chief judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals and five other appellate jurists are on the fall retention ballot.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Indiana State Bar Association Latino Affairs Committee will host a presentation focusing on historical and contemporary approaches to the dilemmas of citizenship during its fourth annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.
Indiana attorney Jim Dimos, who left private practice to help lead the American Bar Association after leading both his local and state bars, is being remembered as someone who was “quietly effective” and a friend to the legal profession. He died Wednesday of a heart attack at age 59.
Amid continuing national protests following the police killing of George Floyd, the Indiana State Bar Association is offering free “legal observer” training today to those who want to help protect the rights of peaceful protestors.
An Indiana State Bar Association online program geared toward newly admitted attorneys is hoping to prepare and equip new lawyers on how to begin their legal careers in the midst of uncertain times posed by COVID-19.
The Indiana State Bar Association is offering attorneys and law firms suggestions on reopening their practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Though they don’t have all the answers, legal professionals are being looked to for guidance as clients navigate their new realities.
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation has implemented a new program in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic to put dollars in the pockets of young lawyers while continuing to provide free legal services to the public.
One of the saddest parts of my job is when a victim of an unscrupulous lawyer calls, asking in exasperation, “Is there anything that can be done about this?” The very saddest part is the realization that, deep down, the caller already knows the answer is no, or next to no. The legal profession has no contingency when one of its own who swore an oath goes rogue and steals from vulnerable clients. This must change.
On the federal level, ratings of judicial nominees are often cast as partisan. But in Indiana’s state courts, bar leaders say they view their role as helping Hoosiers to impartially decide whether members of the judiciary are adequately serving their communities.
More than 275 people passed the Indiana Bar Exam in July and were eligible to be admitted to practice law in Indiana. Many took their oaths at the Indiana Supreme Court Admission Ceremony on Oct. 2. Here are Indiana’s newest lawyers.