Business:
363 South Lake Street
Gary, IN 46403
(219) 938-0800
Email: rwyatt@meyerwyattpc.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

April 2000 - present

Practice includes a combination of private and public clients with emphasis on
developing real estate and business transactions for small businesses and entrepreneurs; contract actions and appellate litigation;

Representation of the City of Gary in its union negotiations;

Provision of legal advice to Mayor Scott L. King on various matters;

Representation of the City of Gary in unsafe buildings proceedings up to and including demolition; File actions for recovery of demolition expenses and foreclosure on property when necessary;

Attorney for the Genesis Center Board of Managers since 1998, providing representation and consultation regarding all legal issues including the Open Door Law, public entity purchasing statutes and the public works contracting statute.

CITY ATTORNEY, GARY, INDIANA
January 1996 - April 2000

Litigation Responsibilities

Responsible for a majority of the City's state and federal jury trials and appeals, including:

All of the City's federal appellate court cases (personally briefed and argued three cases before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals);

Significant civil rights actions against the City;

All personal injury cases in which the City had a high risk for potential loss;

All FLSA actions against the City challenging its overtime compensation of fire and EMS personnel;

Numerous complex public-works contract cases; and

All complaints filed on behalf of the City to enforce the City's ordinances.

Management and Advisory Responsibilities

Managed day-to-day operations of the law department for the City of Gary, population 116,000; supervised law department staff; coordinated with outside counsel;

Provided legal advice to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and City departments, boards and agencies;

Advised and negotiated on behalf of the City during contract talks with the various unions and bargaining units for City employees; and

Drafted ordinances and resolutions for submission to the Common Council.

FIRST ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, GARY, INDIANA
November 1993 - December 1995

Handled a diverse case load, including:

Defense of civil rights claims;

Defense of personal injury actions;

Representation of the Police or Fire Chief's case in disciplinary hearings before police and fire commissions; and

Working with administrative agencies at the federal, state and local levels (State Board of Accounts, DOL, OSHA, EEOC, and the local Human Rights Commission).

ASSOCIATE, RUMAN, CLEMENTS, TOBIN & HOLUB, HAMMOND, INDIANA
December 1992 - June 1993

Worked with senior attorneys on a variety of cases, gaining litigation experience such as research and writing, interviewing clients, filing actions, and hiring expert witnesses.

EDUCATION

Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana
1987 - 1992
J.D., cum laude 1992
GPA 3.1/4.0 Class Rank 18/128

During my first semester of law school I earned the honor paper in each of my three classes. In January 1988, I was seriously injured in an automobile accident and had to stay out of school for extensive physical rehabilitation. I returned to school the next fall and continued to do well, although my studies were necessarily part-time. By fall 1991, I was on a full-time basis again and was awarded semester honors for my work.

Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois
1975 - 1979
B.A. with Honors
GPA 3.3/4.0

BAR CERTIFICATIONS

Indiana State Bar; Illinois State Bar; U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit; U.S. District Court of Indiana, Northern District; U.S. District Court of Indiana, Southern District.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Indiana Bar Association; Lake County Bar Association; Women Lawyers Association
Calumet Inns of Court; Kimbrough Bar Association

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