James L. Whitlatch

Jim is a partner committed to helping individuals and organizations in health care law, employment and labor law, business entities and civil litigation. He practices in all facets of health law and employment law, handling medical malpractice defense, hospital and health care law, planning (HIPAA, STARK, EMTALA), fraud and abuse, contracts, joint ventures, tax exemption, peer review and physician and hospital practices. Jim works to protect the rights of employers and has represented them before the EEOC, Indiana Civil Rights Commission and Bloomington Human Rights Commission as well as in state and federal court.  He has also represented employers in labor relation, union and strike related issues.  Jim has aided many entrepreneurs in achieving their dream through his assistance in the formation, counseling and planning of business entities such as corporations, LLCs, partnerships and not-for-profit organizations.  He has tried cases in state and federal court and has argued before the Indiana Court of Appeals, the Indiana Supreme Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of appeals.

Jim has been an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University since 1989, teaching “Legal Aspects of Health Care.”  He has also served as the Chair of the ISBA Health Law section and as a member of the American Health Lawyers Association.  He has been a speaker and author for continuing education seminars for lawyers and other professionals on a variety of topics and has contributed to articles in publications for the health care field.

Jim is committed to B&R’s mission of serving the local community and serves or has served on the Board of Directors of Old National Bank, the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair), the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, Inc. (Past Chair), the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation and the Monroe County United Ministries (Past President).

Jim has been selected a Super Lawyer on an annual basis in the area of Health Law since the inception of this recognition in Indiana and has been selected as among the best trial and appellate lawyers as a Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America. Additionally, Jim has been rated by his legal peers through the legal publication Martindale-Hubbell as an “AV Preeminent® 5.0-5.0 ” rated lawyer for over 10 years, which is a testament to the fact that Jim’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.

Memberships

  • Monroe County Bar Association
  • Indiana State Bar Association
    • Chair of the General Practice Session, 1989-90
    • Chair of the Health Law Section, 2003-2004
  • American Bar Association
  • American Health Lawyers Association
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation

Education

    • DePauw University, B.S., 1980, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
    • Indiana University School of Law, J.D., 1984, Administrative Editor, Indiana Law Journal

Bar Admissions

    • Indiana, 1984
    • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1984