Type: News
Date: 08/18/2016

Schwer Named Partner-In-Charge of Taft’s Indianapolis Office

Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is pleased to announce that Bradley W. Schwer has been named partner-in-charge of Taft’s Indianapolis office, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Schwer will succeed Robert J. Hicks, who has held this role since the Sommer Barnard merger with Taft in 2008. Taft is the fourth largest law firm in Indianapolis, with more than 100 attorneys and over 400 attorneys firm-wide. Taft Indianapolis is one of the firm’s two largest offices, is approximately equal in size to Taft’s Cincinnati office and is closely followed in size by its Chicago office.

Hicks will be vacating the Indianapolis partner-in-charge role because in March he was elected as the next firm-wide managing partner, also effective Jan. 1, 2017. Hicks will succeed Thomas Terp following Terp’s completion of a successful 10-year run as managing partner at the end of this year, during which time Taft doubled in size and added, through mergers, its Indianapolis and Chicago offices.

Taft has adopted an extensive succession planning and leadership vetting process throughout the firm. As part of that process, Schwer was selected following Taft’s executive committee’s receipt of input from all partners in Taft’s Indianapolis office. Based on feedback received and other factors, including Schwer’s outstanding leadership experience in the firm, Taft’s executive committee named Schwer to this important leadership role. Schwer will be 42 as of Jan. 1, making him the youngest partner-in-charge to lead Taft’s Indianapolis office.

“Brad is an outstanding leader, person, and corporate and mergers and acquisitions lawyer. He has tremendous people skills, and extensive business community contacts, and is perfectly suited for this role. We have adopted a servant leadership approach at Taft on a firm-wide basis, where our management team leads by example through hard work for clients, the community and the firm. Brad epitomizes that concept by working tirelessly for clients, the firm, the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and various charitable organizations. He will continue all of those activities at the same, or even an enhanced, level in his role as partner-in-charge of our Indianapolis office.”

As the new partner-in-charge, Schwer will concentrate on continuing the success of the Indianapolis office, while looking to the future. Key priorities will include pursuing future growth opportunities, providing innovative legal and business solutions to Taft’s clients, attracting top talent and improving and building upon the firm’s culture of diversity, inclusion and work-life balance.

“For the last 15 years, Bob has been a tremendous mentor and friend. Under his leadership, Taft’s Indianapolis office has achieved outstanding success, which we intend to improve upon and grow by continuing to innovate, providing outstanding client service and always focusing on our clients’ needs first.” commented Schwer.

Schwer is a partner in the firm’s Business & Finance group and is currently chair of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions group. He focuses his practice on complex transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and intellectual property licensing, as well as business advisory services and general corporate counseling for private equity funds, family offices and companies. He is a graduate of Indiana University McKinney School of Law, Indiana University Kelley School of Business and Ball State University. Schwer is a past president of the board of directors for the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Alumni Association and a past board member of Ovar’coming Together, Inc. and the Community Development Law Center. Schwer is recognized by Law & Politics magazine as an Indiana Super Lawyer and was recognized as an Indiana Rising Star from 2009-2014. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in America® 2017 for corporate law and mergers and acquisitions law and by Chambers USA 2016 for Corporate/M&A.

During Hicks’ tenure as Taft’s Indianapolis partner-in-charge, the firm has become the fourth largest firm in Indiana, has expanded its footprint in the Midwest, has substantially broadened its services and has added key laterals and practice areas, such as intellectual property and municipal finance. Under his leadership, the firm has continued its commitment to the Indianapolis community by, among other things, partnering with Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 and the United Way of Central Indiana to create an innovative, first-of-its-kind, after-school program that is designed to help improve academic achievement and provide cultural, social and academic enrichment for the students. Since 2011, Taft and its employees have contributed nearly $1,000,000 in cash and pledges, plus significant hours of volunteer time, to the school. These amounts have been more than doubled through matches and grants from the United Way, resulting in over $2,000,000 of total support.

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