Gary P. Goodin has been practicing in the area of labor and employment defense since 1990. Gary has assisted employers with all aspects of the employment relationship from reviewing and drafting employee handbooks, to defending employers in nearly all administrative and judicial forums. Gary has authored numerous articles and spoken to management groups on a wide variety of employment related topics including, but not limited to, federal and state hiring/firing issues, workplace discrimination issues, wage and hour issues, employment litigation strategies and issues, The Americans with Disabilities Act, The Rehabilitation Act, The Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Employer’s Responsibilities under the National Labor Relations Act, medical records in the employment setting, privacy in employment, employee discipline and discharge, The Family Medical Leave Act, compiling and drafting employment handbooks, the legal aspects of hiring, firing and discipline, infectious waste in the employment context, guidelines for drug testing, what every manager should know about employment law, Indiana Worker’s Compensation, The Civil Rights Act of 1991, sexual harassment, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Older Worker’s Benefit Protection Act, Defamation, The Employment Relationship, Veteran/Military Personnel Employment Rights & Access to Medical Records. Gary has represented both small employers and large employers with thousands of employees. He is one of the founding directors of the firm, providing extensive expertise in the employment law area.

Gary graduated from Indiana University School of Public & Environmental Affairs in Bloomington, Indiana with a B.S. Degree in Public Affairs in 1985, a Master of Public Affairs in 1987, and Indiana University School of Law in 1989. Gary is active in local politics, is married and has four children.

Donald G. Orzeske has been actively engaged in the areas of insurance defense and civil litigation since 1984. He served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Stanley Miller on the Indiana Court of Appeals. Since beginning private practice, he has focused his career almost exclusively on civil litigation. He is one of the premier litigators and insurance defense attorneys in the State of Indiana, having handled over 1,500 civil actions with over 60 cases taken to jury trial resolution.

A native of Illinois, Don graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Law, in Carbondale, Illinois in 1984. He served as research editor on the Southern Illinois University Law Journal in 1983 and 1984, and was a member of the National Moot Court Team during those same years. His publications include: Comparative Fault and Strict Products Liability – What Happens to the Product User’s Failure to Discover or Inspect for Product Defects?, Journal of Products Liability, Vol. 8, pp. 283-300 (1985); Casenotes – Constitutional Law – Municipal Ordinances. Village of Hoffman Estates v. Flipside, Hoffman Estates, Inc., 102 S.Ct. 1986 (1982), Southern Illinois University Law Journal, Vol. 1982/No.3. Don is married and has three children.

Jennifer L. Blackwell has been practicing since 1996 in the areas of general civil litigation, toxic tort litigation, and insurance defense litigation. She began her legal career with the firm in 1996 and has developed her litigation practice during this time period. She was named partner to the firm in January of 2000, and continues to expand her litigation practice. In her career to date, Jennifer has handled over 700 civil actions, has tried numerous cases to both bench and jury resolution, and has orally argued defense position in a wide variety of forums including the Indiana Court of Appeals.

A native of Liberty, Indiana, Jennifer attended Ball State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in 1993. She graduated Cum Laude from Indiana University School of Law in 1996. Jennifer and her husband reside on the northeast side of Indianapolis.

Andrew S. Peacock began his career in 1991 as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of Indiana. He represented the State in a variety of administrative litigation and disciplinary hearings concerning licensed health care professionals. He also represented the State in judicial reviews of determinations made by the various Health Care Licensing Boards. He joined Goodin, Orzeske & Blackwell in 1997 focusing on worker’s compensation defense and general civil litigation.

Andy graduated in 1987 with a Bachelors Degree from the University of Notre Dame. He attended Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis and received his law degree in 1991. Andy is married and has two children.

John D. Meyer was named as one of the Top 100 Labor Attorneys in the U.S. for 2006 by the Labor Relations Institute.  John has extensive experience representing management in unfair labor practice cases before the National Labor Relations Board.  He has also represented management in labor arbitration cases dealing with a variety of collective bargaining issues, including discipline, bonuses, lay offs, and arbitrability.  John has represented management as a lead negotiator in collective bargaining negotiations against major unions, including the Teamsters, UAW, Operating Engineers, Sheet Metal Workers, HERE, IBEW, and the Plumbers.  He also has experience with union avoidance and NLRB elections.  John joined the firm in 2006, focusing his practice on labor and employment law and worker’s compensation defense.

John received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University, where he was a member of the golf team.  John received his law degree in 1995 from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.  John, his wife, and four children live in Carmel, Indiana.

Shena T. Wheeler has worked for the Johnson County Board of Commissioners and for Marion County Circuit Court Judge Louis Rosenberg and Marion County Superior 6 Judge Thomas Carroll.  She also has experience working for the Marion County Public Defender Agency.  Shena joined Goodin Orzeske & Blackwell in 2011, and is working in litigation and business law.

Shena grew up in Michigan, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in English.  She attended Indiana University School of Law – Indianapolis, where she served as Executive Production Editor of the Indiana Health Law Review, participated in the Robert H. Staton Intramural Moot Court Competition, and co-chaired Women’s Caucus.  Shena graduated from law school and was Bar Certified in 2010, and she currently resides with her husband on the southeast side of Indianapolis.