Sometimes it seems like there are awards for everything. The fact is lifting someone up can never be done enough and recognizing colleagues for their hard work is always time well-spent. Be the person that makes someone’s day by taking a few minutes to nominate a fellow IndyBar member for recognition for one of the honors below. Recipients will be showcased at the Association’s annual Recognition Breakfast on November 19, highlighted by the 2025 Class of 50-Year among other impressive awards from our Sections & Divisions.

The nomination form for all awards below is online at www.indybar.org/awards and shouldn’t take more than five minutes to complete. Nominations are open until 11:59 p.m. September 19, 2025.

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Lawyers spend countless hours poring over hundreds, sometimes thousands of documents to frame a case in precisely persuasive ways. But what happens when the documents you need are not available?  As one plaintiff recently found out, the answer is not to bury your head in the sand and hope for the best. 

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Congratulations to these IndyBar members on their accomplishments! Have something to share? Email Becca Lienemann to be featured.

Amanda Couture has recently joined Frost Brown Todd LLP. Amanda helps employers avoid litigation by drafting strong contracts and policies, conducting meaningful training, performing workplace investigations and providing guidance on regulatory compliance. She also represents executive employees in contract negotiations and noncompete matters. Amanda is a practical, proactive advisor and litigator. She helps employers reduce their risks and resolve disputes related to employees.

Dominick Ellis recently joined Ogletree Deakins as an Associate. He concentrates his practice on state and federal court litigation, commercial litigation, and employment law. His experience includes defending claims involving contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, business torts, premises liability, non-compete agreements, and lease disputes in Indiana and Kentucky.

Jill Goldenberg recently joined Baker Lindsey Sadler. Jill is a divorce lawyer and family law attorney focusing on the areas of mediation, arbitration, domestic relations litigation, and alternative dispute resolution since 1993. As a certified family law specialist as certified by the Family Law Certification Board and a registered domestic mediator, she has been helping families access the necessary resources to successfully move through the most challenging times in life.

Brooke Lindsey is now a partner with Baker Lindsey Sadler. Brooke represents clients with a variety of family law and divorce issues, including child custody, child support, legal separation, parenting time, paternity, post-decree modifications and enforcement, guardianships, emancipation, relocations, and protective orders.

Exodus Refugee will be formally recognized as the recipient of this year's $35,000 Community Empowerment Grant at the foundation's Community Empowerment Breakfast on September 30, 2025. You can register for the event on the IndyBar Foundation's website here. Read on to learn more about the grant recipient. 

The IndyBar President’s Update is a regular feature where we share what’s been happening behind the scenes, celebrate wins, and give you a sense of where we’re headed. It’s a way to keep everyone in the loop, reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, and look ahead to what’s next.

• Recent IndyBar Bar Leader class graduate Russell Hollis of SLS Group, LLC is no stranger to endurance. A former world-class 800m runner at Indiana University, Russell’s training is now carrying him through a new challenge: a rare genetic disorder that has led to kidney failure. Russell has been on dialysis since 2021 and is now seeking a living kidney donor. If you’re so drawn, please complete Indiana University Health’s donor form to learn more about the possibility of being a donor at iuhealth.org/living-kidney-donor-evaluation-form.
• The practice of law is rewarding, demanding, and sometimes all-consuming. We’d like to hear your perspective on both the rewards and the challenges you experience in your work. This brief, confidential survey will take about three minutes, and your responses will help guide the strategic planning working group as they set the Indy Bar’s focus and priorities for the next three years. Please complete the survey by September 12, 2025. At the end, you’ll have the option to participate in a one-on-one confidential conversation with our facilitator, Elizabeth Derrico. Providing your contact information will not be linked to your survey responses. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please email Elizabeth.
• This is IndyBar Member Appreciation Month. There are several special events, cost savings, and unique opportunities available to our valued members. Among these special offerings is a great deal for a Las Vegas getaway in April made possible by our friends at Public Agency Training Council! Book a room on the strip at the newly renovated Vegas Flamingo for a stay anytime between April 9-20 for only $124-$134 a night (taxes and fees not included). Simply use Group Code: SFPAT6 Link: https://book.passkey.com/go/SFPAT6 (no conference attendance needed or included). Plan now to treat yourself to a break in the sun.
• Thank you to Jamie Devine of the Indiana Supreme Court Office of Court Services for representing IndyBar at the most recent Naturalization Ceremony, welcoming dozens of new citizens to our country and great state. Keep your eyes open for 2026 opportunities to participate in these moving events on behalf of IndyBar. 

On August 14, 280 new matriculants at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law took an Oath of Professionalism as they began their legal career, doing no less than pledging allegiance to the Rule of Law.
As these men and women embark on their journey to take their place in the bar, it is a propitious time for all of us who have the privilege and honor of teaching at the IU McKinney School of Law reflect on instilling in them a deep understanding of and respect for the rule of law. And for all of us who have the privilege and honor of being members of the bar, to reflect on conveying to our fellow citizens deep understanding and respect for the rule of law as well.

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This is a joint column co-written monthly by the Chairs of the Masters Division and Young Lawyers Division to compare, contrast, and relate practicing law 25+ years ago to practicing law today. Each column will examine a new general subject. Read more for in-person or virtual connection insights.

Following a year of intensive seminars, community engagement, and pushing yourselves to grow professionally and personally through IndyBar’s Bar Leader Series, members of Class XXI gathered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for their class graduation. From everyone at IndyBar, congratulations on a great year! 

From right to left: Byrin A. Romney; Olivia A. Hess; Cody J. Coldren; Andrew J. Meek; Grace B. Atwater; Ana Carolina D. Hohn; Russell Hollis; Audreyalice K. Warner; Sean M. Kilgore; Molly A. Crow; Christopher B. Roberts; Anthony J. Simonton; Allison M. Scarlott; Lee C. Christie; Hon. Frank Sullivan, Jr.; Britt Nicholson; Robert T. Grand; Janet L. Thompson; Jackson L. Schroeder; D. Brooke Smith. Not Pictured: J. Daniel Vaughn.

Congratulations to these IndyBar members on their accomplishments! Have something to share? Email Becca Lienemann to be featured.

Matthew Kelley has recently joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as a partner. Matt is a trusted labor and employment attorney with over 15 years of experience guiding employers through complex labor relations matters.

Lewis Wagner & Trimble is pleased to announce 18 IndyBar member attorneys have been selected in multiple practice areas for the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers in America Attorneys Include:
MaryEllen Bishop, Matthew Conner, Dina Cox, Wade Fulford, Thomas Hays, Brian Hewitt, Kyle Lansberry, Michael Lewinski, Michele Lorbieski, Eric McNamar, Richard Shoultz, Ryan Vershay, and Robert Wagner.

Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch Include:
Edmund Abel, Michael, Giordano, Janelle Kilies, Molly Lee, and Christopher Mueller.

Read more about the honorees here.

Audrey Lunsford has recently joined the Law Office of Mark Nicholson. Audrey has over fifteen years of legal experience in various areas of law. She focuses primarily on appellate, family (child support and custody, juvenile delinquency, etc.), criminal, and expungement law matters.

Riley Bennett Egloff LLP is pleased to announce 16 IndyBar member attorneys have been selected in multiple practice areas for the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch.

Best Lawyers in America Attorneys Include:
Laura Binford, Jeffrey Fecht, Kathleen Hart, Eric Hylton, Anthony Jost, Ryan Leitch, Laura Reed, Donald Smith, Justin Sorrell, and Kevin Tharp.

Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch Include:
Jaclyn Flint, Lindsay Llewellyn, Patrick McCarney, Courtney Mills, Katie Riles, and Travis Watson.

Read more about the honorees here.

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is excited to share they are expanding their presence in the Southeast by combining with Morris Manning & Martin, a highly regarded firm with offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., effective December 31, 2025.

Ellen Townsend has recently joined Due Doyle Fanning & Alderfer LLP as a partner. Ellen practices in real estate and litigation with a focus on professional liability defense.

The IndyBar President’s Update is a regular feature where we share what’s been happening behind the scenes, celebrate wins, and give you a sense of where we’re headed. It’s a way to keep everyone in the loop, reflect on what we’ve accomplished together, and look ahead to what’s next.

• IndyBar encourages you to participate in the Foundations 2.0 survey, recently featured by the ABA Journal, which you can access from the link that follows. The survey takes about 15–25 minutes and is open through September 12. Click here to participate. In 2014, Foundations for Practice identified the skills, competencies, and abilities lawyers need to be successful in practice. Today, IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, and the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) are launching Foundations 2.0 to ensure the competency framework accurately reflects the present and future needs of the profession. Your participation will provide key data on the abilities lawyers need as they enter and grow in the profession, and that data will assist IndyBar with their members. Please note that while you may receive this survey from different bar organizations, you only need to take the survey once.
• The Rule of Law Committee is celebrating Constitution Day with a Rule of Law Essay Contest open to any high school-aged students in Marion, Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, and Shelby counties. Entries are due September 1, 2025, and the top three winners will receive a cash prize and commemorative gift. Please consider sharing this opportunity with students, parents, and educators in your network. More information is available here. The committee is also hosting a CLE focusing on the American and Indiana Constitutions and how they protect and provide fundamental rights. The program will be hosted at the Indiana Supreme Court beginning at 3 p.m. on September 17. Visit www.indybar.org/constitution for details on all things Constitution Day.
• Thank you and congratulations to our fantastic Administrative Services Coordinator, Deion Ziwawo, as he completes his first full year with our IndyBar team. Deion works to make our new member initiatives beneficial to our community and keeps HQ running smoothly. We only get to have Deion for one more year as he is working toward starting law school next fall, but until then we’re lucky to have him on our team!
• We are hosting a welcome party for the new 1L class at McKinney at The Tap on Thursday, September 4 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Please encourage new students, who are our future members and leaders, to join us and/or feel free to come along!