The Indiana Lawyer Podcast with Maura Johnson

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 program’s outreach efforts, volunteer network, therapy dog team, and statewide services. Hart also talks about evolving mental health needs in the legal profession, secondary trauma, support groups, law school outreach, physical wellbeing, and JLAP’s role in voluntary and formal monitoring cases. She highlights 2026 goals including volunteer engagement, staff training, crisis response services, and continued education efforts across Indiana’s legal community.

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.

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 open and supportive culture. They also share how they balance family time with legal talk and when their spouses step in to pause the shop talk.

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 how technology and AI are shaping mergers in today’s legal industry.

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 is nearly impossible, and what legal protections exist for both guests and operators. He also shares insight on Indiana’s laws, the differences across states, and why most haunted house injury cases never make it to court.

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, and the firm’s approach to growth and culture in the evolving Indianapolis legal market.

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 involved.

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 professor emeritus in the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Indianapolis. Before entering academia, she practiced real estate, administrative, and business law, served as Indianapolis’ corporation counsel, and ran as the Republican candidate for Indiana’s 11th Congressional District in 1980. She later led the Indiana Civil Liberties Union (ACLU of Indiana) as its executive director, giving her deep experience in constitutional law and civil liberties.James Bopp Jr. is a nationally known attorney specializing in constitutional litigation, particularly election law and campaign finance. He is general counsel for the National Right to Life Committee and has argued multiple cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Bopp is widely recognized for his expertise in First Amendment and constitutional issues, particularly those shaping national politics and executive power.

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 of Richard Allen, sentenced to 130 years in prison. Greenlee and Cain share how their legal and journalistic backgrounds shaped their approach to true crime storytelling, the challenges of covering a high-profile trial, and their efforts to balance detailed reporting with empathy and integrity.

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 to justice. Laramore also discusses current funding challenges, the impact of federal appropriations, and how volunteers and donors can support ILS’s mission.