Delmar R. Hoeppner (1927-2009).
OF COUNSEL
William H. Wagner (Retired) admitted to bar, 1958, Indiana; 1959, Michigan. Education: Valparaiso University (B.A., 1956; J.D., 1958). Phi Alpha Delta. Member: Porter County and Indiana State Bar Associations. (Retired). Practice Areas: Educational Law; Municipal Corporations Law; Probate; Real Estate Law; Zoning Law; Mediation.Email: William H. Wagner
MEMBERS OF FIRM
Keith Wolak (Chair, Wealth & Tax Planning Segment) admitted to bar, 1998, Indiana and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; U.S. Tax Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Education: Indiana University (B.S., with honors and high distinction, 1992; J.D., 1998). Certified Public Accountant, 1996. Member: Lake County, Porter County and Indiana Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Trusts and Estates; Estate Administration; Estate Planning; Family Wealth Transfer; Living Trusts; Powers of Attorney; Trust Administration; Trust Planning; Wealth Planning; Wealth Preservation; Probate; Taxation.
Larry G. Evans (Partner) admitted to bar, 1962, Indiana; 1978, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Valparaiso University (A.B., 1960; J.D., 1962). Best Lawyers in America. Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy, Valparaiso University School of Law, 1972-1980. Local Civil Rules Advisory Committee, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana. Indiana Super Lawyer. Director and Fellow: Indiana Bar Foundation; American Inns of Court (President, Porter County Chapter, 1995-1997). Member: Porter County, Indiana State (Board of Governors, 2005-2007), Federal (President, N.W. Indiana Chapter, 1985) and American Bar Associations; Indiana Bar Foundation (President, 2008-2009); Defense Research Institute, Inc.; International Association of Defense Counsel; Indiana Defense Trial Counsel (Diplomate). (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Employment Law; Civil Litigation.Email: Larry G. Evans
William F. Satterlee, III (Managing Partner) admitted to bar, 1966, Indiana; 1978, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Marietta College (B.A., 1960); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1966). Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Indiana Trial Lawyers Association; Indiana Defense Lawyers Association; Indiana Association of Mediators. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Education Law; Labor and Employment Law; Mediation.Email: William F. Satterlee, III
John E. Hughes (Partner) admitted to bar, 1971, Indiana; 1978, U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. Education: Capital University (B.A., 1968); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1971). Phi Alpha Delta. Associate Editor, Valparaiso University Law Review, 1970-1971. Adjunct Professor, Valparaiso University School of Law, 1991-1995. Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2009. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment Law; Personal Injury; Municipal Law; Mediation; Insurance Litigation.Email: John E. Hughes
James L. Jorgensen (Partner) admitted to bar, 1974, Indiana; 1976, Florida; 1978, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: St. Olaf College (B.A., summa cum laude, 1969); University of Washington (M.A., 1970); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1974). Phi Beta Kappa. Associate Editor, Valparaiso University Law Review, 1973-1974. Adjunct Professor, Valparaiso University School of Law, 1975. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; The Florida Bar. Practice Areas: Commercial Law; Banking Law; Labor and Employment Law.Email: James L. Jorgensen
Ronald P. Kuker (Partner) admitted to bar, 1976, Indiana. Education: University of Missouri (B.S., 1973); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1976). Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; Indiana Association of Mediators; Indiana Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education; Indiana Defense Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Alternative Dispute Resolution; Mediation; Arbitration.Email: Ronald P. Kuker
F. Joseph Jaskowiak (Partner) admitted to bar, 1979, Indiana and Illinois. Education: Illinois Wesleyan University (B.A., 1976); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1979). Associate Editor, Valparaiso University Law Review, 1978-1979. Author: "The Meaning of the Term 'Accident' in the Indiana Workmen's Compensation Act," 13 Val. U.L. Rev. 533, 1979; "Covenants Not to Compete in Employment Agreements Under Indiana Law," Res Gestae, April, 1983; "Advantages of Designating the Physician in Workmen's Compensation Cases," Indiana Business, December, 1983. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Employment Law.Email: F. Joseph Jaskowiak
Richard M. Davis (Partner) admitted to bar, 1980, Indiana. Education: Valparaiso University (B.A., 1975); Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington (J.D., 1980). Deputy Prosecutor, Lake County, Indiana, 1982-1985. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Litigation; Criminal Defense; Personal Injury; First Party Insurance Law; Insurance Defense; Complex Litigation; Defense Litigation; Civil Litigation; Medical Malpractice; Probate Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Insurance Bad Faith Defense; Federal Criminal Law; Creditor Bankruptcy; Debtor Bankruptcy; Foreclosures.Email: Richard M. Davis
Todd A. Leeth (Partner) admitted to bar, 1988, Indiana; U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Indiana University (B.A., 1982); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1988). Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; Indiana Municipal Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Municipal; Zoning; Real Estate Law.Email: Todd A. Leeth
Lauren K. Kroeger (Member) admitted to bar, 1989, Pennsylvania; 1993, Indiana. Education: Miami University (B.S.B.A., 1986); Dickinson School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1989). Comment Editor, Dickinson Law Review. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Labor and Employment Law; Civil Litigation.Email: Lauren K. Kroeger
Tina M. Bengs (Partner) admitted to bar, 1997, Indiana and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; 1998, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Education: Indiana University (B.S., 1989); Thomas M. Cooley Law School (J.D., cum laude, 1996). Member: Indiana Workers Compensation Institute; Society for Human Resource Management; Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce (Board Member); NWIBRT Education Subcommittee (Committee Member). Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State Bar Associations. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Employment Law; Workers Compensation; Immigration and Naturalization; Immigration Law.Email: Tina M. Bengs
Kevin G. Kerr (Member) admitted to bar, 1997, Indiana; 1998, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; 1998, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Education: Blackburn College (B.S., summa cum laude, 1978); Western Illinois University (M.A., 1981); Valparaiso University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1997). Adjunct Professor, Litigation Drafting, Valparaiso University School of Law. Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Appellate) and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Appellate Practice; Legal Writing; Insurance Bad Faith.Email: Kevin G. Kerr
Robert J. Dignam (Member) admitted to bar, 1986, Indiana and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: St. Xavier University (B.A., 1983); Valparaiso University (J.D., 1986). Member: Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute and Trial Lawyers Association. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Labor and Employment; Commercial Litigation; Complex Commercial Litigation; Civil Litigation; Complex Litigation.Email: Robert J. Dignam
Michael Eugene Tolbert (Partner) admitted to bar, 2000, Indiana and and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana. Education: Valparaiso University (B.A., 1997; J.D., cum laude, 2000). Member: Porter County, Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; American Inns of Court. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Complex Litigation; Commercial Litigation.Email: Michael Eugene Tolbert
Sean E. Kenyon (Partner) admitted to bar, 1991, Indiana and U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; 1995, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois and U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit. Education: St. Bonaventure University (B.B.A., 1982); Indiana University (B.A., 1985; J.D., cum laude, 1991). Clerk to the Honorable Allen Sharp, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 1991-1993. Visiting/Adjunct Lecturer, Indiana University, South Bend, 1992-1995. Member: St. Joseph County, Lake County, Porter County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations; Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana; National Association of Women Lawyers; Robert A. Grant Inn of Court; Porter County Inn of Court. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Reported Cases: Xantech Corp. v. Ramco Industries, Inc., 159 F.3d 1089 (7th Cir. 1998); Grand Trunk Western Rail Road Co. v. Kapitan, 698, N. E. 2d 363 (Ind. Ct App. 1998); Levee v. Beeching, 729 N. E. 2d 215 (Ind. Ct. App. 2000); Beeching v. Levee, 764 N. E. 2d 669 (Ind. Ct App 2002). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Appellate Practice; Insurance Coverage.Email: Sean E. Kenyon
ASSOCIATES
Gerold L. Stout (Associate) admitted to bar, 2002, Indiana. Education: Purdue University (B.A., 1996); Valparaiso University (J.D., 2001). Pi Sigma Alpha. Listed, Who's Who: American Law Students, 1999-2001. Member and Director, Lowell Lions Club, Leadership Northwest Indiana, 2004. Adjunct Professor, Estate Planning Drafting, Valparaiso University School of Law. Member, Lowell Chamber of Commerce. Member: Lake County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. (Resident, Merrillville Office). Practice Areas: Estate Planning; Corporate Law; Taxation; Real Estate; Probate.Email: Gerold L. Stout
Lee I. Lane (Associate) admitted to bar, 2005, Indiana. Education: University of Denver (B.A., 1985); North Park Theological Seminary (M.A., 2000); Valparaiso University (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Associate Editor, Valparaiso University Law Review, 2002-2003. Regional Champion, 2003. Member, Negotiation Team, Client Counseling Team, 2002. Member: Porter County, Indiana State and American Bar Associations. [Army Reserves, 1991-1995; CW2, Illinois Army National Guard, 1995-2005]. Practice Areas: Real Estate; Corporate.Email: Lee I. Lane
Troy C. Kiefer (Associate) admitted to bar, 2008, Indiana. Education: Ball State University (Bachelor of Urban Planning and Development; B.S., Environmental Design, Urban Planning; B.S., Sociology, 1995); Valparaiso University School of Law (J.D., 2008). Certified Urban Planner, American Institute of Certified Planners. Former Director and Zoning Administrator, Marshall County Plan Commission. Former Planning Consultant, City of Plymouth Plan Commission. Graduate of City of Valparaiso and Marshall County Leadership Academies. Past Chair, Marshall County United Way. Past President, Plymouth Rotary Club. Member: Valparaiso Rotary Club; Plymouth Kilwinning Masonic Lodge. Loaned Executive, Porter County United Way. Member: Porter and Indiana State Bar Associations.Email: Troy C. Kiefer