A well-written opinion or brief can change the course of legal thought, but while other parts of the practice of law have been upended by technology, the physical act of writing remains pretty much a job done by humans. However, new artificial intelligence software appears poised to rewrite the definition of writing.
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Marco Moreno was introduced to the idea of economic development by watching a rundown, forgotten neighborhood in Indianapolis get a second chance. He came to the Circle City to study law and was intrigued by the neighborhood redevelopment work. A few years later, his interest was reignited when he learned how regional centers were boosting international funding for projects designed to grow businesses and help communities in the United States. Now the immigration attorney is running a unique regional center in Indianapolis.
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Law firms have been pivoting to marshal the resources needed to answer the questions clients and nonclients have about the coronavirus emergency through websites, emails, podcasts, webinars and more. The topics covered range from government initiatives such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Federal Reserve’s business loan program to unemployment benefits, force majeure clauses and cybersecurity.
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Numerous orders put in place to protect Hoosiers from the spread of the novel coronavirus during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic have abruptly halted that routine for attorneys statewide. Unable to get into their brick-and-mortar locations for the foreseeable future, some lawyers with more traditional practices are scrambling to get up to speed in a virtual world.
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Like the rest of the state, lawyers aren’t heading back to the office all at once — in fact, some aren’t heading back at all. The new normal of “working from home” has become so engrained that firm leaders say they don’t expect their employees to return to the old lifestyle of commuting into the office every day.
New lawyers preparing to launch their fledgling legal careers in 2020 look similar to the generations that came before them, but some things set millennial lawyers apart. Their ever-evolving professional aspirations and career trajectories appear less traditional than the routes taken by their predecessors in decades past.
The Great Recession landed a powerful blow to law firms, forcing layoffs and closures in an industry long thought immune to business cycles, but the spreading downturn caused by the coronavirus brings vast uncertainty about the economic outlook for lawyers.
As more and more attorneys and law firms work remotely in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of those lawyers don’t have plans for disaster recovery or business continuity, according to a 2019 ABA Legal Technology Survey Report.
For those of us who manage employees, how we engage (or don’t engage) them impacts how our work gets done.
While various programs such as the Conference for Legal Education Opportunity encourage more diverse attorneys in the legal profession, a career in the law still seems unattainable for some. But many new attorneys are sharing their experiences with students in middle schools and high schools in hopes of showing what the profession has to offer.
To elevate Indiana women in the traditionally male-dominated white-collar defense bar, the Indianapolis chapter of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association was founded in 2015. The primary goal of the group is to build a referral network so female lawyers are likelier to get handed a case or asked to represent a client.
Even after the advent of e-filing and some paperless offices, courier services are still available, and the need for such services persists. That need has evolved in the digital age, but attorneys and delivery companies say there are options available when technology can’t yet get the job done.
A new legal services company rooted in Nashville has recently settled in Indianapolis, with a Hoosier attorney at the helm. Latitude, a Tennessee-based legal services provider founded in 2014, announced the establishment of its Indiana office last month. The company claims it will provide on-demand, sophisticated attorney expertise for Indiana corporations and law firms while increasing flexibility and reducing costs.
The year 2019 broke the record for U.S. law firm mergers and acquisitions with 115 combinations announced, including Indianapolis offices in some of the biggest deals unveiled.
Like the entrepreneurs they represent, the three lawyers who recently formed JBJ Legal — Kimberly Jeselskis, B.J. Brinkerhoff and Hannah Kaufman Joseph — got restless working for someone else. Befitting their entrepreneurial spirit, the three have leveraged technology and capitalized on modern-day office concepts in starting their firm.
A few years ago, two Indianapolis law firms agreed to share office space. A few weeks ago, they joined forces in a merger that has them optimistic for what the future holds.
“I’ve had a great career,” said longtime Whitley County attorney and prosecutor John Whiteleather, “and I hope I have contributed back to the community for what it provided to me.” Whiteleather’s colleagues on the bench and bar assure him that he did, recognizing him as the Indiana Bar Foundation’s 2019 Legendary Lawyer.
With its impending entrance into the Minneapolis market, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is set to expand its footprint to 12 cities, grow its roster of attorneys to more than 600 and take a step closer to its goal of becoming a regionally dominant law firm. While law firm merger activity in the Hoosier State is increasing, the recently announced Taft deal is among the largest in recent years.
Leslie Henderzahs says Indiana State Bar Association members often realize the value of the association when they least expect it. The incoming ISBA president cited as an example a recent proposal that Indiana lawyers provide their cellphone numbers with their Roll of Attorneys registrations. Few proposals have prompted such an outcry from attorneys, and Henderzahs said the state bar acted promptly.
Some economists are again talking about a recession as certain market indicators point to a coming slowdown. Even if the economy stays strong, experts say the changes within the legal industry will still create winner and losers.
With only a few years of legal experience, how can associates convince clients to entrust them with important legal matters? What steps can young attorneys take to make a name for themselves in an increasingly competitive market? Many see personal branding as a key.
The IndyBar is determined to help Indianapolis solo and small firm practitioners meet their unique needs through the brand new Solo/Small Firm Division! Focused on programming, networking and business development opportunities specifically tailored to this large group of attorneys, the division will aim to give solo and small firm practitioners a home within the IndyBar.
When the federal district court in Washington, D.C., ruled in a dispute over the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), Indiana State Bar Association president Todd Spurgeon heard the screech of a locomotive coming to sudden stop.
Lawyers and paralegals largely agree that electronic filing has improved their work, cutting the time and cost of printing and distributing hundreds or even thousands of paper documents. But enjoying the full benefits of the electronic system, they say, is a matter of trial and error.