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 how his early trial work in employment cases shaped his “bet the company” mindset, how he approaches leading a 100-person department, and why staying nimble amid expanding regulations and fast-paced client demands is essential in labor and employment law.

As president of the Indiana State Bar Association, Maley also discusses juggling firm and bar leadership, addressing attorney shortages, defending the independence of lawyers and judges, and promoting the rule of law at events like the bar admission ceremony and Law Day. He shares his focus on collaboration across the bench and bar, the profession’s response to increased scrutiny of law firms, and how innovation and artificial intelligence fit into his goals of sophistication, excellence and service in Indiana’s legal community.