For the first time since the 2016 establishment of Commercial Courts as a pilot, the Courts are expanding. Four new counties will have a specialized commercial court docket starting January 2021: Hamilton County (Jon Brown), Madison County (Mark Dudley), St. Joseph County (Steven Hostetler), and Vigo County (Lakshmi Reddy). 

2020 has been (and no doubt will continue to be) like riding a roller coaster in a hurricane. Fortunately, for the IndyBar, we have a committed membership that has responded in amazing ways. While the pandemic will affect the practice of law for years to come, we can all be proud of the work our association did to respond in positive and uplifting ways. In a non-COVID year, we would typically recognize our IndyBar award winners at our annual Recognition Breakfast — typically a packed event with comradery and good cheer. Like many things this year, we will recognize our award winners in different (but no less important) ways.

In a year in which the need for pro bono legal services has increased, while at the same time the ability to provide such services has become more limited, the ongoing commitment of IndyBar members to providing pro bono assistance to those in need in our Indianapolis community is both inspiring and greatly appreciated. The efforts of the various members of our association – from law students, to paralegals, to practicing attorneys, to law firms – warrants recognition. I am honored to introduce the following recipients of the 2020 pro bono awards.

Each year, the Professionalism Committee seeks nominations for three coveted awards: the Unsung Hero Award the Professionalism Award and the Silver Gavel Award. After a lengthy nomination process, the award recipients are carefully selected. The Professionalism Committee is honored to announce the 2020 award winners.

We're officially in crunch time: you've got just one month left of 2020, and if you're needing CLE credit, the IndyBar is the most convenient and affordable option. Start this week: see what's on the calendar and catch up on news here.

The Indiana Supreme Court unanimously ordered adjustments to the February 2021 and future bar exams, which includes administering the February 2021 exam remotely and shifting to the Uniform Bar Exam as of the July 2021 test.

There are several reasons why a law student in Indiana should take the IndyBar Review course to prepare for the bar exam. Here some reasons as to why you should do it in 2021.

Roger A. G. Sharpe, Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, announced that the Clerk's Offices in the four divisions of the Southern District of Indiana are closed to the public, beginning today, November 23, 2020. 

The Indianapolis Bar Foundation's auction event of the year and your one-stop-virtual-shop for all your holiday gifting starts TODAY! Join us online for IndyBar's Giving to benefit the IndyBar Foundation's charitable initiatives, and check out the IndyBar calendar and recent news here.

The Marion Circuit and Superior Court continued all jury trials through January 15, 2021 due to the increased transmission of the novel coronavirus and in order to protect public health and safety. View the Marion Circuit and Superior Court Order here. View Marion County Health Department Order here.