Doug Church recently became a Legendary Lawyer at the Indiana Bar Foundation. An incredible honor with intensive qualifications for nominees, including a mandatory 50 years of practicing law. Doug takes us back in time and discusses what he’s seen in law in the past five decades and offers the knowledge he’s learned along the way.

Key moments:

• 50 years of practicing law: a journey into the past (1:58)
• Experiences on the Conner Prairie Board of Directors (22:22)
• What Douglas Church wants to see changed in the legal profession (31:07)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

“You need to take time for yourself, number one, because the law is a jealous mistress and you can find yourself working twelve, fourteen hours a day….It's important to try to make sure you don't let yourself become a slave to your practice.”

“I've always operated under the theory that you got to be somewhere. So some people choose to be somewhere by sitting in their easy chair or watching TV, some people sit and read a book, I chose to just spend my time being involved with organizations that were advancing some cause that I felt strongly about.”

“My dad always told me as a young person: ‘If you set out to make money you're going to be disappointed because there will never be enough.’ You can set out to do a good job at whatever it is you’re doing and money will follow, because people will appreciate your good work, whatever that may be. And I believe that that is true.”

CONNECT WITH DOUG CHURCH

Doug is the Senior Partner of Hamilton County based Church Church Hittle + Antrim law firm which was founded in 1880.  He has been actively involved with the Hamilton County, Indiana State and American Bar Association serving in various leadership positions.  He served as the Noblesville City attorney from 1987-1995 and the Town of Fishers attorney from 1980- 2014.  

Doug was instrumental in the development of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy serving as a Faculty Member and Dean (1992) and as Board President (1996-98).  He has also been actively involved with Conner Prairie as the Chairperson, 1999-2001 and Member, Board of Trustees, 1997, 2003.  He currently serves as an Emeritus Member of the Museum Board of Trustees.  Doug has also served on a number of other Hamilton County organizations’ Boards of Directors.  Doug is an avid swimmer and promoter of the sport.

Church Church Hittle + Antrim: www.cchalaw.com

KEEP READING

• “A Hamilton County community champion: Legendary Lawyer Douglas Church” Marilyn Odendahl; The Indiana Lawyer (28 Oct. 2020)
  https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/a-hamilton-county-community-champion-legendary-lawyer-douglas-church
• “I’m Billing Time” Music Parody
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFVtkpsWCn4
• Conner Prairie: A living history museum in unincorporated south-central Hamilton County, Indiana
  https://www.connerprairie.org/
• Civics Education program “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” from the Indiana Bar Foundation
  https://inbf.org/Educational-Programs/We-The-People
• “Importance of Jury Trials” Informational Sheets to share and educate; The National Judicial College
• 2 Page Info Sheet: https://www.judges.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Why-Jury-Trials-are-Important-to-a-Democratic-Society.pdf
• Presentation Slides: https://www.judges.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Importance-of-Jury-Trials.pdf
• “Jury Trials Aren’t What They Used to Be” Randall T. Shepard; Indiana Law Review, Vol. 38:859 (p. 859-866)
  https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/ilr/pdf/vol38p859.pdf

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