Trusted Advocate in High-Stakes Civil and Business Litigation

Ron Waicukauski is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on plaintiffs’ complex litigation, including matters involving business disputes, civil rights, property rights, professional malpractice, and DCS allegations of child abuse and neglect. He has tried more than eighty jury cases to verdict as lead counsel in both state and federal courts. He has been plaintiffs’ lead trial counsel in cases that resulted in class action verdicts of $79 million and $130 million, a civil rights verdict of $31 million, and other multi-million-dollar verdicts in antitrust and legal malpractice cases.

Ron has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America (2006–2025), Indiana Super Lawyers (2004–2025) and with an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Ron has also received the Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law Distinguished Barrister Award.

Ron received his bachelor’s degree with distinction from Northwestern University, his J.D. degree from Harvard University where he was named Best Oralist in the Ames Moot Court Competition, and an LL.M. degree, with highest honors, from George Washington University. Ron has taught trial and appellate advocacy at the Indiana University Schools of Law in Bloomington and Indianapolis and has served on the faculties of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and the Defense Counsel Trial Academy.

Ron has also served as President of the Indianapolis American Inn of Court, as Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Board of the International Association of Defense Counsel, and as Co-chair of the Training the Advocate Committee, Litigation Section, American Bar Association. He formerly was a JAG and Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and served as the elected Prosecuting Attorney in Monroe County, Indiana.

Ron co-authored The Twelve Secrets of Persuasive Argument (2009 ABA), The Winning Argument (2001 ABA), Classical Rhetoric and the Modern Trial Lawyer, Litigation (Winter 2010); and Ethos and the Art of Argument, Litigation (Fall 1999). Ron also wrote Learning the Craft, Litigation (Spring 1998) and was the editor and a contributing author of Law and Amateur Sports (Ind. Univ. Press 1982). Since 2004, Ron has been a regular speaker to the Indianapolis Law Club on recent developments in Indiana law.

Published Works

• The Winning Argument, co-author, ABA, 2001

• “Learning The Craft”, Litigation Journal, Spring, 1998

• “Ethos and the Art of Argument”, co-author, Litigation Journal, Fall, 1999

• Quality Practice Management: A Manual for Law Firms,
  co-author, IADC, 1995

• Law and Amateur Sports, editor, Ind. Univ. Press, 1982

• “Classical Rhetoric and the Modern Trial Lawyer”, co-author, Litigation Journal, Winter 2010

Representative Cases

• Lite Machines v. Clary (2006)
  Represented small business in legal malpractice case; jury trial resulted in $3.6 million verdict for plaintiff; affirmed on appeal.

• Hayes Lemmerz Intern., Inc. v. Law Firm (2011)
  Represented plaintiff in legal malpractice case, resulting in judgment for substantial damages following bench trial; matter settled on appeal for confidential amount.

• Finnegan v. Myers (2015)
  Represented family in civil rights case against DCS personnel, child abuse pediatrician and Indiana State Police officer; jury trial resulted in $31 million verdict for plaintiffs.

• Wine and Canvas v. Muylle (2015)
  Represented defendant Muylle in suit for trademark infringement; jury trial resulted in verdict for Muylle on Wine & Canvas’ trademark claims and in favor of Muylle on counterclaim for abuse of process; as a result of verdict, Muylle now owns Wine & Canvas.

• Barfield v. Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (2018)
  Represented a class of Missouri landowners against trespassing electric company; first jury trial resulted in a verdict of $79 million; after reversal by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, retrial resulted in a jury verdict of $130.5 million which was also reversed, followed by $25 million settlement.

• Gumwood v. Simon Property Group (2018)
  Represented shopping center developer in antitrust suit; jury trial resulted in verdict for plaintiff which was followed by confidential settlement.

• Ping v. Ramey (2021)
  Represented plaintiff in suit against ex-husband and his girlfriend on claim for false reporting to DCS; jury trial resulted in verdict totaling $201,500; affirmed on appeal.

• DCS Administrative Appeal (2022)
  Represented Dr. Erika Mabes on appeal of substantiation of child abuse and neglect, resulting in unsubstantiation and Dr. Mabes returning to practice of medicine. 

• In Re: The Matter of A.Y. (2024)
  Represented parents in CHINS factfinding trial involving allegation of Medical Child Abuse, resulting in denial of CHINS petition and return of child to her family.

Classes & Seminars

• Class Actions: New Rules, New Decisions and Their Implications for Indiana Lawyers, Bench Bar Conference of the Indianapolis Bar Association, 2004 

• Updates on Indiana Law, Indianapolis Law Club, 2004–2025

• Trying the Catastrophic Injury Case (Seminar Chair), ICLEF, 2003 

• Battle of the Titans: Daubert Hearing, DTCI, 2000 

• The Art of Argument, ABA, 1998 

• Trial Advocacy, I.U. School of Law – Indianapolis (Adjunct Faculty), 1987–1990

• Trial Advocacy Skills Workshop, NITA, 1986–1989

Past Positions

• U.S. Marine Corps, Captain and Judge Advocate, 1973–1977

• Barnes & Thornburg, Associate, 1977–1979

• Indiana University, Assistant Professor of Law, 1979–1982

• Monroe County, Indiana, Prosecuting Attorney, 1983–1986