Legend Award Honoree Profile – Tim Abeska

Each year, the Indiana Bar Foundation hosts its Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon, where three remarkable individuals from the community whose philanthropy and work impact Hoosiers regarding civic education, civil legal assistance, and further advancing the Foundation’s mission are honored.

One of the three awards is the Legend Award, which recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed to and advanced the mission of the Indiana Bar Foundation throughout their career. This year’s Legend Award honoree is Timothy (Tim) J. Abeska. The Foundation sat down with Tim to learn more about what this Award means and how his career has led him to this point.

We first asked Tim to introduce himself and tell us a bit about his background and what brought him to this point in his career.

Tim Abeska was born and raised in suburban Detroit, Michigan. He attended Notre Dame Law School, where he notes that those years were critical and most influential to his life. “Attending Notre Dame Law School was the seminal event in my life because it brought me to Indiana, where I met my wife, Mary Ann, where I practiced law, and where I formed lifelong friendships with law classmates and professional colleagues,” said Tim.

He worked as an attorney in South Bend, where his connection to the Indiana Bar Foundation began. Fellow South Bend attorney Mitch Heppenheimer encouraged him to become a Foundation Fellow in 2004. Tim served on the Foundation’s Board of Directors from 2008 to 2012, then again from 2019 to 2025. In 2015, a life-altering moment changed the course of Tim’s life.

“The trajectory of my life changed in 2015 when my wife, Mary Ann, was diagnosed with ALS, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease. The ALS experience changed me at a molecular level. It allowed me to see that my career and other things that I used to give priority weren’t as meaningful as things such as presence, love, and helping others. It was this realization that allowed me to rebuild my life and reinvent myself as a serial volunteer who gets satisfaction out of living a life of service to others. I am a volunteer advocate with an organization called I AM ALS, and currently serve on four non-profit boards,” said Tim.

We asked Tim what this year’s Legend Award honor means to him.

Tim has long exemplified what it means to be a true champion of the Indiana Bar Foundation—through his time, his voice, and his generous support. His deep commitment spans volunteerism, advocacy, and financial contributions.

Reflecting on his recognition, Tim shared, “Receiving the Legend Award is admittedly a great honor. It shows that retirement is the beginning of great new things, and being involved with the Foundation has given me the chance to drive change and be part of a dynamic organization dedicated to helping people. I’m happy to have done my part to advance the mission of the Foundation.”

We next asked Tim who has supported or inspired him along the way.

Tim’s dedication to the Indiana Bar Foundation is deeply rooted in the many individuals who have shaped his journey and values. Their influence continues to fuel his commitment to service and justice. “Many people have inspired me over the years, including Dean David Link of the Notre Dame Law School, civic-minded colleagues at Barnes & Thornburg, Foundation staff and volunteer lawyers who tirelessly work in the trenches representing client’s pro bono, my late wife, Mary Ann, and my current partner, Juliet Taylor. But I’m most inspired by my friends in the ALS community who are living with this cruel disease but never give up, and help others in face of their own adversity,” Tim expressed.

We asked Tim if there were any projects or goals that he was especially excited about after receiving the Legend Award.

Indiana Legal Help will spin off from the Indiana Bar Foundation into an independent non-profit on July 1st, and Tim will be its first Board Chair. He looks forward to seeing the organization grow and flourish.

We also asked Tim for a bit of advice that he would give someone hoping to make an impact similar to his own.

“Make yourself available. Start small. Take that one pro bono case or agree to judge one mock trial or one We the People program, and just keep showing up, and everything else will take care of itself,” said Tim.

Finally, we asked Tim if there was a motto or quote that guided him throughout the years.

Tim touches on his faith and how that has guided him through his prestigious career and personal life. “My faith teaches me that my salvation depends on how I treat the people who cross my path and to give the needs of others priority.  I try to be generous so that I can help people,” said Tim.

Tim has long been a pillar of our community, generously giving of his time, resources, and voice. Whether through financial support, volunteer service, or passionate advocacy, Tim’s commitment to making a difference is inspiring and impactful. The Indiana Bar Foundation is honored to recognize Tim as this year’s Legend Award honoree—an acknowledgment he truly deserves.

Join us in celebrating Tim’s outstanding contributions at the Indiana Bar Foundation’s Annual Meeting & Awards Luncheon on Friday, June 20, at the Westin in downtown Indianapolis. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased here: https://www.classy.org/event/2025-annual-meeting-and-awards-luncheon/e671105