Lawyer

Class Notes
Alumni
Michael J. Robak discusses how Bloomberg
Law helps produce practice ready
students in his position at the University
of Missouri-Kansas City Law School. Video
can be found at www.bna.com on their
News & Insights section.
1985
Wayne C. Turner has partnered with John
Hoover, ‘80 and Andrew Hull to form
Hoover Hull Turner LLP.
1986
Mary Beth Claus was named to the Indianapolis
Business Journal’s “Women of
Influence” Class for 2014. Claus is Senior
Vice President and General Counsel, Indiana
University Health.
1987
Ellen Engleman Conners was appointed by
the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
to serve on the Board of Trustees for the
United States Coast Guard Academy located
in New London, Connecticut.
1988
Peter J. Sacopulos, partner at Sacopulos
Johnson & Sacopulos, has been appointed
to serve on the Thoroughbred Breed Development
Advisory Committee.
1989
Gary Chapman, of the Indianapolis-based
law firm Bose McKinney &; Evans, LLP, has
been selected to participate as an advisor
for eLegacyConnect, a subscription-based
online forum for agribusiness owners and
farm families to build strategic business
and succession plans.
1993
Christine Hayes Hickey was listed as a Distinguished
Barrister in the 2015 Leadership
in Law by The Indiana Lawyer.
1997
Brenda A. Roper, managing attorney of
B.A. Roper & Associates, LLC, has been
elected through party caucus as judge of
Center Township Small Claims Court in
Marion County.
1998
Jennett Hill was named to the Indianapolis
Business Journal’s “Women of Influence”
Class for 2014. Hill is Senior Vice President and
General Counsel at Citizens Energy Group.
1999
Amy L. Stewart, a partner in the Indianapolis
office of Mallor Grodner, has been named to
the Leadership Development Committee of
the International Academy of Collaborative
Professionals. Stewart, a family law attorney,
focuses on the dignified resolution of family
conflict, through Collaborative Practice, mediation,
and other respectful approaches.
2002
Jennifer Drewry has joined Bose McKinney
& Evans, LLP, as counsel in the Hospitality
and Alcoholic Beverage Law Group.
Thua G. Barlay, of the Conyers, Georgiabased
Barlay Law Group, LLC was recently
recognized by Georgia Trend magazine as
one of “Georgia’s Best and Brightest” (top
40 out of 400 nominations). In addition,
The Atlanta Business Chronicle spotlighted
the next generation of Atlanta business leaders,
naming him one of 40 people under age
40 making significant career achievements
and demonstrating social responsibility on
the “Atlanta’s Rising Business & Community
Leaders” list (40 out of over 600 nominations
from the Metro-Atlanta region).
2003
Shequitta D. Kelly was sworn in as Judge
of Criminal Court #11 in Dallas, Texas on
January 1, 2015.
LaWanda W. Ward was a panelist for the
Anita: Speaking Truth to Power documentary
film screening and panel with the IUPUI Office
for Women on February 17, 2015.
2004
Jennifer S. Lane is a Chaplain with a homeless
veteran’s organization in Nashville,
Tennessee. She also just launched an ecumenical
mobile chapel www.facebook.com/
theveteranschapel and began working at the
VA (also as a Chaplain) in January 2015.
Peter J. Prettyman has joined Indiana Municipal
Power Agency as vice president and
general counsel.
2005
Melissa L. Coxey has joined Bose McKinney
& Evans, LLP, as counsel in the Hospitality
and Alcoholic Beverage Law Group.
2006
Brian M. Heaton has been named an “Up
and Coming Lawyer” by The Indiana Lawyer
in its 2015 Leadership in Law program.
Ryan W. Mears is the new Supervisor of Major
Felony Division and will supervise deputy
prosecutors and staff and oversee cases
prosecuted in the county’s six major felony
courts. Mears previously served as a Marion
County Deputy Prosecutor from 2006 to
2014, including time as the office’s Supervisor
of Criminal Court 4.
Lesley A. Pfleging, of the Indianapolis firm
LewisWagner, LLP, was elected partner as
of January 1, 2015. Pfleging joined LewisWagner
in 2010 as an associate focusing
her practice on representing commercial
carriers and commercial drivers in catastrophic
injury and wrongful death cases.
Christie Bodnar Swiss was recently named
a partner of the law firm of Collins Collins
Muir + Stewart, LLP, in California and the
managing partner of the firm’s San Diego
County office. Swiss is a trial and appellate
attorney focusing on professional liability,
public entity representation, civil rights,
and general business litigation.
2007
Nicholas G. Brunette has joined the Indianapolis
office of Reminger Co., LPA, and
will focus mainly on the defense of medical
and professional negligence cases, including
physicians, hospitals, dentists, lawyers
and other professionals.
Marc S. Kaliser has joined the corporate
transactions group of Munck Wilson Mandala,
LLP, as associate attorney, where he
focuses his practice in the areas of mergers
and acquisitions, securities and corporate
finance, and real estate transactions. He
lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Christy,
who works in marketing and advertising.
Andrew J. Kossack has been appointed the
new chief of staff and assistant general counsel
of the Indiana Department of Revenue.
2008
Jacob V. Bradley has joined Quarles &
Brady, LLP, as an associate in the commercial
litigation practice group.
Kevin D. Koons was named partner at Kroger
Gardis & Regas, LLP, on January 1, 2015.
David J. Pryzbylski, of the Indianapolis office
of Barnes and Thornburg, LLP, was honored
with the “Up and Coming Lawyer 2015”
award by The Indiana Lawyer in recognition
for various legal victories he has helped clients
achieve throughout the country as well
as for significant pro bono contributions to
the Indianapolis community.
Ryan M. Schulz has been named an “Up
and Coming Lawyer” by The Indiana Lawyer
in its 2015 Leadership in Law program.
IU ROBERT H. McKINNEY SCHOOL OF LAW / Summer 2015 Alumni Magazine 69