Jerome L. Withered
A native Hoosier and practicing lawyer in Lafayette since 1980, Jerry serves clients in personal injury cases and litigation of all types, represents small businesses, and works with individuals on estate planning. He has tried numerous jury trials and bench trials in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, contract, real estate, business, estate, and other cases. In his appeal work, he has argued cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals (7th Circuit), the Indiana Supreme Court, the Indiana Court of Appeals, and the Indiana Tax Court.
Jerry is a Board-certified Civil Trial Advocate (National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1995-present), is rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell, selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers® (2005, 2007-Present), and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America.
Jerry is also a Registered Civil Mediator and has mediated numerous cases over the past 15 years.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Business Litigation
- Civil Trials and Appeals
- Business Representation
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Registered Civil Mediator
Bar Admissions
- Indiana Supreme Court and all State Courts, 1980
- United States District Courts, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit (Chicago)
- United States Supreme Court
Education
- Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, J.D. (summa cum laude), 1980
- University of Virginia, M.A., Economics, 1976
- Purdue University, B.S. Engineering, 1973
Publications
- Co-Author, Civil Trial Practice, West’s Indiana Practice, Vols. 21 and 22 (West Pub. Co., 1996)
- “Indiana’s Constitutional Right to a Remedy By Due Course of Law,” 37 Res Gestae 456 (1994)
- “The Lawyer’s Dilemma: Frivolous Lawsuits and Duties to Clients,” 30 Res Gestae 164 (1986)
- Several other publications and papers for legal education seminars
Honors, Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory rating AV by peer selection
- Indiana Super Lawyer (2007, 2009-present), by peer selection
- Recipient of Maynard K. Hine Medal for service to Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis
- Recipient of Best Article Award, Indiana State Bar Association, 1986
Professional and Community Activities
- Board-certified Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1995 – present
- Member by invitation, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Indiana State Board of Law Examiners, former President, Board member 1982-1997
- Indiana Bar Foundation, Patron Fellow, former member Board of Directors
- Indiana State Bar Association, former member Board of Governors
- Tippecanoe County Bar Association, former President
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Indiana University McKinney School of Law Alumni Association, former President, member Board of Directors
- Tippecanoe County Public Library, former President, member Board of Trustees
- Wabash Center, Inc. (not-for-profit community organizations serving the disabled), former Board member and Chair
- United Way of Greater Lafayette
- Tippecanoe County Public Library Foundation, former President
- Youth Baseball Coach, 1992-2016
Eric H. Burns
Raised in Tippecanoe County, Eric was eager to return home after college and law school to take care of the people in his hometown. Often, Eric helps people by trying cases in court. Other times, he works with clients to put together contracts, businesses or estate plans. Every client is different and Eric takes pride in helping each one succeed.
Areas of Practice
- Wills, Trusts & Estates
- Business Planning
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Civil Trials
- Adoptions
- Local Government Representation
Bar Admissions
- Indiana, 1982
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
Education
- Washington and Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Virginia, J.D. — 1982
- Wabash College, B.A. – English, Biology Minor — 1979
Honors, Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory rating "AV" by peer selection
- Governor’s Voluntary Action Service Award
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Tippecanoe County Bar Association, (Current President)
- Culver Educational Foundation, (Current Trustee)
- Group Homes for Children, (Past President)
- Greater Lafayette Volunteer Bureau, (Past President)
- American Red Cross - Lafayette chapter
- YWCA Foundation
- Tippecanoe County Historical Association, (Past Vice President)
- Culver Summer School Alumni Association, (Past President)
- United Way of Greater Lafayette, (Past Professional Division Chair)
Patrick I. Jones
A Tippecanoe County native, Patrick attended West Lafayette Senior High School, Purdue University, and the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. Patrick serves clients in personal injury cases and in litigation of all types and represents small business and municipal clients. Spending his entire life as an Indiana resident, Patrick has witnessed first-hand the legal issues faced by everyday Hoosiers. He takes great pride in being able to provide legal assistance to members of the same community where he grew up.
Areas of Practice
- General Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Business Representation
- Personal Injury
- Local Government Representation
- Real Property
- Wills, Taxes, and Estates
Education
- Purdue University, B.A. – History, Political Science – 2011
- Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D. (Magna Cum Laude) – 2015
Bar Admissions
- Indiana 2015
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
Honors, Awards
- Indiana Law Review – Associate Editor
- Dean’s List
- Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot – Competitor
- Lloyd Littell Memorial Scholarship Recipient
- Deans Tutorial Society Member
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Indiana State Bar Association, Board of Governors, Member (Current)
- Indiana State Bar Association, Litigation Section Council, Vice-Chair (Current)
- Legal Aid Corporation of Tippecanoe County, Board of Directors, Secretary (Current)
- West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation, Board of Directors, Member (Current)
- Estate Planning Council of Greater Lafayette, Inc., Board of Directors, Secretary (Current)
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, Member (Current)
- Tippecanoe County Bar Association, Member (Current)
- Lynn Treece Boys and Girls Club, Volunteer (Current)
- Boilers FC, Coach (Former)
Michael D. Dean
"Like all people, lawyers look for meaning and purpose in their work. We find it when, 'We smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we take up [others'] burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life.... in a peaceful state.'"
(Quoting John W. Davis)
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Medical Malpractice
- Domestic Relations
- Contract Disputes
- Business Litigation
- Civil Trials and Appeals
- Real Estate Disputes
Bar Admissions
- Indiana Supreme Court 2009
Education
- University of Dayton School of Law, J.D. 2009
- Indiana University, B.S. Business 2006
Honors, Awards
- Rated 10.0 "Superb" and "Top Attorney" by Avvo
- Law Review, University of Dayton School of Law
- Francis J. Conte Writing Award, University of Dayton School of Law
- CALI Award for Academic Achievement (Commercial Transactions Law), University of
Dayton School of law
Publications
- Contributing Author, Baldwin's Ohio Practice Tort Law (2d Ed., West 2011)
- State Legislation and the "Evolving Standards of Decency : Flaws in the Constitutional
Review of Death Penalty Statutes, 35 U. Day. L. Rev. 379 (2010) - How "Necessary" is the Victim in Domestic Violence Litigation?, Criminal Justice, Vol.
28, No. 1 (Spring 2013) - Dealing with Extrinsic Act Evidence^ Crimmal Justice, Vol. 28 No. 2 (Summer 2013);
- Authenticating Social Media in Evidentiary Proceedings, Criminal Justice, Vol. 28 No. 4
(Winter 2014) - The Basics of Litigating a Fourth Amendment Suppression, Vol. 29 No. 2 (Summer 2014)
- Oral Argument Before a Jury: Tips for the New Attorney, Criminal Justice, Vol. 29 No. 4
(Fall 2014) - Questioning Adverse Witnesses Without Opportunity to Prepare, Criminal Justice, Vol.
29 No. 4 (Winter 2015) - Understanding DNA Analysis and Interpretation, Criminal Justice, Vol. 30 No. 1 (Spring
2015); - Preparing to Cross-Examine the Opposing Expert, Criminal Justice, Vol. 31 No. 1
- Developing a Winning Theme, Criminal Justice Section Newsletter (2016)
Professional Associations and Community Activities
- Member of the Indiana State Bar Association
- Member of the Tippecanoe County Bar Association
- Former Member of the Wayne County Bar Association (2011-2015)
- Former Member of the Indianapolis Bar Association (2009-2011)
- Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Committee, Criminal Justice Section, American Bar
Association (2012-2016) - Editorial Board Member, Criminal Justice magazine (2012-2017)
- Board Member, Book Publications Board, Criminal Justice Section, ABA (2013-2017)
- Editorial Board Member, Res Gestae magazine, Indiana State Bar Association (2012-
2015) - Board Member, Richmond Symphony Orchestra, (2012-2017)
- Membership Committee Member, Criminal Justice Section, ABA (2013-2017)
- Co-Chair, Awards Committee, Crimmal Justice Section, ABA
- Advisory Board Member, Achieving an Impartial Jury (grant-funded task force), ABA
(2013) - Speaker, Superior Direct and Cross-Examination, Criminal Justice Section Spring
Meeting, Boca Raton, PL (May 2013) - Moderator, Social Media in Evidence, Discovery, and Post-Release Supervision^ Houston
TX (Feb. 2015) - Council Member, Criminal Justice Section, ABA (2016-2017)
- Speaker, Cross-Exammation 101, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office (approved by
Office of Admissions and Continuing Education for CLE credit) (2020) - Graduate, Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing and Advanced Interrogation
(2020) - Graduate, Top Gun Academy, Covert Drug Investigation School (2015)
- Graduate, Mobile Devices for Prosecutors, National Computer Forensics Institute, United
States Secret Service (2015) - Graduate, Computer Forensics for Prosecutors, National Computer Forensics Institute,
United States Secret Service (2016)
Laura Blaydes
Laura attended the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis in the evening division. While attending law school, Laura continued to work full time as a public-school teacher. She primarily taught high school German, Health, and Physical Education. Laura also spent two years working for the Indiana Department of Education prior to becoming an attorney. Laura serves clients in criminal defense, family law, and in litigation cases. Laura is thrilled to be a part of the community and enjoys helping provide legal assistance to those that need it.
Areas of Practice
- Criminal Defense
- Family Law
- Litigation
Bar Admissions
Indiana 2021
U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
Education
- IUPUI B.A. – German – 2011
- American College of Education – Masters in Curriculum Development – 2017
- Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D. – 2021
History of Withered Burns, LLP - Attorneys in Lafayette, Indiana
Withered Burns, LLP of Lafayette is a law firm focusing on personal injury, business and real estate law, civil trials and appeals, and wills, trusts, and estates. The firm was founded in 1997 and represents individuals and businesses in Lafayette and all surrounding counties, as well as around the State of Indiana. Each of us is committed to the representation of our clients in the best traditions of the legal profession.
We have experience in a wide variety of cases—car accidents, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, eminent domain (where the government takes your property), business litigation, will contests, mediation services, and more. We have tried cases in state and federal courts, both jury trials and bench trials, and have represented many clients in appeals.
We help people in forming their businesses, writing contracts, in business purchases, and in drafting corporate documents. Likewise, employment law is a growing area, and we regularly counsel businesses in this expanding field of law.
The attorneys at Withered Burns, LLP also write wills and trusts, counsel clients on their estate plans, and work with families on trust and estate administration, as well as handling adoptions.
For many years, the attorneys at Withered Burns, LLP have taken a keen interest in the Greater Lafayette community and in service organizations.
We have been involved in the United Way, the American Red Cross, Tippecanoe County Public Library, and its Foundation, Tippecanoe County Historical Association, Group Homes for Children, Wabash Center, Inc. (not-for-profit organization serving the disabled), Lafayette Breakfast Optimist Club, church activities, coaching youth basketball and baseball teams, and volunteering in other community activities and organizations.
More Reasons to Choose Us
