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.

• Our hardworking Nominating Committee has completed their efforts in assembling a slate of new officers and board members for 2026. Raegan Gibson of The Gibson Legal Group will be 1st Vice President which will make her the 2028 Association President, Travis Kirklin of Barnes & Thornburg LLP will serve for two years as Treasurer, and the following members will begin two-year terms as at large members: The Hon. Kellie Barr of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, The Hon. Charnette Garner of the Marion Superior Court, Danielle Gregory of the Law Office of Danielle Gregory, Brett Thomas of Cohen Malad LLP, and Travis Van Winkle, Attorney at Law. Incoming President Katie Jackson-Lindsay also announced the appointment of Travis Jensen of Johnson Jensen LLP as Counsel to the Board and LaToya Highsaw of Paganelli Law Group at Vice President of Membership.
• Our first formal Constitution Day programming was success! Nearly 50 people gathered at the Indiana Supreme Court to hear A. Scott Chinn, Richard Shevitz and Frank Sullivan present a program on “The State of the American Rule of Law”. The event closed with the bar awarding three local high school students with cash prizes for their work in creating essays regarding their thoughts on the Constitution. You can read their entries here. Thanks go also to Enrique Flores who presented a bi-lingual program to dozens at the Hawthorne Community Center, and Kevin McGoff who presented to students at St. Pius School. Kiamesha Collom and Mary Hoeller also generously shared their time and knowledge with the 2nd and 3rd grade students at Acton Elementary School. Know of other opportunities for us to share educational information? Reach out to Travis Jensen at tjensen@johnsonjensen.com or Chris Hickey at ch@rubin-levin.net.
• We are planning for the future of our members. On September 25th a diverse group of attorneys from IndyBar will gather to collaboratively define goals, strategies and areas of focus for the organization’s future. We want to make sure that we are able to anticipate the changing landscape of the practice of law to assist our members. If you have any thoughts or suggestions for us to consider, please don’t hesitate to contact me at lee@cflblaw.com. 

IndyBar, the IndyBar Foundation, and the Rule of Law Committee are proud to announce the winners of our 2025 Rule of Law Essay Contest. The contest was shared with all local area schools (public, private, and homeschool entities) and received nearly 20 submissions. Students were asked to write a piece discussing the level of trust they have in our legal system. They were asked to explain why trust in our legal system is so important and propose specific ways to improve trust in our legal system, based on their personal experience(s). We want to thank everyone for the time and effort that went into each submission. We also want to thank the committee members and volunteers who served as judges for the essay contest. You can read the winning submissions below. 

1st Prize - Katelyn Bolduc

2nd Prize - Hayden Turner

3rd Prize - Avery Hutchison

Imagine that you are traveling in India to attend a week-long wedding of a close friend. Everything is vibrant and exciting: the colors, the food, the sounds. But soon, even simple tasks like ordering food, asking for directions, or checking into a hotel get exhausting. You don’t speak the local language, and the signs, menus, and conversations are all foreign to you. You feel lost, anxious, and frustrated.

Now imagine that while navigating this unfamiliar world, you get into an accident that was not your fault and must appear in court. The judge calls your name and begins asking questions, but you don’t fully comprehend what is being said. Your friend, Amitoj Singh, is sitting next to you, trying to help interpret, but he only speaks conversational Punjabi. He does not understand legal terminology, courtroom procedures, and has not had any training to be an interpreter. During the hearing, you attempt to answer, but you are unsure whether your responses are accurate, complete, or even understood. By the end, a judgment is entered that you now owe thousands of rupees to the other party, and you have no idea how or why. Paying a few thousand rupees is manageable to you, so you make arrangements to pay and leave. However, you leave the courtroom confused, frustrated, and with a sense that justice was not truly served.

This is a real experience for many individuals in the United States who don’t speak English and lack the resources needed to fully access justice. Navigating everyday life is difficult enough, but facing the justice system without proper language access is overwhelming. Fortunately, federal and state laws exist to ensure that individuals receive the resources they need to meaningfully participate in the legal process.
 

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He was on his way home after picking up his child when officers stopped him. They told him his “status had changed.” Within minutes, his child was handed to relatives, and he was gone—taken into custody, without charges, without counsel, and without a hearing. One moment he was part of his community; the next, he had disappeared into a system that offered no answers.

Due process is not ceremonial. It is not theoretical. It is personal. On Constitution Day, it’s worth remembering—it protects the best of us by ensuring it also protects the worst of us. And one day, it may be all that stands between you and the arbitrary exercise of power

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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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