Your ISBA sections and committees are at the forefront of the profession, providing CLE and resources, planning events, and moving Indiana’s legal community forward. Find out what they’ve been up to this month. If you have any section and/or committee updates you would like to share, email Abigail Hopf at ahopf@inbar.org.

ISBA Members in the Wild

ISBA Leaders Gather at Great Rivers Conference

ISBA President Michael Jasaitis and Executive Director Joe Skeel attended the 2024 Great Rivers Bar Conference in San Antonio in October. This annual gathering brings together leaders from nine Midwest state bar associations to discuss trends, provide insights, and solve common challenges. Key conversations this year focused on the attorney shortage, member engagement, and more.

ISBA Members Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court

In November, ten ISBA members traveled to Washington, D.C., to be sworn into the U.S. Supreme Court. They met with Chief Justice Roberts, toured the nation’s capital, and were admitted before all Supreme Court justices. Interested in attending in the future? Fill out this interest form »

Congratulations to this year’s inductees:

• Hon. Kelly Benjamin, Bartholomew County Circuit Court
• Sarah Brinkley, Brinkley Law
• Hon. Stephanie Campbell, Fountain Circuit Court
• Christine Douglas, Douglas Family Law LLC
• Jonathan Hughes, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP
• David Jones, Law Office of David P. Jones
• James Moloy, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP
• Laura Scott, Farmer Scott Ozete Robinson & Schmitt LLP
• Hon. AmyMarie Travis, Jackson Superior Court 1
  

On November 14, Senior Judge Margret Robb of the Indiana Court of Appeals was inducted into the Council of Chief Judges of the State Courts of Appeal (CCJSCA) Hall of Fame. This honor recognizes members who provide extraordinary service and advance CCJSCA’s mission. Judge Robb was nominated for her efforts to “give back” to each community the conference visited—including creating a book drive that has since become a hallmark of the organization’s outreach—her numerous awards and accolades, and her leadership as the council’s 2019 president.

Welcome New Leadership

Many ISBA sections and committees introduced their 2024-25 officers. Please welcome the new chairs and chair-elects of the following groups:

• Affiliate Membership Committee—Chair: Lauren K. Jones
• Alternative Dispute Resolution Section—Chair: Rebecca L. Billick; Vice Chair: Amy L. Stewart
• Agricultural Law Section—Chair: John Shoup; Chair-Elect: Jeff Cummins
• Appellate Practice Section—Chair: Hon. Leanna K. Weissmann; Chair-Elect: Jane Dall Wilson
• Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Section—Chair: Shawn D. Cox; Chair-Elect: Katherine E. Iskin
• Business Law Section—Chair: Paraskevi “Patty” Xidias; Chair Elect: Randall Cloe
• Criminal Justice Section—Chair: Amy Karozos; Vice Chair: Mike Cunningham
• Construction & Surety Law Section—Chair: Brain M. Falcon; Chair-Elect: Patrick A. Drewry
• Diversity Committee—Co-Chairs: Alex Van Gorp and Shelley Gupta
• Elder Law Section—Chair: Cara M. Chittenden; Chair-Elect: Tamara R. Carpenter
• Employment, Labor & Benefits Law Section—Chair: Elizabeth M. Roberson; Chair-Elect: Courtney E. Endwright
• Intellectual Property Section—Chair: Charles M. Fox; Chair-Elect: Dominic M. Yobbi
• Leadership Development Academy Committee—Co-Chairs: April Keaton and Katherine Tapp
• Litigation Section—Chair: Aaron C. Medley; Chair-Elect: Patrick I. Jones
• Probate, Trust & Real Property Section—Chair: Elizabeth A. Homes; Chair-Elect: Paige Freitag
• Senior Lawyers Section—Chair: Robert A. Garelick; Chair-Elect: Mary J. Hoeller
• Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Committee—Co-Chairs: Ellen Pactor and Wenxi Lu
• Tax Section—Chair: Hon. Justin McAdam; Chair-Elect: Dan Shackle
• Utility Law Section—Chair: Tiffany Murray; Chair-Elect: Lauren Aguilar
• Young Lawyers Section—Chair: Matthew R. Land; Chair-Elect: Elizabeth A. Klesmith

Affiliate Membership Committee Names 2024 Cathy Canny Award Winner

The Affiliate Membership Committee honored Tracey Clark, a paralegal and accounting administrator at Church Church Hittle & Antrim, with the 2024 Cathy Canny Award of Excellence.

The Cathy Canny Award is given to an affiliate member who exemplifies courageous, visionary leadership in raising the bar of professionalism for paralegals throughout Indiana. In her 15+ years with CCHA Law, Tracy has “embodie[d] the qualities of dedication, the essence of professional excellence, and leadership within the legal community.” Her honesty and transparency, her volunteer work, and her unwavering commitment to ethical standards have made her a highly regarded peer. Please join us in congratulating Tracey!

Bankruptcy Section Provides Feedback on Bankruptcy Appellate Panel

The Seventh Circuit is contemplating the creation of a Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. In forming their decision, they asked Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Section members to share their thoughts through a survey.

Land Use and Zoning Reviews Potential Legislation

The Land Use and Zoning Section reviewed mock legislation for Indiana’s 2025 legislative session, offering feedback on proposed amendments to Indiana Code concerning land use proceedings.

Leadership Development Academy Committee Announces 13th Class

The Leadership Development Academy (LDA) Committee selected 24 emerging leaders to join the LDA Class of 2025. Learn more »

Meet the Class of 2025:

• Lauren Berger, Biesecker Dutkaynch & Macer LLC, Jasper
• Lacey Berkshire, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Indianapolis
• Nick Brady, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun, Indianapolis
• Samantha Chapman, The Humane Society of the United States, Fishers
• Todd Coffeen, Quarles & Brady, LLP, Noblesville
• Chelsea Crawford, Chelsea R. Crawford Attorney at Law, Kirklin
• Brandon Curl, Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, Evansville
• Shelley Gupta, Health and Hospital Corporation, Indianapolis
• Ashley Hart, Indiana Judges & Lawyers Assistance Program, Franklin
• Jonathan Harwell, Harwell Gray Legal Counsel, LLC, Indianapolis
• Mark Holwager, Holwager & Holwager Attorneys at Law, P.C., Beech Grove
• Matthew Kroes, Marc Lopez Law, Indianapolis
• Ashley Moise, Indiana Office of Court Services, Indianapolis
• Trevor Oakerson, Wayne County Public Defender’s Office, Winchester
• Amy Osborne, Office of the Indiana Attorney General, Greenfield
• Mag. Matthew Raper, St. Joseph Superior Court, South Bend
• Tim Stucky, Kightlinger & Gray, LLP, Sellersburg
• Cortney Sweat, May Oberfell Lorber, LLP, Mishawaka
• Elizabeth Terrell, Terrell Group LLC, Martinsville
• Daniel Timm, CCSK Law/LaPorte County Government, Valparaiso
• Megan Torres, Beckman Lawson, LLP, Fort Wayne
• Elizabeth Walker, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, Indianapolis
• Christine Walsh, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, Indianapolis
• Levy Wash, Fisher Maas Howard Lloyd & Wheeler P.C., Fishers

Women in the Law Committee Announces 23rd Annual Retreat

Discover the intersection between law and medicine at the 23rd Women’s Bench Bar Retreat. This annual event brings together attorneys and judges from across the state for a mix of CLEs, social events, and opportunities to connect and mentor the next generation of legal professionals. This year’s retreat will be held at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana. Learn more and register »

Connection Opportunities

• The Affiliate Membership Committee worked with Churchill Reporting to throw a social for paralegals and legal assistants. Members met at Penn & Beech to pour their own candles, then headed over to The Garage for dinner.
• The Construction & Surety Law Section held their annual meeting, learned about contractor and design errors under a builder’s risk policy, and celebrated the season.
• The Intellectual Property and Business Law Sections teamed up for a happy hour at The Tap Mass Ave, providing the opportunity for practitioners to get to know each other.
• For the first time since before the pandemic, the Probate, Trust & Real Property Section held their Probate Review Committee meeting in person. After the CLE, they met up with colleagues at a sold-out St. Elmo’s reception.
• The Tax Section held their annual State Tax Reception and meeting at Ice Miller.
• The Utility Law Section met for their annual Fall Seminar, discussing cyberthreats and privacy challenges, electrification initiatives in the state, and touring the DC Nanogrid and ReNEWW Houses in West Lafayette.
• Nearly 60 judges, young lawyers, and law students dined together at the Young Lawyers Section’s Dinner with the Judiciary event.

Upcoming CLE and Socials

• Join the Pro Bono Committee on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as they attempt to clear out waiting questions on Indiana Legal Answers. The committee has put together a 5.0 hr. CLE/1.0 hr. Ethics bundle to help you catch up on the most commonly asked pro bono questions. Learn more »
• The Utility Law Section is celebrating section members and employees of the IURC and OUCC at their annual holiday party in Indianapolis. Learn more »
• Learn about the connection between domestic violence and animal cruelty in the Animal Law Section’s CLE on December 12. Learn more » 

On-Demand CLE Added to the ISBA Library 

The following CLE programs were added to ISBA’s on-demand library. Missed them in action? Check them out now—virtually and at your convenience!

• Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Section | Bankruptcy Trustee Demand Letters: What They Mean and How to Respond. View CLE »
• Criminal Justice Section | Sentencing Refresher: Key Considerations Before, During, and After a Trial. View CLE »
• Where GenAI and Ethics Collide! View CLE »
• Review of Ordinance Violation Cases. View CLE »
• Open Conversations: Local Bar Presidents. View CLE »
• Serving Immigrant Communities in Indiana: Call to Action for Legal Service Providers. View CLE »
  

Your ISBA sections and committees are at the forefront of the profession, providing CLE and resources, planning events, and moving Indiana’s legal community forward. Find out what they’ve been up to. If you have any section and/or committee updates you would like to share, email Abigail Hopf at ahopf@inbar.org.

ISBA Members in the Wild

2024 Leadership in Law Awards

This May, the Indiana Lawyer honored outstanding members of the legal profession at the 2024 Leadership in Law awards. Several ISBA members were recognized for their contributions to the legal field. Congratulations to the following and all honorees:

• Hon. Tanya Walton Pratt, Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree
• Anthony Scott Chinn, Distinguished Barrister
• Hon. Charnette Garner, Distinguished Barrister
• Brian Hewitt, Distinguished Barrister
• James Hinshaw, Distinguished Barrister
• Richard Kissel, II, Distinguished Barrister
• Suzannah Overholt, Distinguished Barrister
• Amy Romig, Distinguished Barrister
• Michael Tolbert, Distinguished Barrister
• Rakuya Trice, Distinguished Barrister
• James Watson, Distinguished Barrister
• Nabeela Virjee, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Tyler John Moorhead, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Caroline Brinster, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Emily Schmale, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Brett Thomas, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Alex Van Gorp, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Aaron Rodebeck, Up & Coming Lawyer
• Chasity Thompson Osborn, Legal Support Star

The 2024 Match of the Year: Bob Rath

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI) is an organization committed to building a network of supportive relationships and creating a community that is better together. It serves 1,100+ youth annually in Hamilton, Johnson, and Marion Counties, with nearly 950 matches served this year alone. Bob Rath, Chief Innovation Officer with the Indiana Supreme Court Office of Judicial Administration, and Xavier are one such match. Paired since October 2020, the two have gone hiking at Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park, learned Spanish, and more, and were recently named one of BBBSCI’s 2024 Matches of the Year. Learn more »

A Paralegal in South Korea

ISBA member Kristy Gordon has been living in South Korea for the past few months, preparing for a legal career abroad. Kristy arrived in Jinhae, South Korea in November 2023 and has spent her time since teaching English, networking with law firms, and taking online courses in preparation for law school and finding employment in South Korea’s legal field. But between Korean language classes and exploring the area, Kristy remains involved in ISBA section and committee work.

(From Songdo Beach)

Thank You Section Sponsors

Section sponsorships have helped make two programs successful in the past two months. Support for the Leadership Development Academy (LDA) helped provide scholarships for class members who otherwise may not have afforded the program. And support for this spring’s etiquette dinner at IU Maurer enabled law students to not only pick up important etiquette tips but to also find their first connections to Indiana’s legal community. As one student noted: “It was exciting hearing from practicing attorneys and getting the opportunity to learn about their time in law school and how they transitioned into lawyering.”

Committees Contribute to ISBA Inclusion Reference Guide

ISBA released an Inclusion Reference Guide to provide guidance for legal professionals who wish to be as precise in addressing people as they are in drafting the terms of a contract. The guide is broken into four primary sections—ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, disability, and language of origin—and each section provides definitions, language suggestions, tips for legal professionals, and additional resources.

The guide was written by ISBA with feedback from organizations who are the authority figures in their fields, including three ISBA committees: Diversity, Latino Affairs, and Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity. Read the guide »

Affiliate Committee Opens Nominations for Cathy Canny Award

The Affiliate Membership Committee is accepting nominations for the 2024 Cathy Canny Award of Excellence. The award honors ISBA affiliate members (paralegals, court administrators, law librarians, and legal administrators) who exemplify courageous leadership in raising the bar of professionalism for paralegals throughout Indiana. Please nominate a paralegal or legal staff member who demonstrates how indispensable affiliate members are to a legal team. Complete a nomination »

Family Law Announces Gale M. Phelps Recipient

The Family & Juvenile Law Section Gale M. Phelps Award recognizes family law attorneys who work diligently to raise the standards of professionalism in the field. Its 2024 winner, Nancy Cross, does exactly that. As one nominator noted, “Nancy is the epitome of a family law mentor and example. She brings the best qualities to the practice of family law; she is an effective and skilled advocate, an excellent mediator, is practical in her approach, strives always to be part of the solution and not part of the problem, and does a great job balancing the need to be empathetic with clients and at the same time give them direct and accurate legal advice.” Please join us in congratulating Nancy!

GP, SSF Hosts Another Successful SSFC, Announces Hall of Fame Award Recipient

The 22nd ISBA Solo & Small Firm Conference kicked off earlier this month in French Lick, Indiana. Hundreds of practitioners flooded the area for structured and unstructured connection opportunities, practical takeaways, business solutions, and more. The conference is an annual reminder of how together we build a better neighborhood—whether that neighborhood is our local communities and colleagues, or a color party in the West Baden atrium.

The General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section also announced the recipient of its 2024 Hall of Fame award at the conference. Congratulations to Patrick Olmstead! As one nominator shared, “His reputation is highly regarded among the bar members. His tenacity is noted by many, his dedication to Notre Dame and his family are renown and make him a role model at the highest levels.”

12th Class of LDA Graduates

Twenty-five attorneys graduated from the Leadership Development Academy in May. The class spent five months traveling across the state—hearing from top speakers (including nearly every justice on the Indiana Supreme Court, the Evansville mayor, and Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Weaver, just to name a few), playing paintball in the rain, watching baseball from the country’s third-oldest stadium, and exploring the unique challenges of Indiana’s communities. Throughout the program, they have learned what it means (and what it takes) to be a local leader, how to support their communities, and how to step up and make a difference. Please join us in congratulating the graduates.

Probate Review Committee Considers Indiana’s Guardianship Code

The Probate, Trust & Real Property Section’s Probate Review Committee is considering modernizing Indiana’s Guardianship Code. They invite attorneys and legal professionals who practice in the area of guardianships to complete a survey and better inform recommendations to be made in the upcoming legislative session. Take the survey »

Tax Section Awards Three Student Scholarships

Each year, the Tax Section awards a $1,000 scholarship (recently renamed the Judge Martha Blood Wentworth Excellence in Tax Scholarship) to Indiana students who demonstrate academic excellence and commitment to the study and practice of law. This year, the section awarded $1,000 to three Indiana law students:

• Christopher Clerc is pursuing his LL.M at IU McKinney after spending a decade as a public defender and attorney for the Indiana Department of Child Services. He hopes to broaden his understanding of state and federal taxation through his studies, so that he can transition into a practice centered on tax law.
• Jason Gray is an upcoming 3L at IU Maurer. After working in corporate accounting for a nonprofit, he’s taken the next step and pursuing a legal career in tax work.
• Logan Bromm, a 3L at IU McKinney, is a founding member of McKinney’s Tax Law Society. He will be spending his summer in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel’s Honors Attorney Recruitment Program, working directly with taxpayers to investigate and resolve tax disputes, before graduating in December.

Please join us in congratulating these students!

Additional Activities

• The Affiliate Membership Committee gathered over 100 paralegals for their award-winning Paralegal Symposium. This annual seminar is developed exclusively for paralegals, by paralegals, with virtual programming created to help them thrive in their careers.
• The Animal Law Section hosted a career panel at IU McKinney in conjunction with the IU McKinney Animal Legal Defense Fund. Section members spoke on their careers and work in the field and connected with law students
• The Appellate Practice Section hosted students, practitioners, and judges at their Evening with the Appellate Judges CLE and reception.
• Practitioners and race fans alike met at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss mediation and employment law and watch the Sonsio Grand Prix qualifications, at a CLE and social hosted by the Employment, Labor & Benefits Law Section.
• The Pro Bono Committee hosted the third walk-in clinic of their series this year. Volunteers and committee members helped members of the public with expungements, landlord-tenant issues, immigration, and more.

Upcoming CLE and Socials

• The Agricultural Law Section is hosting a networking event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Wednesday, July 31. Meet with industry leaders, national figures, and others immersed in the agricultural field and get a complimentary ticket to the Indiana State Fair. Learn more »
• Learn all about Indiana’s expungement law and the ethical considerations you should keep in mind in a 1.0 hr. virtual CLE presented by the Criminal Justice Section. Learn more »
• The Family & Juvenile Law Section is hosting a summer social at Spencer Farm Winery on Friday, June 28. Meet with other family law attorneys and judges, enjoy a wine tasting, and listen to live music. Learn more »
• The FTC has issued a final rule relating to the use of non-compete clauses in contracts. Learn more about this rule and its practical impact in this CLE put on by the Intellectual Property Section. Learn more »
• Join the Senior Lawyers Section for a CLE presentation on how to best prepare for your post-law life. Then stick around for dinner and “The Best of John Williams with Jack Everly” at Symphony on the Prairie. Learn more »

Your ISBA sections and committees provide CLE and resources, plan events, and help push the profession forward. Check out what they’ve been up to! If you have any section and/or committee updates you would like to share, email Abigail Hopf at ahopf@inbar.org.

ISBA Members in the Wild

In early February, ISBA leaders and ABA delegates traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for the 2024 ABA Midyear Meeting. Indiana delegates included Melissa Avery, Steve Hoar, Elliott Hostetter, Shontrai Irving, Mike Jasaitis, Jimmie McMillian, and Todd Spurgeon. ISBA President Tom Felts and President Elect Mike Jasaitis also participated in the National Conference of Bar Presidents Annual Meeting to learn from other bar leaders across the country.

Section and Committee Leadership Workshop

ISBA’s section and committee leaders convened in January for a workshop aimed at refining individual leadership skills to better achieve organizational goals. The group evaluated their leadership styles (specifically in their roles as volunteer leaders) through the DISC assessment. Leaders then discussed how their leadership styles popped up in their section and committee work before focusing on the challenges their groups most often faced. They identified a series of goals they’d like to accomplish this year, including to:

• Increase participation in their groups
• Mentor their groups’ future leaders
• Ensure that good ideas have champions who can help make them happen
• Enhance communication between the council and its membership
• And more

Leaders will continue to meet throughout the year to strategize new approaches and pick up new skills to support their members.

Affiliate Membership Committee Wins Award for Paralegal Symposium

The Affiliate Membership Committee’s Paralegal Symposium was recognized by the Indiana Society of Association Executives with the 2023 STAR Award for Outstanding Individual Program/Event. The Paralegal Symposium is a six-hour seminar spanning two half-days that is designed exclusively for paralegals by paralegals. It takes an innovative approach to paralegal education, covering essential skills and professional development in an accessible format.

As one participant shared, “Year after year this program offers speakers who present material relevant to what we, as paralegals, deal with on a day-to-day basis. These individuals make their presentations fun, interactive, and interesting. One couldn’t ask for a better option to obtain CLE hours and/or interact with a group of people who understand your work life!”

Appellate Section Evaluating Appellate Rules, Sets Date for Reception

The Appellate Practice Section is asking its members to comment on how Indiana’s appellate rules work in practice. Their feedback will be incorporated into a report the section is sending to the Indiana Supreme Court Rules Committee, recommending proposed amendments that address problem areas noted by practitioners.

The section has also announced the 2024 Appellate Practice CLE and Evening with the Appellate Judges on May 15—an event that fosters participation between practitioners and the judiciary, where attendees can keep up with the latest updates in the practice then meet with judges at a dinner and reception. Learn more »

General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Announces Date for 2024 SSFC

Scheduled for May 30 – June 1 at French Lick Resort, the ISBA Solo & Small Firm Conference promises formal and informal networking opportunities, comprehensive CLE tailored for solo and small firm attorneys, and more. Learn more »

Preview the type of content offered at SSFC with a pre-conference CLE and social: “Maximizing Revenue Through Increased Profitability and Fee Recovery.” Attendees will pick up tips on navigating taxes, avoiding nonpayment from clients, and choosing the best software. Then get a glimpse at the types of connections possible at SSFC over drinks and appetizers. Learn more and register »

The section is also accepting applications for the 2024 GP Hall of Fame Award. The award is given to an outstanding member of the legal profession whose career has served as a model for lawyers in the general, solo, and small firm practice of law. Applications are accepted until March 6. Nominate a colleague »

LDA Committee Welcomes 12th Class

The Leadership Development Academy’s 12th class kicked off their first session at Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park in January. The class of 25 lawyers identified their individual strengths and how those strengths show up in their personal and professional lives. They also dined with Professor and Retired Justice Frank Sullivan, heard from Justice Mark S. Massa, and had lunch with the ISBA Board of Governors. Their next stop will be the Indiana Statehouse on February 20 – 21. Meet the 2024 class »

Pro Bono Committee Plans Legal Clinics for the Year, Wraps Up TTALT Program

For over 20 years, the Pro Bono Committee and volunteers have manned a hotline on MLK Day for the Talk to a Lawyer Today program. This year, due to a decline in calls, the committee tried something different and teamed up with Indiana Free Legal Answers. This allowed volunteers to search for questions in their fields of practice, participate remotely, and provide pro bono services on their time. This year, 27 ISBA volunteers participated and cleared out 65 questions from Indiana Free Legal Answers’ queue. Altogether, through walk-in sites, Zoom sessions, phone calls, and volunteer programs around the state, a total of 216 attorney volunteers helped 420 Hoosiers.

To continue this work, the committee is sponsoring a series of walk-in clinics held at The Haverstick at the Crossing on:

• February 24
• March 23
• June 8
• August 10
• September 28

The clinics are designed to help Hoosiers with expungements, landlord-tenant issues, immigration, and more. If you are interested in volunteering at any of them, please email Kim Latimore-Martin at klatimore-martin@inbar.org.

Tax Section Offering Scholarship

The ISBA Tax Section is accepting applications for the Judge Martha Blood Wentworth Excellence in Tax Scholarship. This one-time scholarship offers a minimum of $1,000 to any Indiana law student interested in the study and practice of tax law. Applicants should be in good academic standing, enrolled in an Indiana ABA accredited law school, and intend to practice tax law in Indiana after they graduate. Learn more and apply »

Utility Law Section Hosting Spring Seminar

The Utility Law Section is hosting their spring seminar on April 11 in downtown Indianapolis. The annual seminar offers the opportunity to network with seasoned regulatory law practitioners in the electric, communications, consumer, water, and natural gas industries, as well as learn about new developments and hear the direction the industry and practice is taking. Learn more and register »

Women in the Law Committee Delivers Games for St. Mary’s Christmas Program

The Women in the Law Committee collected and delivered 16 board games to the St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center Christmas Program. Altogether, the St. Mary’s program collected close to 500 toy bags, bikes, and dollhouses; 2,500 extra toys, games, and books; a $125 gift card for every family; and pajamas, socks, and a blanket for all 365 children.

The committee will also be heading to Santa Fe, New Mexico, for the 22nd Women’s Bench Bar Retreat. The annual retreat brings together women attorneys and judges from across the state to share in education, camaraderie, and community-building. Each conference includes a selection of CLE specific to the interests and challenges women legal professionals face, as well as social events and relationship-building opportunities designed to form connections between the bench and bar. Learn more »

Other Connection Activities

We’ve loved seeing members at these CLE and networking events!

• The Probate, Trust & Real Property Section, Tax Section, and Ethics Committee brought together their members for a CLE and social on the latest updates in digital legal practice.
• The Utility Law Section hosted members for their annual holiday party and Rate Case Process Seminar.
• The Animal Law Section met at the IU McKinney Law School for a three-hour seminar on the latest updates in animal law.

On-Demand CLE Added to the ISBA Library

The following CLE programs were added to ISBA’s on-demand library. Missed them in action? Check them out now—virtually and at your convenience!

• ChatGPT, Siri, and Alexa Are Out to Get You. View CLE »
• Substantive Changes to the Rules of Criminal Procedure (Presented by the Criminal Justice Section). View CLE »
• The Corporate Transparency Act: What You Need to Know About the New Law (Presented by the Business Law Section). View CLE »
• Everything You Need to Know About Retirement Planning and More. View CLE »
• An Update on Recent Ethics Decisions That May Affect Your Practice (Presented by the Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Section). View CLE »
• Update from the United States Trustee: SBRA 3 Years Later (Presented by the Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Section). View CLE »
• The Rate Case Process from Start to Finish (Presented by the Utility Law Section). View CLE »
• State and National Updates: Land, Air & Sustainability (Presented by the Environmental Law Section). View CLE »