IndyBar Record Spring 2026

MEETING NEEDS, WEEK AFTER WEEK

Chuck Niblick , IndyBar member and Associate at Ice Miller LLP, has found a hands-on way to serve some of Indianapolis’s most vulnerable neighbors. Through his work with Circle City Mutual Aid, Chuck organizes a weekly “survival share” aimed at meeting immediate, everyday needs.

Every Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m., rain or shine, Chuck and fellow volunteers gather at the southeast corner of Meridian and St. Clair to distribute essential items, including bus passes secured through a grant, harm reduction supplies, toilet paper, and survival kits with basic hygiene necessities. The effort is made in collaboration with Food Not Bombs, which provides a warm meal each week. What began as a simple act of service has become a consistent presence in the community, offering both practical support and a sense of dignity to those who need it most. For Chuck, the commitment is straightforward: show up, week after week, and help meet people where they are.

UNEARTHING INDIANAPOLIS

A WALK, A SECOND CHANCE

IndyBar member Ed Fujawa turned a small writing project into a lasting creative outlet focused on local history. In 2018, he began researching Indianapolis history for his wife’s neighborhood newsletter, then expanded that work into a blog, Class900Indy . Over time, the blog developed an audience and led to new opportunities. In 2023, Ed published Vanished Indianapolis , a book exploring historic sites that have disappeared or changed, which earned a Hoosier Author Award for nonfiction in 2024. His work highlights both the city’s past and what might have been, from early decisions about Indianapolis’s location to unrealized plans that could have reshaped entire neighborhoods. For Ed, what began as a hobby has become a meaningful way to explore, share, and preserve the evolving story of Indianapolis outside of his day job.

IndyBar Past President Nissa Ricafort , Broyles Kight and Ricafort PC, found a way to reconnect with the community following the pandemic. That search led her to Hamilton County Humane Society, where she signed up for volunteer training. Since September 2021, Nissa has volunteered two to three times each week, walking shelter dogs.

Much of her time is spent with animals who have been let down by humans and need extra patience and care. Some have been waiting more than a year to find homes. With three rescue dogs of her own, the work felt like a natural fit and a break from the demands of legal practice. “They always brighten my day because they are so grateful for any attention,” she said. What began as a way to give back has become a source of perspective and connection, one walk at a time.

COACHING FOR GROWTH

Since 2004, IndyBar member Eddie Abel of Lewis Wagner & Trimble LLP has brought the same discipline and drive from the practice of law to the rugby field, building a long-standing commitment to coaching and player development. What began as a practical decision avoid a weekly conditioning session during his undergrad at Indiana University quickly evolved into something more meaningful. While working as a high school teacher after graduation, coaching became a natural extension of his role as a mentor. He advanced through the ranks and eventually earned opportunities to coach at the High School All American camp and with the USA U18 Stars and Stripes national team. In 2020, he returned to lead the Midwest Thunderbirds youth program, driven by a desire to increase representation of Midwest athletes on national teams. Since stepping into the head coach role, he has focused not only on developing talent, but also on instilling a mindset of growth and accountability. “Coaching forces you to self-evaluate and evolve if you want to stay successful,” he said. It is a lesson he emphasizes with his players, one that extends far beyond the field.