I'm admitted in Indiana and try cases in its state and federal courts. I defend companies, and I consult on defense strategy, preservation, and experts wherever a case is pending.
Much of that has been railroad defense, where I've spent the better part of my career. Firms from outside the state bring me in as Indiana local counsel as well.
One of my favorite photos
A colleague snapped this picture as I was finishing up a meeting with a key witness. He was in the middle of harvest and said rain was coming, so he didn't have time to stop and meet with me, but I could ride with him and talk while he worked. I was so excited. I hadn't ridden in a combine since I was a kid.
I grew up on a farm in Benton County, Indiana. When I was little, I'd ride in the combine with my dad during harvest. Sometimes I'd fall asleep on the floor of the cab.
I started thinking about becoming a lawyer in high school. At Purdue, I took a business law course taught by a local attorney, Tom Brooks Sr. He was the best teacher I ever had, from kindergarten to my last day of law school. The class was Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 a.m. I'm not a morning person, but I couldn't get enough of the class. I'd go home every day and tell my husband what I'd learned.
As I was approaching the end of my four years at Purdue, I didn't feel ready to stop being a student, so I decided to go to law school. I'm so glad I did.
I especially love trial work. I've never directed a movie, of course, but when I'm in trial, I feel like I'm creating something, much like a director does: deciding the order of the witnesses, what the jury sees and when, and how it all fits together. Jurors watch everything, from an eye roll at counsel table to an objection made in a harsher tone than it needed. My job is to make my client's evidence as clear and easy to follow as I can.
Trial work puts me out there in a way most work doesn't. I ask a room full of strangers to trust me, and they don't owe me that. I have to earn it before they'll listen, and I love the challenge.
I love my career, and I look forward to going to work every day. No two days are alike. I'm incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to do this kind of work, and for the sophisticated clients I've had the privilege of working with for so many years. I enjoy getting to know new ones, too. I often tell people that I sort of hope reincarnation isn't real, because I don't know how I could possibly draw a happier, more fulfilling life than the one I've been given.
I have a wonderfully supportive and loving husband. He, my parents and my kids are all proud of me, and they enjoy watching the success I've had as a trial lawyer, and now as a solo practitioner.
To quote one of my idols, Dolly Parton, “I was born with a happy heart.” I believe in the power of positive thinking and in believing in myself and my abilities. I love going outside, walking barefoot in the grass with my dog, stopping to take pictures of beautiful flowers, and thinking about my goals for the day and the month, or listening to podcasts or motivational books. I look forward to Thursdays, when my local corner store gets fresh roses in. I buy three for my desk each week. It's the little things.
Away from the file
What I photograph
I love taking pictures. The more colorful, the better.
