Table of Contents
I’m not a lawyer, but a few years ago, a family crisis plunged me headfirst into the bewildering world of Indiana’s legal system.
The initial wave of panic sent me scrambling to Google, where I was met with a tidal wave of slick ads and anonymous online directories.
It felt like being lost in a dense, unmarked wilderness.
I followed what seemed like the standard advice: I picked a lawyer from a polished-looking website.
He had a confident photo and a long list of practice areas.
It turned out to be a disastrous choice.
He was unresponsive, dismissive, and, as I would discover much too late, had a history of disciplinary actions against him.
That failure was frustrating and costly, and it forced me to question the entire process.
The standard approach was broken; it prioritized marketing over merit.
The turning point came from the most unexpected place: a late-night documentary about a high-stakes mountaineering expedition.
As the team leader meticulously vetted his guides—checking their credentials, their track record on similar climbs, their safety records—it hit me.
Finding a lawyer isn’t like hiring a plumber from the yellow pages.
It’s like assembling a specialized expedition team for a perilous journey.
You don’t choose your guide based on the size of their billboard; you choose them based on their proven ability to navigate the treacherous terrain ahead.
This epiphany gave me a whole new way to see the problem.
I developed what I call the “Expedition Framework,” a systematic approach that replaces chaos with clarity.
This guide is the map and compass for your legal journey.
It will walk you through a clear, four-part strategy to find the right legal guide in Indiana: 1.
Mapping Your Terrain, 2.
Finding Your Candidates, 3.
Vetting Your Guides, and 4.
The Final Interview.
Part 1: Mapping the Terrain: Your Pre-Search Expedition Briefing
Before you take a single step, you must understand the journey ahead.
A successful expedition begins not with a frantic search for a guide, but with a thorough briefing to understand the destination, the climate, and the resources required.
Identifying Your Destination (Defining Your Legal Issue)
You cannot find the right specialist if you don’t know what kind of legal mountain you need to climb.
The first step is to honestly assess your situation.
It’s crucial to distinguish between a “moral wrong” and a “legal claim.” While you may have been treated unfairly, the law covers many, but not all, wrongs.1
To help define your destination, it’s useful to understand the basic categories of legal cases in Indiana:
- Civil Cases: These involve a disagreement between two or more parties. The person filing the case is the “plaintiff,” and the person being sued is the “defendant.” Common examples include contract disputes, personal injury claims, and family law matters like divorce or child custody.1
- Criminal Cases: These involve the violation of a state or federal criminal law. The government (the “State of Maryland” is used as an example in the source material, but the principle applies to Indiana) prosecutes the case against the defendant.1
- Juvenile Cases: These cases specifically involve children, such as delinquency matters or cases of child abuse or neglect.1
Taking the time to categorize your problem is a strategic first move that prevents you from wasting time and money contacting lawyers who don’t handle your type of issue.
Understanding the Climate (Common Legal Specializations in Indiana)
Once you’ve identified your general destination, you need to understand the specific “climate” or type of expertise required for that terrain.
Law is a vast field, and most attorneys specialize.
Indiana recognizes a wide array of legal specializations, including but not limited to 2:
- Business and Commercial Law
- Family and Juvenile Law
- Criminal Justice
- Estate Planning and Elder Law
- Health Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Real Estate Law
- Employment and Labor Law
Furthermore, Indiana has a formal process for lawyers to become certified as specialists in certain fields.
The Indiana Supreme Court Commission for Continuing Legal Education accredits Independent Certifying Organizations (ICOs) that can certify lawyers in areas like Civil Trial Advocacy, Family Law, Elder Law, and Business Bankruptcy.4
A formal certification is a strong signal that an attorney has deep, recognized expertise in their field.
Budgeting for the Journey (Assessing Your Financial Reality)
A frank assessment of your financial situation is a critical part of the expedition briefing.
The cost of legal help is a significant barrier for many, and knowing your budget will determine which path you take to find your guide.
There are three primary avenues in Indiana:
- Hiring a Private Attorney: This is the path for those who can afford to pay market rates for legal services. Fee structures vary and will be discussed in Part 4.
- “Modest Means” Programs: These programs are designed for individuals who do not qualify for free legal aid but still cannot afford a lawyer’s standard rates. The Indianapolis Bar Association, for example, offers a Modest Means Project to connect clients with attorneys offering services at a reduced fee.6
- Pro Bono and Legal Aid: For low-income Hoosiers, there are several organizations that provide free (pro bono) or very low-cost legal assistance. Eligibility is typically based on income levels, often tied to a percentage of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.7
Addressing your financial reality upfront is not a sign of weakness; it is a strategic decision that focuses your search on the resources that are truly available to you.
Part 2: The Search: Finding Your Expedition Candidates
With your map in hand, it’s time to identify potential guides.
However, not all sources for finding lawyers are created equal.
This section is structured like a “Trustworthiness Spectrum,” starting with the most reliable and vetted sources and moving toward the more commercial and risky options.
The Official Trailheads: Bar Association and State-Sanctioned Portals
Your search should begin with the safest and most reliable sources: the official portals sanctioned by the legal community itself.
A crucial piece of local knowledge is that the Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) does not operate a statewide lawyer referral service.4
Many people waste time searching for a service that doesn’t exist.
Instead, the power lies at the local level.
Many of Indiana’s
county-level bar associations sponsor their own Lawyer Referral Services (LRS).
These services typically pre-screen attorneys for good standing and experience.
For a small, fixed administrative fee, they will refer you to a qualified attorney for an initial consultation.4
For example, the Allen County Bar Association’s LRS provides a 30-minute consultation for a $40 fee.9
This is a structured, low-risk way to get professional advice from a vetted source.
For general questions or initial advice, the ISBA does offer valuable public services like “Talk to a Lawyer Today” events and the “Indiana Free Legal Answers” website, where you can post non-criminal legal questions for volunteer attorneys to answer.10
| Table 1: Selected Indiana County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services |
| County/City |
| Allen County |
| Evansville (Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick Counties) |
| Indianapolis (Marion and surrounding counties) |
| Lake County |
| St. Joseph County |
Community Basecamps: Pro Bono, Legal Aid, and Low-Cost Assistance
For those whose financial assessment in Part 1 pointed toward needing free or low-cost help, Indiana has a network of dedicated organizations.
These are the community basecamps providing essential support.
The Indiana Legal Help website, a partnership of the Indiana Bar Foundation and the Coalition for Court Access, is an excellent starting point.
It helps users find providers by county and offers access to resources like the Indiana Free Legal Answers service.7
| Table 2: Key Legal Aid & Pro Bono Resources in Indiana |
| Organization |
| Indiana Legal Services (ILS) |
| Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic |
| Indianapolis Legal Aid Society |
| Legal Aid Society of Evansville |
| Indiana Lawyers for Servicemembers |
The Bustling Marketplace: Using Commercial Online Directories Wisely
We now arrive at the most heavily advertised but most treacherous part of the wilderness: commercial online directories like Avvo, Justia, FindLaw, and Best Lawyers.13
While these sites can be useful for generating a list of names, they must be approached with extreme caution.
These platforms are, first and foremost, marketing tools for lawyers.16
Their primary function is to generate leads.
While they offer benefits like high visibility and client reviews, their rankings and ratings can be influenced by how much a lawyer pays for premium placement.15
The profiles are advertisements written by the lawyers themselves, not objective evaluations.
Relying solely on these directories is dangerous.
It creates an illusion of credibility that can be misleading.
Some referral practices can even stray into ethically questionable territory, such as “channeling,” where clients are steered to an attorney in return for a fee, a practice that can put the lawyer at risk of disciplinary action.18
There have even been lawsuits against bar associations for negligent referrals, underscoring the risk of relying on a third party without doing your own due diligence.19
The cardinal rule for using these sites is simple: Use them only to gather names of potential candidates. Never hire a lawyer from a commercial directory without first subjecting them to the rigorous, independent vetting process outlined in Part 3.
Part 3: The Vetting Process: Ensuring Your Guide is Trail-Worthy
This is the most critical stage of the expedition.
You’ve identified potential guides; now you must verify their credentials, check their safety record, and confirm their experience.
This three-step vetting process will empower you to see past the marketing and evaluate a lawyer based on objective facts.
It is the system that would have saved me from my initial disastrous hiring decision.
The License Check: A Guide to the Indiana Roll of Attorneys
The first and most fundamental question is: “Is this person a licensed attorney in good standing in Indiana?” The definitive answer is found in one place: the official Indiana Roll of Attorneys.
Maintained by the Indiana Judicial Branch, this online directory is the official listing of all attorneys licensed to practice in the state.20
Attorneys are required to keep their information updated within 30 days of any change, making it the most accurate source available.4
How to Use It:
- Navigate to courtapps.in.gov/rollofattorneys.
- You can search by the attorney’s last name or by their attorney number (also called a bar number).20
- When you pull up a record, look for these key pieces of information:
- License Status: This is the most important field. You want to see “Active In Good Standing”.21 Any other status is a red flag that requires further investigation.
- Admit Date: This tells you how long the attorney has been licensed to practice in Indiana.21
- Disciplinary History: This field will indicate if the attorney has a public disciplinary record.21 If it says “Yes,” you must proceed to the next step.
The Character Check: Navigating the Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission
If the Roll of Attorneys indicates a disciplinary history, or even if it doesn’t, the next step is to check for ethical violations.
This answers the question: “Has this attorney ever been professionally disciplined for misconduct?”
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission investigates allegations of lawyer misconduct, and its public records are available on the Indiana Judicial Branch website.22
This is where you can find the details behind a “Yes” on the Roll of Attorneys.
How to Use It:
- Navigate to the “Attorney Discipline Decisions and Pending Cases” page on the Indiana Courts website.
- You will find two crucial lists:
- Orders & Opinions in Disciplinary Cases: This list shows final decisions made by the Supreme Court. You can search this list for the attorney’s name to see if they have been sanctioned in the past.23
- Pending Disciplinary Cases: This list shows attorneys who are currently facing a formal complaint from the Disciplinary Commission. This provides a more complete picture, as it includes ongoing investigations that have not yet reached a final order.23
A clean record here is a very good sign.
A history of sanctions—or a pending case—is a major red flag that should be taken seriously.
News outlets like The Indiana Lawyer regularly report on these disciplinary actions, highlighting their significance within the legal community.24
The Experience Check: A Primer on mycase.in.gov
The final vetting step is the ultimate reality check.
It answers the question: “What kind of legal work does this attorney actually do?” A lawyer’s website might claim they are a “tough-as-nails trial lawyer,” but public records might show their practice consists almost entirely of routine, uncontested matters.
The tool for this is mycase.in.gov, Indiana’s public court records portal.25
It allows you to search for cases by attorney, giving you an objective, data-driven view of their real-world experience.
How to Use It:
- Navigate to mycase.in.gov.
- Select the “Search by Attorney” option. You can search by the attorney’s name or, more accurately, by their bar number (which you found on the Roll of Attorneys).26
- The search results will show a list of public cases in which the attorney has appeared. Pay attention to the case types (e.g., “CM” for Criminal Misdemeanor, “DR” for Domestic Relations, “PL” for Tort/Personal Injury). This will give you a powerful sense of the actual nature and volume of their practice, allowing you to compare their marketing claims to reality.
| Table 3: The Indiana Lawyer Vetting Checklist |
| Vetting Step |
| 1. The License Check |
| 2. The Character Check |
| 3. The Experience Check |
Part 4: The Final Selection: The Pre-Expedition Interview
After your vetting process has narrowed the field to a few qualified candidates, the final step is the consultation.
This is not just a chance for the lawyer to assess your case; it is your opportunity to interview your potential guide and decide if they are the right fit for your expedition.
Preparing for the Consultation
To make the most of this meeting, you must be prepared.
Before you walk in the door or join the video call, you should 27:
- Organize Your Documents: Gather all relevant paperwork, such as contracts, police reports, medical bills, or correspondence.
- Write a Timeline: Create a brief, chronological summary of the key events related to your legal issue.
- Define Your Goals: Be ready to clearly state what you hope to achieve. What does a successful outcome look like to you?
The Critical Questions for Your Potential Lawyer
The consultation is a two-way interview.
A good lawyer will be transparent and willing to answer your questions thoroughly.
The following questions, adapted from guidance provided by legal experts, are designed to help you evaluate a candidate’s experience, strategy, communication style, and transparency.28
| Table 4: Essential Consultation Questions & Their Purpose |
| Category |
| Experience & Track Record |
| Case Strategy |
| Fees & Costs |
| Logistics & Communication |
| Communication Style |
Conclusion: Beginning Your Journey with Confidence
Looking back on my own family’s crisis, I can see the two paths with perfect clarity.
The first was a path of panicked searching, leading me into the marketing wilderness where I found an unsuitable guide and wasted precious time and resources.
The second path, born from the “Expedition Framework,” was different.
By systematically mapping my terrain, identifying candidates through trusted sources, and rigorously vetting them against objective state records, I found a new lawyer.
She was experienced, ethical, and transparent.
She guided us through the legal process with skill and confidence, and ultimately, she led our family to a successful resolution.
Finding the right lawyer in Indiana can feel like an insurmountable challenge, but it is a solvable problem.
You are no longer lost.
You now possess the map, the compass, and the skills to vet your candidates and assemble the right expedition team for your unique legal journey.
You are prepared, and you can now proceed with confidence.
Works cited
- Evaluate My Situation | The Maryland People’s Law Library, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.peoples-law.org/evaluate-my-situation
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law—Bloomington: LLM & Other Law Programs – LSAC, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.lsac.org/choosing-law-school/find-law-school/llm-and-other-law-programs-us-canada/indiana-university-maurer
- LLM specializations: Graduate degrees: Academics – Maurer School of Law – Indiana University Bloomington, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://law.indiana.edu/academics/graduate-degrees/specializations/index.html
- Lawyer Referral Services in Indiana, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.lawyerlegion.com/lawyer-referral-directory/indiana
- Indiana – American Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.americanbar.org/groups/specialization/state-sources-of-certification/indiana/
- Referral Programs – Indianapolis Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.indybar.org/?pg=LawyerReferralService-HomePage
- Low-income legal resources – Indiana State Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.inbar.org/page/lowincomelegal
- Finding an Attorney | Evansville Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.evvbar.org/public/finding-an-attorney.aspx
- Lawyer Referral Service – Allen County Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.allencountybar.org/lawyer-referral-service-2/
- Talk to a Lawyer Today – Indiana State Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.inbar.org/page/talktoalawyertoday
- FIND A LAWYER – Indianapolis Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.indybar.org/?pg=lawyer-referral
- Indiana Legal Help, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://indianalegalhelp.org/
- Best Indiana Lawyers | Best Lawyers, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.bestlawyers.com/united-states/indiana
- Compare Top Attorneys in Indiana – Lawyer Directory – Justia, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.justia.com/lawyers/indiana
- 22 Top Legal Directories for Lawyers in 2025 – Grow Law, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://growlaw.co/blog/legal-directories-guide
- Lawyer Directories: Best Legal Directories in 2025 – Clio, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.clio.com/blog/best-lawyer-directories/
- A Guide to Online Legal Directories for Lawyers – Martindale-Avvo, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.martindale-avvo.com/blog/guide-to-online-legal-directories/
- Proceed with Caution: Lawyer Referral Services – Chandler Law, LLC, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://chandler-law.net/proceed-with-caution-lawyer-referral-services/
- Untitled – State Bar New Mexico, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.sbnm.org/Portals/NMBAR/AboutUs/committees/LPL/NotJustAboutReferral.pdf?ver=alVDvL89k374Vxdo2a5zvQ%3D%3D
- Roll Of Attorneys – Search, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://courtapps.in.gov/rollofattorneys/
- Indiana Judicial Branch: ACE | Roll of Attorneys | Profile on Lawyer Legion, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.lawyerlegion.com/promote-your-law-practice/directories-by-state-bar/indiana-roll-of-attorneys
- Frequently Asked Questions – Indianapolis Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.indybar.org/?pg=FrequentlyAskedQuestion
- Indiana Judicial Branch: Attorney Disciplinary Cases, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.in.gov/courts/public-records/orders/discipline/
- Disciplinary Commission – The Indiana Lawyer, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.theindianalawyer.com/topics/disciplinary-commission
- Indiana Judicial Branch: Searching MyCase – IN.gov, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.in.gov/courts/help/mycase/
- Indiana Judicial Branch: MyCase Search Tips, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.in.gov/courts/help/mycase/search-tips/
- How To Prepare for a Lawyer Consultation | MetLife, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.metlife.com/stories/legal/how-to-prepare-for-a-lawyer-consultation/
- 12 Questions To Ask Your Potential Lawyer | Rice County, MN, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.ricecountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1204/What-questions-should-I-ask-a-potential-lawyer
- Questions to ask your attorney – Minnesota State Bar Association, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://mnbars.org/?pg=question-to-ask-attorney—mn-find-a-lawyer
- Questions To Ask a Lawyer During a Consultation | Free Worksheet, accessed on August 8, 2025, https://www.cordiscosaile.com/blog/questions-to-ask-your-lawyer-during-a-consultation/
