People

Julia Blackwell Gelinas

Member

A member of Frost Brown Todd, Ms. Julia Blackwell Gelinas chairs the Firm's Appellate Practice Group and is the former chair of the Locke Reynolds Appellate Practice Group. She continues to practice in appellate, construction, fidelity and surety, and other commercial matters. She also represents lawyers before the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission. Ms. Gelinas served as chair of the management committee of the former Locke Reynolds law firm from 2000 to 2005, one of very few women to hold that title in Indianapolis. A well-respected national leader in the profession, she is a frequently requested speaker.

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association
Torts and Insurance Practice Section
     Fidelity and Surety Committee, Vice-Chair, 1990-1995 and 1997-2002
     Professional Issues Committee

Forum on the Construction Industry Committee
Council of Appellate Lawyers

Indianapolis American Inns of Court
Founding Member, Master of the Bench

Indianapolis and Indiana State Bar Associations

Seventh Circuit Bar Association
Committee on Membership & Programs, Indiana Chair

Indiana State Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission
Former Chair, 1999-2001
Executive Committee Member, 1991-2001

Surety Claims Institute

The Lawyers Club

Fidelity Law Association

IU School of Law - Indianapolis
Board of Directors, President 1992-1994

Awards / Honors

The Best Lawyers in America®, 2007-2011

Selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers® and the Top 25 Female Super Lawyers, 2004-2010

“Women to Watch,” Indianapolis Business Journal and Indiana Lawyer, 2000

Chambers USA®

Indianapolis Bar Foundation, Distinguished Fellow

Resources


Press Releases

145 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers® 2011 Edition

August 20, 2010

18 Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Recognized by Indiana Super Lawyers® and 7 Recognized by Indiana Rising Stars® for 2010

February 17, 2010

Frost Brown Todd Attorneys Receive Recognition in 2010 Super Lawyers® Corporate Counsel Edition

January 12, 2010

Presentations

"Legal Ethics Issues in Federal Construction Contracting"
Forum on the Construction Industry, American Bar Association
2010 Midwinter Meeting, San Francisco, January 28, 2010

Ethics and Family Law
ICLEF, November 21, 2008

Ethics Presentation
IBA Business Section Ethics and Transactions, November 14, 2007

Appellate Presentation
IBA, March 4, 2007

“Indiana Ethics: The Top 5”
ICLEF, 2007

Appellate Skills Institute
November 2006

“Ethics in Transactions”
Indianapolis Bar
Association, 2006

“Criminal and Civil Appellate Practice”
Lorman Education Services, 2006

Advanced Ethics
ICLEF, May 2006

“Outreach Back to Basics: Contract Surety Bond Claims”
Tort Trial and Insurance Practice, American Bar Association, 2004

“Human Resources"
Women in Law Conference, 2002

“How do you Define a Final Judgment in Federal Appeals? When is Enough Enough?”
Advanced Federal Practice, 2002

Publications

"Defenses Available to the Surety"
The Law of Performance Bonds (2d Ed.), American Bar Association, 2009

“Commercial Surety Indemnity Agreement Issues”
Commercial Surety, Chapter 10, Co-Author, American Bar Association, 2007

Payment Bond Manual
Indiana Chapter, 2006

“Defenses Available to the Surety”
The Law of Suretyship (2d Ed.), American Bar Association, 2000

“Annotated Banker’s Blanket Bond”
American Bar Association

“Financial Institutions Bond – Annotated”
American Bar Association

Civic and Charitable Organizations

Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis Alumni Association
Past President, 1992-1994

St. Elizabeth’s Home
Board Member, 1990-1995

Cathedral Arts Midsummer Festival

Indianapolis

Practice Areas
Education
  • Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN
    B.A., 1975
    cum laude

    Indiana University School of Law
    J.D., 1978
    cum laude

Firm Committees

Appellate Practice Group Chair
Strategic Planning Committee Member
Compensation Committee Member