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

Claire Bailey has joined the Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP as an associate. Claire concentrates her practice in employment law and provides counsel on a range of employment law matters, including FMLA, wage and hour, and discrimination issues.

Adam Farber has joined Morgan & Morgan. Adam previously worked as an insurance defense attorney handling motor vehicle accident cases and also served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Clark County, Indiana. 

Jaclyn Flint of Riley Bennett Egloff LLP was recently honored as Up and Coming Lawyer for the 2025 Leadership in Law recognition by The Indiana Lawyer. The honorees were celebrated during a breakfast at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.

Lauren Hicks has joined the Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP as an associate. Lauren focuses her practice on all aspects of business law. She advises clients on transactional matters and assists with drafting and negotiating clients' commercial agreements.

Carla Johnson has joined Hall Render Killian Heath & Lyman PC. She focuses her practice on commercial real estate and has over 15 years of experience as in-house counsel and as a private practitioner.

Mike Lang has joined The Gibson Legal Group. Mike helps his clients proactively and strategically grow and protect their businesses and real estate. He works with his clients to understand their business, tax, and compliance goals and help them craft a plan to achieve them.

Mackenzie Lyons has joined The Gibson Legal Group. Mackenzie's practices focuses on real estate and business defense litigation. 

Evan Pennington has joined Bascom & Kisor LLC as an associate.

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. 0

• Thanks go to all IndyBar members who have served or are serving in our military services. Your commitment to our country is always appreciated but especially as we continue to reflect on the meaning of Memorial Day.
• Congratulations to Abigail Waters of Bose McKinney & Evans LLP who was presented with our association’s Paralegal of the Year Award this week at the Paralegal Appreciation Luncheon. 
• Kudos to the IndyBar Foundation’s Visibility Committee who hosted another successful Block Party last week. Despite the cooler and windy weather, nearly 200 members of our legal community gathered at HQ and on the parking lot to kick off the holiday weekend. T
• he Association Board of Directors is seeking thoughts as we prepare to create the 2026-2028 Strategic Plan for the association. Is there something we should be doing that we aren’t? Something we should be doing better? Let me know at lee@cflblaw.com. More on this to come as we work toward a September planning session.

Meet our newest member spotlight, Jayson McGrath, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

While a fast-paced walk on the treadmill is always good for physical health, a quiet stroll through Indianapolis' smaller parks and green spaces is scientifically proven to promote mental well-being. Studies show we can decrease stress, improve mood, and cognitive function by reconnecting with nature, even in an urban setting.
Indianapolis is full of tucked-away outdoor spaces. Find one close to you and commit to connecting with nature at least once a day. The practice of finding a quiet bench, feeling the sun, and connecting with the natural elements, even for only a few brief minutes, can quiet the mind and increase focus.
 

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. Todays topic, A day in the life - are we really that different?

Not long ago, while at work, the pediatrician's office called me wondering why Kate and I missed her annual check-up. Despite the fact her appointment was on my iPhone calendar, my desk calendar, as well as the calendar that hangs in the kitchen pantry, I'd completely forgotten. 

After rescheduling the appointment, I turned around to my desk covered with research for an order due the next day, memorandums I needed to read, a draft of jury instructions, notes for an upcoming hearing and the day's to-do list, with nothing checked off as completed. In trying to do it all, in both my professional and personal lives, I realized I wasn't doing well in either.

Now, in retrospect, I understand missing my daughter’s appointment wasn’t that big of a deal. But at the time, it seemed to be.  What was a simple misstep manifested into something much more grim; tangible proof that my work-life balance was anything but balanced.  

This experience is far from unique, read more.

In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Indiana (APABA-IN) hosted an event on May 7, 2025, titled “The Changing Face of America: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.”

Read more

Meet IndyBar's newest member spotlight, Taylor Kirlkin!

While the month of May is always an exciting time around Indy, and this May has been no different, it is also Mental Health Awareness Month. We at the Well-Being Committee hope that while you are following practice progress at the Brickyard, cheering on our Pacers, and dodging popup rainstorms you will continue to - or perhaps even start to – prioritize your well-being. 

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

Richard M. Ellery has joined the Franklin College Board of Trustees. He is general counsel and secretary at OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc., with nearly 30 years of legal and business experience.

Reagan Gibson has announced the formation of The Gibson Legal Group, www.thegibsonlegalgroup.com. She and her team focus its practice on business and real estate litigation services. 

Brian Park has joined Reminger as a partner in the Indianapolis Office. His practice focuses on defending health care providers and hospital systems. His experience spans all phases of litigation, having handled matters at their inception during pre-suit negotiations, through trial, and on appeal up to the Indiana Supreme Court. 

Joey Wright has joined Amundsen Davis as an associate. She focuses on labor, employment, and immigration law.