Aggressive And Respected Indiana Trial Lawyers

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Ronald Waicukauski

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Practice Areas

  • Civil Rights
  • Business Litigation
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Property Rights Litigation
  • Civil Trials and Appeals
Ronald Waicukauski Recognized By Best Lawyers

Biography

Ron Waicukauski is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on plaintiffs’ complex litigation including matters involving business disputes, property rights, professional malpractice, and class actions. He has tried more than eighty jury cases to verdict as lead counsel in both state and federal courts.  He has been plaintiffs’ lead trial counsel in cases that resulted in class action verdicts of $79 million and $130 million, a civil rights verdict of $31 million, and other multi-million-dollar verdicts in antitrust and legal malpractice cases.

Ron has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America (2006-2023), Indiana Super Lawyers (2004-2023) and with an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Ron has also received the Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law Distinguished Barrister Award.

Ron received his bachelor’s degree with Distinction from Northwestern University, his J.D. degree from Harvard University where he was named Best Oralist in the Ames Moot Court Competition, and an LL.M. degree, with Highest Honors, from George Washington University. Ron has taught trial and appellate advocacy at the Indiana University Schools of Law in Bloomington and Indianapolis, and has served on the faculties of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and the Defense Counsel Trial Academy.

Ron has also served as President of the Indianapolis American Inn of Court, as Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Board of the International Association of Defense Counsel, and as Co-chair of the Training the Advocate Committee, Litigation Section, American Bar Association. He formerly was a JAG and Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and served as the elected Prosecuting Attorney in Monroe County, Indiana.

Ron co-authored The Twelve Secrets of Persuasive Argument (2009 ABA), The Winning Argument (2001 ABA), Classical Rhetoric and the Modern Trial Lawyer, Litigation (Winter 2010); and Ethos and the Art of Argument, Litigation (Fall 1999). Ron also wrote Learning the Craft, Litigation (Spring 1998) and was the editor and a contributing author of Law and Amateur Sports (Ind. Univ. Press 1982). Since 2004, Ron has been a regular speaker to the Indianapolis Law Club on recent developments in Indiana law.

Education

  • George Washington University National Law Center, Washington, District of Columbia
    • LL.M. - Law
    • Honors: summa cum laude
  • Harvard University Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    • J.D.
  • Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
    • B.S.
    • Honors: cum laude
    • Major: Speech

Bar Admissions

  • Indiana, 1973
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1977
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 1977
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Professional Associations

  • Indianapolis American Inn of Court (President, 1997-1999)
  • American Bar Association, Litigation Section (Co-Chair, Training the Advocate Committee, 1996-1999)
  • International Association of Defense Counsel (Chair, CLE Board, 1998-2000)
  • Indiana State Bar Association (Chair, Pre-Suit Mediation Committee, 1994-1997)
  • Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Indianapolis Law Club
  • Indianapolis Downtown Rotary Club

Honors

  • Indiana Super Lawyer
  • Best Lawyers in America
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
  • Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
  • Best Oralist, Ames Moot Court Competition, Harvard Law School
  • Clarion DeWitt Hardy Scholarship Award for Forensic Attainment, Northwestern University

Published Works

  • The Winning Argument, co-author, ABA, 2001
  • Learning The Craft, Litigation Journal, Spring, 1998
  • Ethos and the Art of Argument, co-author, Litigation Journal, Fall, 1999
  • Quality Practice Management: A Manual for Law Firms, co-author, IADC, 1995
  • Law and Amateur Sports, editor, Ind. Univ. Press, 1982
  • Classical Rhetoric and the Modern Trial Lawyer, Litigation

Representative Cases

  • Finnegan v. Myers (2015)—Represented family in civil rights case against DCS personnel, child abuse pediatrician and Indiana State Police officer; jury trial resulted in $31 million verdict for plaintiffs.
  • Barfield v. Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (2018)—Represented a class of Missouri landowners against trespassing electric company; first jury trial resulted in a verdict of $79 million; after reversal by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, retrial resulted in a jury verdict of $130.5 million which was also reversed, followed by $25 million settlement.
  • Gumwood v. Simon Property Group (2018)—Represented shopping center developer in antitrust suit; jury trial resulted in verdict for plaintiff which was followed by confidential settlement.
  • Wine and Canvas v. Muylle (2015)—Represented defendant Muylle in suit for trademark infringement; jury trial resulted in verdict for Muylle on Wine & Canvas’ trademark claims and in favor of Muylle on counterclaim for abuse of process; as a result of verdict, Muylle now owns Wine & Canvas.
  • Ping v Ramey (2021)—Represented plaintiff in suit against ex-husband and his girlfriend on claim for false reporting to DCS; jury trial resulted in verdict totaling $201,500; affirmed on appeal.
  • Hayes Lemmerz Intern., Inc. v. Law Firm (2011)—Represented plaintiff in legal malpractice case, resulting in judgment for substantial damages following bench trial; matter settled on appeal for confidential amount.
  • Lite Machines v. Clary (2006)—Represented small business in legal malpractice case; jury trial resulted in $3.6 million verdict for plaintiff; affirmed on appeal.

Classes & Seminars

  • Class Actions: New Rules, New Decisions and Their Implications for Indiana Lawyers, Bench Bar Conference of the Indianapolis Bar Association, 2004 to 2004
  • Updates on Indiana Law, Indianapolis Law Club, 2004 to 2007
  • Trying the Catastrophic Injury Case (Seminar Chair), ICLEF, 2003 to 2003
  • Battle of the Titans: Daubert Hearing, DTCI, 2000 to 2000
  • The Art of Argument, ABA, 1998 to 1998
  • Trial Advocacy, I.U. School of Law - Indianapolis (Adjunct Faculty), 1987 to 1990
  • Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, NITA, 1986 to 1989

Past Positions

  • U.S. Marine Corps, Captain and Judge Advocate, 1973 to 1977
  • Barnes & Thornburg, Associate, 1977 to 1979
  • Indiana University, Assistant Professor of Law, 1979 to 1982
  • Monroe County, Indiana, Prosecuting Attorney, 1983 to 1986

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.