Mueller: A case study: Postnuptial agreements in estate planning
I think I’ll title this agreement something to the effect of “(Definitely-Not-A-Postnuptial) Agreement Waiving Statutory Rights in Spouse’s Estate.”
Lewis Wagner
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A year of growth: Law firm mergers saw an increase in 2023
While overall M&A activity saw a decline in 2023, recent data suggest law firm mergers actually saw an increase last year.
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‘Supercharged’: Lewis Wagner combination designed to bolster firm’s probate practice
Attorneys at Hewitt Law & Mediation have combined with Lewis Wagner, effective March 1.
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Keeping the culture: New Lewis Wagner managing partner leads by example
Richard Blaiklock has never been one to shy away from hard work. The longtime business litigator will now take that attitude and work ethic into his new, three-year term as managing partner of Lewis Wagner LLP.
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Web Exclusive: Paralegals, legal assistants pursue higher ed while serving law firms
Whether three or 30 years have passed since the last time they’ve received a formal education, several paralegals and legal assistants across the state have returned to, or recently graduated from, college while also working full-time. These women have sacrificed much over the last few months and years, but all say they feel the investment they’re putting into themselves is well worth the effort.
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Articles
Law firms, ISBA find different ways to use new office spaces: Efficiency, culture at heart of new offices, even with less square footage
In its Top 2023 Legal Trends Report, the website Legal Recruiter Directory noted an increased focus on collaboration within legal practices and the utilization of much smaller offices on average than previously.
Lewinski: Mediators should understand how businesspeople make decisions
Mediation disputes come in all shapes, sizes and subjects. While it is important to understand the nature and background of the dispute, it may be more important for a mediator to understand what drives the decision-making process of the parties.
Kilies and Ben Moussa: FTC proposal to ban noncompetes: What employers need to know
What should employers do with any noncompete provisions they currently have in their employment contracts?
Wright: Reflections on what I wish I had known in law school
I’ve been out of law school and a practicing attorney for a little over one year now. While a year does not seem like much, there are things I have realized as a first-year associate that I wish I knew while in law school.
Kilies and Simonton: Employee protections after Bostock
Employers likely remember Bostock v. Clayton County, the landmark decision where the Supreme Court of the United States extended Title VII’s “because of sex” protections to sexual orientation and transgender status. In that case, the Supreme Court made clear that it is unlawful under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act for employers to terminate employees for being gay or transgender but left open some questions.
Indiana pays nearly $520,000 to law firm for governor’s suit
The Indiana governor’s office racked up more than $500,000 in legal bills for its successful court fight against an attempt by state legislators to give themselves more power to intervene during public health emergencies.
Heavilon: The duality of man: ‘Owner/employee’ interest in small biz
Small business owners often wear multiple hats for their companies. In many cases, “Mike” the owner is often “Mike” the employee, with little distinction between those two roles. However, when a dispute arises and “Mike” is squeezed out of the company, how do courts distinguish between Mike’s rights as an owner versus Mike’s rights as an employee?
Lewis Wagner names Blaiklock as managing partner
A. Richard M. Blaiklock has been named managing partner of Lewis Wagner LLP, where he is credited with helping to create the firm’s business services practice group. In his new role, he will lead the executive committee, which leads the firm’s strategic initiatives.
David: Tips on intentional celebrations of diversity holidays
There are over 200 holidays and events that celebrate diversity and inclusion. With the breadth of worthy celebrations, how does your organization select the right ones to recognize?
Indy lawyer presented lifetime service award from DRI
John Trimble, a partner of Lewis Wagner, was awarded the Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award by the Defense Research Institute during its annual awards program last month.
Trimble: Repeat business: Lifeblood of successful lawyers, law practices
As 2021 draws to a close, lawyers and law firm managers everywhere are planning for the year ahead. Smart firms are preparing budgets and income projections for 2022, and they are assessing their client relationships in the hopes of maintaining those relationships next year.
DTCI: Thoughts after a law office move
“My name is Rick and I am a pack rat.” Those are the words I will use at my first Pack Rats Anonymous meeting, which I will be attending after having recently prepared for our law firm office move.
Vershay: 11 tips: Things I learned rising through the law firm ranks
It wasn’t that long ago that I found myself asking around for tips and pointers to develop skills and maximize my opportunities as a young associate. As a new class of lawyers begins settling into their legal careers this autumn, I wanted to share some of the tips I’ve received and helpful things I’ve learned over the past 13 years (some the hard way!):
Fulford and Trimble: Indiana mediators address mediation post-COVID
One of the big questions on the minds of lawyers, judges and mediators everywhere, not just in Indiana, is what mediation is going to look like “post-COVID.” We interviewed some of Indiana’s most prolific mediators regarding this issue.
Kilies and Simonton: Military leave and employee rights to reemployment
The Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act provides various protections to service members; most notably, the act requires employers to reemploy employees returning from military service. It is important to understand the basic requirements of the act, as failure to comply with them could expose an employer to claims for lost wages, lost benefits and attorney fees.
Moving on: Law firms follow through with office renovations despite new hybrid schedules
As employees trickle back into offices that have stood nearly skeletal for more than a year, many are left to wonder what work will look like in a post-pandemic society. Meanwhile, several Indiana law firms have followed through with plans to transition into new buildings — plans already set in motion before COVID-19 was a common term.
Ruesch: Insurance industry responses to 2020 and future trends
As the workforce continues to adapt to and accept this “new normal,” the insurance industry is also adjusting and evolving and introducing new methods of doing business that will impact in-house and outside practitioners alike. Here are some 2021 industry trends that we will likely see.
Lewinski: Filling in the blanks: A key to a successful mediation
An awareness of the concept of implicit bias and some self-reflection can help us to account for implicit biases in our judgments and decision-making. This is particularly important for mediators.
Evolving law addresses coverage after hack
In what one justice described as an “emerging area of law,” the Indiana Supreme Court recently issued an opinion that insurance lawyers say provides, for the first time, concrete guidance in Indiana on how far computer fraud insurance can extend against hacks.