Articles

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Tanya Walton Pratt

Chief Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of Indiana Howard University School of Law, 1984 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I wanted to work with my father, Charles A. Walton. My father was an attorney who graduated from IU School of Law in 1959. He was a member of the […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Allison Emhardt

IU Health Indiana University McKinney School of Law, 2015 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I was a biology major at IU, and I ended up taking a course on health policy in the United States in which we read “The Healing of America” by T.R. Reid. I was hooked. The book […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Brett B. Thomas

Cohen & Malad LLP Southern Illinois University Law School, 2015 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I am privileged to be a fourth-generation attorney, so I was introduced to the legal profession at a very early age. When I was little, I remember going to my dad’s law office to change uniforms […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Jeremy Barker

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Western Governors University, 2019 Why did you decide to become a paralegal/legal support staffer? I have always enjoyed the unique, complex problem-solving that the legal field demands. If you weren’t working in legal support, what would you be doing? Teaching high school kids and coaching basketball. What’s something people […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Hollie Freimanis

Church Church Hittle + Antrim IUPUI Paralegal Program, 2007 If you weren’t working in legal support, what would you be doing? After roughly 17 years of experience as a litigation paralegal and having had the opportunity to work with some of the best and brightest attorneys practicing law, I cannot imagine going to work every […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Brian C. Hewitt

Lewis Wagner LLP IU McKinney School of Law, 1983 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? My grandfather had encouraged me to become an attorney, although he was not one. After graduating from Purdue, I took the LSAT and did well and decided to go to law school. I thought a law degree […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Emily Schmale

Church Church Hittle + Antrim Indiana University McKinney School of Law, 2016 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I was arguing with my mom about something in our kitchen when I was 4. She told me, “You’re like a dog with a bone. You better become an attorney!” After that comment, I […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Amy Romig

Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2000 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I’d been practicing environmental compliance in a wastewater treatment plant and decided that the profession needed more lawyers that could understand on-the-ground needs while also explaining legal requirements. After one particularly trying call, […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Michael E. Tolbert

Tolbert & Tolbert LLC Valparaiso University School of Law, 2000 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I sought a profession that would allow me to do the most good and impact my community. I wanted to be a part of a profession that gave me the training to change the world. If […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Aaron Rodebeck

Indiana Secretary of State – Securities Division Regent University School of Law, 2014 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? If you ask my parents, they might respond by saying that it was inevitable. As a child, I always had something to say about solving a problem and wanted to either litigate or […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Dawn Terry

Dentons Bingham Greenebaum LLP IU School of Journalism, 1991-1997 Why did you decide to become a paralegal/legal support staffer? I sort of fell face-first into it. While I stood in line at my high school graduation, I received a tap on the shoulder from my favorite teacher, Carol Gromer. Carol knew my college plans were […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Judge David Certo

Marion County Probate Court Indiana University McKinney School of Law, 1999 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I realized without a law degree I could not help people in public service the way I aspired.  Law school prepared me to assist Governor Daniels in transforming the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, led me […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Rakuya Trice

Indiana Legal Services Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2001 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I decided that I wanted to be a lawyer while in elementary school. I’m from an automotive town and during my childhood the town was hit hard by an economic downturn. A lot of good people […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: James Watson

Ice Miller LLP Washington University School of Law, 1998 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? As the oldest child in my family, the concepts of service, duty and protecting others were very attractive to me. To be able to have an extended career in this field has been unbelievably rewarding. If you […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Ken Cotter

St. Joseph County Prosecutor University of Notre Dame Law School, 1990 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I wanted to fight for those who didn’t have a voice. I used to teach (before law school) and at some point realized that I could have a more profound impact by using a law […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Richard O. Kissel II (Rick)

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 1985 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? I thought it would be a rewarding and challenging career that would offer me the opportunity to make a long-lasting difference in people’s lives. I found myself interested in working directly with clients, getting […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Magistrate Terrance T. Tharpe

Marion Superior Court Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2003 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? Athletically, I looked up to my older brothers, but career wise, I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my cousin. As it turns out, my career has mirrored a lot of hers. She’s a career […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Jonathan Stewart

Indianapolis Legal Aid Society Indiana University McKinney School of Law, 1993 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? When I was in my senior year of college, one of my housemates insisted on betting $50 that he would score better on the LSAT than I would. I took the bet, and he lost. […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Abe Jentry Shanehsaz

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 2014 Why did you decide to enter the legal profession? Going to law school and becoming a lawyer was recommended for me by different important people in my life over and over again. Those who knew me best suggested I would be a […]

Read More

LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2024: Samuel E. Swafford

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 2015 If you hadn’t pursued a legal career, what would you be doing? Having played college baseball, I have always loved the sport—even after my playing days were over. Had I not pursued a legal career, I would have pursued working in […]

Read More