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.

It seems that during these COVID times, there is a Zoom call here, a Zoom call there and a Zoom call nearly everywhere. But this particular Zoom call was one you didn’t want to miss. IndyBar hosted their regular Breakfast at the Bar program packed full of a variety of impressive health law professionals. Although it was early in the morning, many eager students—from 1Ls to 3Ls—hopped on the call to see what health law is all about.

The IndyBar Pro Bono Awards honor IndyBar members who are practicing lawyers, retired lawyers, in-house and corporate counsel, and law students as well as local law firms who have made outstanding contributions toward delivering volunteer legal services to the poor and disadvantaged.

As 2020 ticks to a close, IndyBar sections and divisions are in the process of evaluating their committee rosters and determining vacancies for 2021. Now is the perfect time to indicate your interest in serving on a committee. While space is limited, every effort will be made to involve anyone expressing interest in some capacity.

Students, welcome back to learning! Whether you are a returning IU McKinney student, a transfer or just beginning law school, please know the Indianapolis Bar Association is here to help navigate you throughout your pathway to the legal profession.

Dean Andrew Klein routinely tells us that he isn’t going anywhere after his one-year sabbatical. He intends to return to the classroom at IU McKinney. Law students will be better off for it. He intends to continue to support the IndyBar and the IBF and, in turn, the Indianapolis legal community. Our profession will be better off for it.

During the current health crisis, the Indianapolis Bar Association remains committed to its responsibility to support and equip law students with practical skills and knowledge to thrive as a young lawyer in Indianapolis. It is for that reason we’ve modified and adapted our IndyBar Review prep course, the most comprehensive bar prep course in the region, keeping in mind the same goal to prepare students for the July 2020 Indiana Bar Examination.

The pandemic—and shift to remote work—is speeding up a shift that has been years in the making.

As the reality of the COVID-19 economy sets in, many legal employers are cutting back or cancelling new-attorney hiring. With fierce competition for the remaining jobs, many new lawyers aren’t likely to find an attractive position. By necessity, many of these new graduates will consider opening their own practices right out of law school.

The IndyBar exists to serve members of the legal profession, and through our members we serve the community. Lawyers are problem-solvers, defenders of the rule of law. We spend our days seeking to improve the lives of our clients and our communities. We have an opportunity and a privilege to help.