Blaiklock and Lee on Developing New Practice Areas within a Firm
How do you grow a commercial law practice within a traditional defense firm? That’s the question I posed Rich Blaiklock and Jason Lee of Lewis Wagner & Trimble, LLP. You are familiar with Lewis Wagner & Trimble: Robert Wagner (“Mr. Wagner,” more likely), former DTCI presidents John Trimble and Tom Hays, well-respected defense lawyers such […]
Indiana Court of Appeals Finds That Scooter Operator Was Not Entitled to Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Progressive Southeastern Ins. Co. v. Chastain, 2020 WL 4743879 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020) Chastain owned two scooters, one of which was registered with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (“BMV”). Chastain removed the license plate from the registered scooter and placed it upon the back of the second scooter without registering the second scooter with […]
Blaiklock, Cox, Lewinski, & Shoultz Recognized by Best Lawyers as Indianapolis “Lawyer of the Year” 2021; Strawbridge named “One To Watch”
Lewis Wagner & Trimble, LLP congratulates Richard M. Blaiklock, Dina M. Cox, Michael J. Lewinski, and Richard K. Shoultz who have been named Indianapolis “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas by The Best Lawyers in America© 2021. Richard M. Blaiklock: Corporate Law Dina M. Cox: Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants Michael […]
Seventh Circuit Holds That “Known Claim” and “Intended or Expected Injury” Exclusions Bar Coverage for $50.56 Million Judgment Against Insured
Greene v. Westfield Ins. Co., 2020 WL 3476959 (7th Cir. 2020) The case of Greene v. Westfield has a convoluted history that involves three separate lawsuits over the course of ten years. Although the decision is worth reading in its entirety, we discuss its history only as needed to understand the basis for applying the […]
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Religious and Moral Exemptions in ACA Birth Control Mandate
On July 8, 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling in Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania, Case No. 19-431, addressing the regulatory exemption to the mandate for health plans to provide birth control. The Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide […]
U.S. Supreme Court Reinforces “Ministerial Exception,” Protecting Religious Employers from Employment Discrimination Claims
On July 8, 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru, Case No. 19-267. In this opinion, the Court addressed two consolidated cases involving suits by former teachers at Catholic schools in California whose contracts were not renewed. In one case, the plaintiff sued under the […]
COVID-19 and Force Majeure in the Manufacturing Context
The global COVID-19 pandemic ground the world economy to a virtual halt in many sectors, including manufacturing. Many manufacturing lines slowed to a crawl or stopped completely. Travel became practically impossible, if not prohibited by various government orders. Despite that, supply contracts remain in place. What impact COVID-19 has on the legal relationships between customers […]
John C. Trimble Begins His Term as President of the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society
The Indianapolis Legal Aid Society (ILAS) is a law firm for the vulnerable and underserved—providing Hoosiers in Central Indiana with direct and immediate access to comprehensive, free legal assistance in civil matters. So why aren’t the general public and legal community more familiar with its work? As the group approaches 80 years of service, ILAS […]
U.S. Supreme Court Rules to Keep the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Policy in Place
On Thursday June 18, 2020, the United Supreme Court issued an opinion in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of University of California, et al., Case No. 18-587. By way of background, in 2012, the Department of Homeland Security created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (“DACA”) program for persons who had arrived illegally in […]
Indiana Court of Appeals Determines That Liability Insurer Is Not Responsible for Alleged Malpractice of Defense Attorney Hired to Defend Its Insured
Smith v. Progressive Southeastern Ins. Co., 2020 WL 3067807 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020) This case has a long appellate history to which the Indiana Court of Appeals recently added a new chapter. Smith and Clayton were co-workers who attended a company party at a restaurant. After consuming alcohol, Smith gave permission to Clayton to drive […]
