ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Sixteen DSV Attorneys Honored as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars; Michael Drewry Named to Top 10, David Temple Named to Top 50 Indiana Super Lawyers
Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV), is proud to announce that sixteen (16) of its attorneys were recently honored by being selected as “Super Lawyers” or “Rising Stars” in the 2013 Indiana Super Lawyers magazine. The 2013 DSV Indiana Super Lawyers are: Michael Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); David Simmons (Construction Litigation); David Vornehm (Construction Litigation); Thomas Grau (Professional Liability: Defense); David Temple (Professional Liability: Defense); Joe Leone (Construction/Surety Law); and David Mallon (Civil Litigation Defense). In addition to being named 2013 Indiana Super Lawyer, Michael Drewry was also honored as being named in the Top 10 Indiana Super Lawyers, based on the highest point totals in the Indiana nomination, research, and blue ribbon review process. David Temple was also honored as being named in the Top 50 Indiana Super Lawyers.
The 2013 DSV Indiana Rising Stars are: Sean Devenney (Construction Litigation); Patrick Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); Matthew Schafer (Civil Litigation Defense); William Kelley (Construction Litigation); Daniel Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); Rebecca Geyer (Estate Planning & Probate); Andy Mallon (Government/Cities/Municipalities); Chris Drewry (Construction Litigation); and Andrew Briscoe (Real Estate).
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. For more information, including a full list of the 2013 Indiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, visit http://www.superlawyers.com/indiana/.
DSV is a twenty-two attorney law firm with offices located in Carmel, Indianapolis, and Merrillville, Indiana. For additional information, visit http://www.DSVlaw.com or follow DSV on Twitter, @DSVlaw.
2012 Green Legal Initiative Member
Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV) has been recognized by the Indianapolis Bar Association (IBA) as a 2012 Green Legal Initiative Member. The IBA’s Green Legal Initiative program was introduced in 2012, and it was created to encourage legal businesses to commit and engage in environmentally responsible business practices. Green Legal Members make an initial pledge to engage in “greener” habits. Members can then elevate their Green Legal status by demonstrating their compliance with green business practices in six categories: Water Conservation, Energy Conservation, Recycling, Waste and Paper Reduction, Purchasing and Community Involvement, and becoming “Green Legal Certified” at one of four levels.
DSV has made the pledge to engage in “greener” habits, and has been recognized as a Green Legal Initiative Member. DSV has adopted a comprehensive sustainability policy for all of its offices with the goal of achieving more sustainable policies, procedures and practices for its day-to-day operations. In 2013, DSV plans to further its sustainability initiatives by implementing the next steps required to become Green Legal Certified under the IBA’s program.
For more information about the IBA’s Green Legal Initiative, see the IBA’s press release here.
David Vornehm Awarded the Tumble Bug Award
This Tumble Bug Award is made for recognition of committee members, program presenters and other journeymen within the Indiana Water Environment Association who have labored industriously on behalf of the Association. This Tumble Bug Award is made to those deemed eminently worthy by the Awards Committee and/or the Executive Committee.
The Tumble Bug Award was presented to David at a ceremony conducted at the Indiana Water Environment Association 2012 Annual Conference.
David is now a proud member of an elite society known as the “Order of Eminent Tumble Bugs.”
David is also a member of the Indiana Water Environment Association 20 year club award which is given to those industry professionals who have been involved with the water environment for at least 20 years.
Mary A. Slade Joins DSV
Effective August 1, 2012, the law firm of Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV) is honored to announce the addition of attorney Mary S. Slade as a partner in its Carmel office. Mary focuses her law practice in the areas of title insurance, real estate law, and representation of financial institutions in banking law, bankruptcy, and creditor's rights. Before entering private practice, Mary worked as the Vice President, Regional Claims Counsel for Stewart Title Guaranty Company in Virginia, where she investigated claims and assisted in managing class actions, transaction underwriting, market conduct exams, fraud and white-collar crime investigations, e-discovery compliance, and all facets of direct litigation in 16 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, Mary previously worked as Associate Regional Claims Counsel for Chicago Title Insurance Company, where she supervised claims personnel and investigations in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. She handled complex commercial and residential development underwriting and claims, as well as white-collar crime investigations in Indiana. Mary is a frequent speaker on title insurance and real estate issues, including an upcoming speaking engagement at the 2012 Indiana Land Title Association (ILTA) Annual Convention.
Influential Women of Northwest Indiana
Melanie Dunajeski, a partner in the Merrillville office of Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV), was honored at the annual Influential Women of Northwest Indiana Awards Banquet, by being named winner in the category of Influential Northwest Indiana Woman of the Year in Law. The annual awards banquet included 90 nominees across 11 categories for the awards of Influential Woman of the Year and Up-and-Coming Woman of the Year. Categories for award included Business, Construction, Economic Development, Education, Finance, Government, Health Care, Law, Marketing Media, Nonprofit, and Service/Tourism. Winners were announced during the awards banquet on May 31 in Merrillville. DSV congratulates Melanie and all of the other winners and nominees.
Thirteen DSV Attorneys Honored as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV), is proud to announce that thirteen (13) of its attorneys were recently honored by being selected as “Super Lawyers” or “Rising Stars” in the 2012 Indiana Super Lawyers magazine. The 2012 DSV Indiana Super Lawyers are: Michael Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); David Vornehm (Construction Litigation); Thomas Grau (Professional Liability: Defense); David Temple (Professional Liability: Defense); and David Mallon (Civil Litigation Defense). In addition to being named a 2012 Indiana Super Lawyer, Michael Drewry was also honored as one of the Top 50 Indiana Super Lawyers, based on the highest point totals in the Indiana nomination, research, and blue ribbon review process.
The 2012 DSV Indiana Rising Stars are: Robert Orelup (Employment & Labor); Sean Devenney (Construction Litigation); Patrick Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); Matthew Schafer (Civil Litigation Defense); William Kelley (Construction Litigation); Daniel Drewry (Construction/Surety Law); and Rebecca Geyer (Estate Planning & Probate).
Attorneys who were named to the Super Lawyers list were nominated by their peers. The Indiana Super Lawyers list was sponsored by Law & Politics, a legal trade journal. Ballots were mailed to attorneys in Indiana who were asked to vote for the best lawyers they had personally observed in action. The selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. For a full list of the Indiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, visit http://www.superlawyers.com/indiana/.
DSV is a twenty-six attorney law firm with offices located in Carmel, Indianapolis, and Merrillville, Indiana.
Congratulations to Christopher Drewry
Christopher S. Drewry, an attorney with Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP, has achieved certification through the Construction Documents Technology (CDT) program, as administered by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). A person who achieves CDT certification has demonstrated knowledge of fundamentals and formats of construction documents as prescribed by CSI and the general conditions of the contract for construction, including: (1) the construction process (construction contract types, and modifications and substitution procedures), (2) contractual relationships (rights, duties and responsibilities, contract provisions, and relationship and organization of construction documents), and (3) the use of construction documents (including organizational formats and interpreting construction documents).
Law Firm Continues Growth with New Office in Northwest Indiana
Effective September 1, 2011, the law firm of Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP (DSV) is opening a new office in Merrillville, Indiana. DSV's attorneys have long served clients with construction, real estate, labor/employment, business, government services, insurance, and litigation matters, with a special focus on clients involved in the construction industry. The opening of the new office location in northwest Indiana is part of DSV's regional growth plan, as DSV strives to best serve its clients throughout the State of Indiana and the Midwest. The opening of this new location comes just eight months after DSV relocated its headquarters to Carmel and opened a second office in downtown Indianapolis.
As part of the opening of its new office location, DSV has announced the addition of Melanie M. Dunajeski. Melanie is licensed in both Indiana and Illinois, and has practiced in the northwest Indiana and greater Chicago area for more than twenty-five years, and her practice focuses on advising business owners, insurance companies, and individuals with a focus on employment law, civil litigation, and insurance coverage disputes. Melanie’s employment law experience includes dealing with claims involving discrimination, wage and hour disputes, wrongful discharge, Americans with Disability (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and retaliation claims. She also works with both insureds and insurers on insurance coverage matters. Melanie practices in the state and federal courts of both Indiana and Illinois, as well as in the administrative agencies of the same, including the EEOC, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, and the Illinois Civil Rights Commission. Melanie will base her practice out of DSV’s Merrillville office.
“DSV has provided service to clients across Indiana since our inception, but we have carefully and strategically explored opportunities to geographically expand the firm in order to provide additional value to our clients,” says Mike Drewry, DSV’s Manager Partner. “The new office location in northwest Indiana allows us to expand upon existing relationships with our clients in that area of the state, and it presents a great opportunity to develop new relationships with businesses and individuals in that area. The addition of Melanie Dunajeski to the firm is equally as exciting because Melanie brings a great depth of experience and a logical complement of legal services to our existing practice groups.”