Foundation Honors Three Leaders During Annual Awards Luncheon

Former Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard is the 2023 Indiana Bar Foundation Legend Award recipient. The Evansville native retired from the Indiana Court in March 2012 as Indiana’s longest-serving chief justice.

“The Foundation is proud to highlight the numerous contributions made by these three outstanding leaders. Their commitment to civic education and civil legal assistance, along with all of their other good works in Indiana, the nation, and internationally have earned our respect and sincere appreciation,” said Foundation President & CEO Charles Dunlap.

Shepard remains active and was recently a panelist at the Foundation’s inaugural Civics Summit in April. He has volunteered significant hours to the Foundation’s civic education and civil legal assistance programs. Justice Shepard was instrumental in establishing the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity (ICLEO), which assists Indiana minority, low-income, and educationally disadvantaged scholars pursue a law degree in Indiana.

Additionally, the Foundation announced that former Board Chair Scott Barnhart, Chief Counsel and Director of Consumer Protection at the Office of the Indiana Attorney General, is the Champion of Civic Education award recipient. The Honorable Melissa May, Indiana Court of Appeals, is the Champion of Civil Legal Assistance awardee.

Barnhart continues to be a volunteer supporter of Mock Trial, We the People, the United States Senate Youth Program, and serves as a Foundation ambassador at various events.

The Hon. Melissa May is a former Foundation Board Member and Grants Committee Chair. Judge May is the former Chair of the Indiana Pro Bono Commission and has been an active Coalition for Court Access member.

The trio was honored during the Foundation’s Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 23.