Ellen M. Townsend

Attorney

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Rated by Super Lawyers


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Email: etownsend@duedoyle.com

Ellen is a strategic partner who provides invaluable representation to brokerages, insurers, businesses, and professionals navigating the intricacies of liability, regulatory, and litigation challenges. With her admission to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States as well as various state and federal courts, Ellen specializes in professional liability defense, real estate disputes, and comprehensive business risk management.

Ellen plays a vital role in advising and defending clients against issues involving the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, the Indiana Secretary of State, the Indiana Real Estate Commission, the Department of Insurance, the Professional Licensing Agency, the Civil Rights Commission, and various other regulatory entities. Acting as outside counsel for businesses and brokerages across the state, she offers practical insights into risk mitigation, compliance, and operational strategies, ensuring clients are well-prepared and minimizing exposure even before challenges arise.

Ellen’s client-centric approach is informed by a deep understanding of how professional liability incidents unfold in real situations. She meticulously assesses matters throughout their lifecycle—from the initial transaction to resolution—recognizing patterns in documentation, communication, and organizational processes that can lead to claims. This comprehensive perspective empowers her not only to mount effective defenses against claims but also to assist clients in establishing preventive measures that mitigate recurring risks.

In addition to her litigation and advisory work, Ellen writes and speaks on emerging issues in professional liability, artificial intelligence, real estate, and business risk, including the impact of data-driven decision-making and evolving regulatory frameworks on traditional liability models. Her recent publications include AI Isn’t a New Legal Risk—It’s Old Liability at Scale, published by The Indiana Lawyer, and Why High-Performing Lawyers Don’t Advance, published by the ABA Journal. Her additional articles in The Indiana Lawyer include Who Is Going to Walk Into Your Office on Monday Morning?, addressing attorney succession and professional responsibilities; The Rivers Are Down. Now the Legal Problems Begin., examining the legal consequences of flooding; and Real Estate Agents Should Embrace Change Under New Rulings (2024). She is also the author of Insurance Discrimination Against Battered Women: Proposed Legislative Protections, 72 Ind. L.J. 259 (1996).

Education:

• DePauw University, B.A., cum laude, 1994
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Walker Cup Recipient, Student Commencement Speaker, 1994
• Indiana University Maurer School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1997
• Articles Editor, Indiana Law Journal
• Runner-up, Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition

Professional Development:

• Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education (Online)
• Certificate in Adaptive Leadership

Honors and Awards:

• Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent
• Indiana Super Lawyers®, 2014-2025, 2027
• Rising Star, Indiana Super Lawyers®, 2009-2011
• President’s Award for Service to the Indianapolis Bar Association, 2009, 2011
• Distinguished Fellow, Indianapolis Bar Foundation

Professional Associations:

• Indiana State Bar Association
• Former Chair, Litigation Section
• Client's Financial Assistance Fund
• Indianapolis Bar Association
• Member, Well-Being Committee
• Former Chair, Women in Law Division
• Former Member, Executive Committee
• Indianapolis Bar Foundation

Publications

• Who Is Going to Walk Into Your Office on Monday Morning?, The Indiana Lawyer, 2026
• The Rivers Are Down. Now the Legal Problems Begin., The Indiana Lawyer, 2026
• Why High-Performing Lawyers Don’t Advance, ABA Journal, 2026
• AI Isn’t a New Legal Risk—It’s Old Liability at Scale, The Indiana Lawyer, 2026
• Real Estate Agents Should Embrace Change Under New Rulings, The Indiana Lawyer, April 24, 2024
• Insurance Discrimination Against Battered Women: Proposed Legislative Protections, 72 Ind. L.J. 259 (1996)

Civic & Community Involvement:

• Town Council Attorney, Town of Williams Creek, 2007-2016

Bar Admissions:

• Indiana, 1997
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
• Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States Supreme Court