Indiana law partnership closes after 100 years
After nearly 100 years in business, an Indiana law firm closed its doors last month after a partner exodus.
It began in December, when three partners left Campbell Kyle Proffitt to form Cate Terry & Gookins.
“That shook the ground for us, but we were still going to survive,” former Campbell Kyle senior partner Andrew Barker told the Indianapolis Business Journal.
But then several more attorneys decided in March that they wanted to exit, too. That left the firm with a dozen lawyers, compared to as many as 17 in recent years.
“Too many people decided they wanted to leave,” Barker said. “There weren’t enough people here.”
Now practicing at Barker Hancock & Cohron (two former CKP colleagues are the other name partners), Barker said leaving Campbell Kyle was like going through a divorce, the article reports. He started his legal career there in 1988 and had expected to finish it there as well.
“I love my new law firm, but I miss Campbell Kyle Proffitt,” he said.
Other law firms formed by ex-colleagues include Altman Poindexter & Wyatt and apparent solo practices established by Casandra Nelson, Rodney Sarkovics and N. Scott Smith.
Two other CKP lawyers joined Cohen Garelick & Glazier.
Former senior partner Anne Hensley Poindexter, who along with Barker made the decision to close the CKP firm, said having individual name recognition in the community and a book of business helped those who chose to establish new firms.
“I think for the overwhelming majority of our lawyers, I believe that clients chose to follow their particular lawyer to the next location,” she told the business publication.
