2024 Lifetime Achievement Honoree
Mark C. Ladendorf
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Like many Past Presidents of the ITLA, Mark’s entire legal career has been devoted to representing victims of negligence, wrongful death and medical malpractice. He served as President for the term of 2013-14 moving the organization forward in the many activities of service to our members and clients. Representing everyone from the homeless to the Dean of the law school, Mark has championed the battle against the
insurance industry in his trial and appellate work participating in oral argument before the US Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, Indiana Supreme Court and multiple occasions in the Indiana Court of Appeals. Mark graduated magna cum laude from the IU McKinney School of Law in 1980. Mark’s greatest accomplishment was raising his severely disabled son Luke for 34 years who was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy soon after birth. This totally disabling disease deprived Luke of the ability to walk or talk throughout his lifetime. “The honor of the Lifetime Achievement Award cannot be accepted without memorializing my son Luke for the courage he demonstrated throughout his lifetime. Luke made us all better people”. |
Luke’s life was enabled and blessed by his older brother, Lance and his little sister, Hannah who spent countless hours entertaining each other and contributing to the family life. Lance and Hannah are both accomplished professionals with families of their own. Mark is proud of his children and relishes his role as a grandfather.
Mark was also active in the Big Brothers program starting in 1984 where he was teamed with James Pfieffer at age nine when the lifelong friendship began. Jamie went on to become a successful attorney at Earnst and Young in Indianapolis. They still enjoy
steelhead fishing in the rivers of Michigan.
Mark is humbled and honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and thanks all the members, staff and family for the work involved in this program.
Mark was also active in the Big Brothers program starting in 1984 where he was teamed with James Pfieffer at age nine when the lifelong friendship began. Jamie went on to become a successful attorney at Earnst and Young in Indianapolis. They still enjoy
steelhead fishing in the rivers of Michigan.
Mark is humbled and honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and thanks all the members, staff and family for the work involved in this program.
“For an attorney who has devoted a lifetime of distinguished service to the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and in recognition of exceptional dedication to the preservation of the rights of the injured”
Mark was nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award by Jim McDonald, Betsy Greene, Tom Hamer, Steve Langer, Frank Julian, Fred Schultz, Dan Pfeifer, and Dan Ladendorf.
The text of their nomination is below.
We undertake this nomination of Mark C. Ladendorf for the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his distinguished service to the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and his exceptional dedication to the rights of the injured spanning a legal career of five decades since his Bar Admission in 1980.
Throughout his career, and in the mold of our past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Mark has been a stalwart supporter of ITLA and, in various capacities and through his actions, dedicated to its mission of protecting the institution of civil justice, including as a:
In addition to his formal engagement in the leadership of ITLA over the course of 34 years on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, Mark has recognized that the only rights we have are the rights our representatives allow, inspiring him to share generously with LAW-PAC of INDIANA through his annual contributions and his donations to individual candidates favorable to the cause of civil justice. Mark also has welcomed participation in near-annual LAW-PAC fundraising campaigns to supplement the LAW-PAC coffers and further the ITLA legislative agenda to protect the rights of Hoosiers against the tyranny and greed of the insurance industrial complex.
Mark has supported the cause of the ITLA Governmental Affairs program through attendance at various appellate hearings in which ITLA Amicus Counsel participated in oral arguments on an issue of importance to our clients and through his participation in discussions of legislative matters, including on ITLA Lobby Day and attendance at various legislative committee hearings on critical legislation. In addition, Mark encouraged the engagement of his associates at Ladendorf Law and supported their work as Amicus Counsel, Legislative Chair, and as members of the Board.
Through his aggressive advocacy in both trial and appellate courts, we all have been the beneficiaries of Mark’s dogged determination to find justice through strategic use of the Seventh Amendment constitutional right to trial by jury, which – even if protected – is otherwise meaningless if not exercised.
Ever since his high school stage debut as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Mark found his voice, his
passion, and success in pursuing his lifelong mission of being a trial lawyer for clients he considers family. Mark has spent his entire legal career with one focus: Representing the injured victims of wrongdoing and holding wrongdoers and their insurance companies accountable for the harms and losses they cause.
Join us in recognizing Mark who has spent his entire professional career standing up and working hard for his clients, protecting the legal rights of all Hoosiers through his advocacy, and generously engaged through his time and treasure for the success of ITLA. It is a lifetime of achievement worthy of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Respectfully submitted:
Jim McDonald
Betsy Greene
Steve Langer
Frank Julian
Tom Hamer
Fred Schultz
Dan Pfeifer
Dan Ladendorf
Throughout his career, and in the mold of our past Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, Mark has been a stalwart supporter of ITLA and, in various capacities and through his actions, dedicated to its mission of protecting the institution of civil justice, including as a:
- Member, and now Emeritus Member, of the ITLA Board of Directors, since 1990;
- Member and Officer of the ITLA Executive Committee over a period of ten years, from 2005 through 2015, including his term as President in 2013-2014;
- Member of the ITLA CLE Faculty, presenting a recurring program for paralegals and support staff;
- Member of the ITLA College of Fellows; and,
- Sustaining Member of ITLA.
In addition to his formal engagement in the leadership of ITLA over the course of 34 years on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, Mark has recognized that the only rights we have are the rights our representatives allow, inspiring him to share generously with LAW-PAC of INDIANA through his annual contributions and his donations to individual candidates favorable to the cause of civil justice. Mark also has welcomed participation in near-annual LAW-PAC fundraising campaigns to supplement the LAW-PAC coffers and further the ITLA legislative agenda to protect the rights of Hoosiers against the tyranny and greed of the insurance industrial complex.
Mark has supported the cause of the ITLA Governmental Affairs program through attendance at various appellate hearings in which ITLA Amicus Counsel participated in oral arguments on an issue of importance to our clients and through his participation in discussions of legislative matters, including on ITLA Lobby Day and attendance at various legislative committee hearings on critical legislation. In addition, Mark encouraged the engagement of his associates at Ladendorf Law and supported their work as Amicus Counsel, Legislative Chair, and as members of the Board.
Through his aggressive advocacy in both trial and appellate courts, we all have been the beneficiaries of Mark’s dogged determination to find justice through strategic use of the Seventh Amendment constitutional right to trial by jury, which – even if protected – is otherwise meaningless if not exercised.
Ever since his high school stage debut as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, Mark found his voice, his
passion, and success in pursuing his lifelong mission of being a trial lawyer for clients he considers family. Mark has spent his entire legal career with one focus: Representing the injured victims of wrongdoing and holding wrongdoers and their insurance companies accountable for the harms and losses they cause.
Join us in recognizing Mark who has spent his entire professional career standing up and working hard for his clients, protecting the legal rights of all Hoosiers through his advocacy, and generously engaged through his time and treasure for the success of ITLA. It is a lifetime of achievement worthy of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Respectfully submitted:
Jim McDonald
Betsy Greene
Steve Langer
Frank Julian
Tom Hamer
Fred Schultz
Dan Pfeifer
Dan Ladendorf