The Indiana Lawyer Podcast with Maura Johnson

Jim Bopp Jr. has argued 14 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, sued 45 states, and built one of the most unconventional legal careers in American conservative jurisprudence, all from Terre Haute. In this conversation with host Maura Johnson, Bopp traces his path from organizing high school students for Barry Goldwater in 1964 to becoming general counsel for the National Right to Life Committee, a...

Ken Falk has spent decades defending constitutional rights for clients ranging from the KKK to Planned Parenthood, and he makes no apologies for it. As legal director of the ACLU of Indiana, Falk argues that the identity of the client is never the point. The constitutional question is. Falk traces his path from a senior center in Washington Heights to legal services offices in Muncie and Indianapo...

Vicky Nunn spent 23 years practicing personal injury law alongside her father before stepping into the role of leading one of Indiana's most recognized firms. Now she is carrying forward a legacy built over nearly six decades, with a fourth generation already on the way. Nunn, an attorney at Ken Nunn Law Office in Bloomington, discusses how growing up around her father's cases shaped her approach...

Two of Indiana's most consequential constitutional litigators, James Bopp Jr. and Ken Falk, find more common ground than their opposing ideologies might suggest. Recorded live at The Indiana Lawyer's 2026 Leadership in Law breakfast, this conversation covers decades of landmark litigation, the discipline required to pursue long-term legal strategies, and what both attorneys see as a growing threat...

Taylor Swift recently filed three trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including two sound marks for her speaking voice and one visual mark from her Eras Tour. The filings have drawn widespread attention for what they signal about celebrity IP protection in the age of artificial intelligence. Caitlin Byczko, an intellectual property attorney at Barnes & Thornburg's Ind...

Listening, adaptability and quick thinking aren’t typically taught in law school, but two professionals argue they should be. They say improv training can sharpen courtroom performance, client negotiations and overall well-being. Mike Marbach, founder of Crossroads Comedy in Indianapolis, and Michael Murphy, a clinical law professor at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, created a conti...

The Trump administration's AI legislative framework sets the stage for a federal showdown over who controls artificial intelligence regulation in the United States. Brian McGinnis, a partner at Barnes & Thornburg and co-chair of the firm's data security and privacy law and artificial intelligence practices, breaks down the six pillars of the White House blueprint and what Congress would need to do...

Law firms are now locking in first-year law students for summer positions before they have finished a single full semester. David Durm, a partner at Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis, breaks down the forces reshaping law student recruiting and what students must do to stand out. Durm, who has coordinated law student recruiting for more than 25 years, explains how the traditional two-L summer asso...

Indianapolis criminal defense attorney Jim Voyles Jr. reflects on nearly 58 years of practicing law, from representing Indianapolis Colts and Pacers players to serving as local counsel during the Mike Tyson sexual assault trial. Voyles discusses his philosophy of keeping clients silent, the high-profile cases that shaped his career and his new book "All Rise: My Life in Trials with the Famous, Inf...

Indiana Court of Appeals Chief Judge Elizabeth Tavitas explains how appeals work in Indiana, including how the court reviews briefs and trial transcripts and issues written opinions. She breaks down what the Court of Appeals handles and which cases go to the Indiana Tax Court or directly to the Indiana Supreme Court, and notes the court produces about 2,100 opinions a year. Tavitas also shares her...

As law school hopefuls begin preparing for the application process, The Indiana Lawyer Podcast is sitting down with experts to glean insight on how best to prepare for the task. In this episode, we hear from Colleen McCracken Renick, a DePauw University pre-law adviser, who explains how the university's career services office supports students and alumni interested in law school, from choosing cou...

Jimmy Gurulé is a professor a the University of Notre Dame Law School and former U.S. Department of the Treasury undersecretary for enforcement with decades of experience that include oversight of major federal law enforcement agencies and teaching criminal law, national security law and criminal procedure. In this conversation, he draws on decades as a federal and state prosecutor and senior law...

As law school hopefuls begin preparing for the application process, The Indiana Lawyer Podcast is sitting down with experts to glean insight on how best to prepare for the task. In this episode, Vincent Gullo, University of Notre Dame Law School student and Indiana University Northwest adjunct instructor, joins the podcast to explain how IU Northwest supports future law students through its in-per...

Ken Nunn, one of Indiana’s most prominent personal injury attorneys, died Dec. 24 at the age of 85. In  February, The Indiana Lawyer Podcast sat down with him and asked him to reflect on his decades-long career and his unconventional path to success. In this encore edition of the podcast, Nunn tells of his early struggles, including dropping out of high school, flunking multiple grades, and spendi...

Ashley Hart, the new executive director of Indiana’s Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, discusses her path from dual degree student at McKinney School of Law and the IU School of Social Work to leading JLAP’s interdisciplinary team. She explains JLAP’s mission to provide confidential and compassionate support to judges, lawyers, law students, bar applicants, and court employees, along with the...

Host Maura Johnson talks with Barnes & Thornburg partner and Labor and Employment Department chair John Maley about how the firm’s nationwide labor and employment team serves employers of every size, from small family businesses to large public companies, on issues such as noncompete agreements, litigation, counseling and workplace compliance across federal, state and local laws. Maley explains ho...

Maura Johnson talks with Doug Church and Julia Church Kozicki, a father-daughter legal team from Church Church Hittle + Antrim about what it is really like to work together as family. They discuss how their ability to read each other's minds shapes their collaboration, how a background as a “Jeopardy!” champion shows up in daily practice, and how decades of experience have influenced the firm's op...

Krieg DeVault Managing Partner Mike Messaglia joins The Indiana Lawyer Podcast to discuss the firm’s recent merger with Fort Wayne-based Rothberg Logan & Warsco. He explains how the deal aligns with Krieg DeVault’s strategic plan for thoughtful, values-driven growth and what it means for Indiana’s legal community. Messaglia also shares insights on firm culture, evaluating potential partners, and h...

As Halloween attractions grow bigger and bolder, what happens when a night of fright turns into a real injury? Wagner Reese partner and personal injury attorney Tim Devereux joins the show to explain how haunted houses have evolved from small fundraisers to multi-million-dollar operations—and how that impacts legal liability. Devereux breaks down how injury waivers work, why suing a haunted house...

Ice Miller partner and board member Joshua Christie discusses his upcoming transition to chief managing partner in 2026. He shares insights into the biggest challenges facing law firms today—from talent retention to technology adoption—and how Ice Miller is preparing for the future of the legal profession. Christie also talks about artificial intelligence in law, the attorney shortage in Indiana,...

Indiana Lawyer Podcast host Maura Johnson speaks with Erin Hall, executive director of the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic in Indianapolis. Since 1994, the clinic has provided one-on-one legal assistance in housing, immigration, reentry and veteran services. Hall discusses the most pressing needs facing residents, how the clinic delivers support, and ways attorneys and volunteers can get invol...

In this Constitution Day episode of The Indiana Lawyer Podcast, host Maura Johnson speaks with Sheila Suess Kennedy, professor emeritus at IU Indianapolis, and attorney Jim Bopp Jr. about the constitutional limits of presidential authority. They examine Donald Trump’s executive actions, the separation of powers, judicial decisions, and state control over elections. Sheila Suess Kennedy is a profes...

Kevin Greenlee, a lawyer, and Áine Cain, a journalist, are the husband-and-wife duo behind The Murder Sheet podcast. They join host Maura Johnson to discuss their new book, Shadow of the Bridge: The Delphi Murders and the Dark Side of the American Heartland. The book provides the first definitive account of the 2017 murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German in Delphi, Indiana, and the trial o...

Host Maura Johnson talks with Jon Laramore, executive director of Indiana Legal Services, Inc. Laramore explains how the nonprofit provides free civil legal aid to low-income Hoosiers in all 92 counties, handling nearly 16,000 cases annually. From eviction defense and domestic violence cases to outreach partnerships and law school internships, the organization plays a vital role in ensuring access...

Zachary Myers, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana and now a partner at McCarter & English LLP, joins Indiana Lawyer reporter Maura Johnson to discuss his extensive background in prosecuting cybercrime, including ransomware, cryptocurrency fraud and international hacking. Myers shares how emerging threats have evolved and how law enforcement and private firms are adapting to...