Practice Areas: Appellate, Civil rights, Family law; view more
Licensed in Indiana since: 2010
Education: Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Languages Spoken: English, French
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2023 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2014 - 2020 Details
Attorney Andrea L. Ciobanu is the founder and managing attorney of Ciobanu Law PC in Indianapolis, Indiana. Nationally recognized as among the preeminent lawyers in the country, Ms. Ciobanu provides unmatched counsel and support to clients across the greater Indianapolis metro and surrounding areas who have legal needs involving any of the following:
· Adoption
· Family law, divorce and domestic relations
· Personal injury and medical malpractice
· Civil rights, education law and ADA compliance
· Mediation
· Appeals and post-judgment procedures
Among her legal credentials, Ms. Ciobanu is registered as a domestic, civil and elder mediator, and she also serves as family law arbitrator and parenting coordinator as well as guardian ad litem. She is well-versed in collaborative law, and she strives to help her clients resolve their conflicts and obtain the favorable outcomes they seek for their complex and pressing legal challenges as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
Honored for her outstanding professionalism and service, Ms. Ciobanu has earned an AV-Preeminent peer review rating* from Martindale-Hubbell along with many other top rankings and endorsements from her peers. She has also received numerous awards, including the 2013 Early Career Achievement Award from Indiana University's Robert H. McKinney School of Law as well as the 2018 Robert H. McKinney Pro Bono Award, 2011 Women of the Year Award and the 2009 Pro Bono Service Award from the Indianapolis Bar Association, among others.
Noted for her unwavering commitment to those she serves, Ms. Ciobanu has also received Superb, 10 out of 10 client ratings on Avvo, and she has received numerous testimonials and referrals from her satisfied clients.
A 2006 summa cum laude graduate of Indiana University, Ms. Ciobanu returned to her alma mater and obtained her Juris Doctor from Indiana University's Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2010. She is also a 2012 graduate of the Indiana State Bar Association's Leadership Development Academy and a 2014 graduate of the Indiana Trial Advocacy Skills College. She also completed Public Policy Mediation Training in 2009. She also is a 2015 graduate of the prestigious Stanley K. Lacey Leadership Series as well as a 2020 graduate of the IndyBar Bar Leader Series.
Ms. Ciobanu is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She also holds her admission to practice before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Appellate, Civil rights, Family law, Alternative dispute resolution, Civil litigation: plaintiff, Criminal defense: white collarFocus areas
Appeals, Americans with disabilities act, Race discrimination, Discrimination, Adoption, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic violence, Marital property, Mediation & collaborative law, Father's rights, Mediation, White collar crime
- 20% Appellate
- 30% Civil rights
- 20% Family law
- 10% Alternative dispute resolution
- 10% Civil litigation: plaintiff
- 10% Criminal defense: white collar
First Admitted: 2010, Indiana
Professional Webpage: https://www.ciobanulaw.com/attorneys/andrea-ciobanu
Educational Background:
- IU McKinney School of Law, Roisman Scholar, Equal Justice Works Scholar, 2010
- Indiana University, Bachelors of Liberal Arts in Sociology and History, With Highest Distinction, 2004
- Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA), Masters of Public Affairs Concentrating, With Highest Distinction, 2006
Videos:
- Pass the Torch for Women Foundation, Professional Women's Organization, 2013
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Stanley K. Lacey Leader Series Graduate , 2015
- IndyBar Bar Leader Series Graduate, 2020
- Indianapolis American Inn of Court
- United States Supreme Court
- Marion County Bar Association
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- Indiana Trial Courts
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- Indiana Supreme Court
- Indiana Court of Appeals
- American Indianapolis Inn of Court- Appointed as Barrister
- Indiana State Bar Association's PLEADS Section
- Indiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Community Service Chair, Indiana State Bar Association's Young Lawyer's Section Council
- American Bar Association - YLD District 15 Representative
- Indiana State Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
- Law Practice Liaison through the American Bar Association
- Indiana University Alumni Board
- Indiana State Bar Association's Alternative Dispute Resolution Chair (2014-2016); Immediate Past Chair (2016-2018); Mediation Week Co-Chair (2014-2018); E-Discovery Pilot Project Chair (2014-2018); Disaster Relief Pilot Project Chair (2014-2018), 2016
- American Bar Association
- Indiana Mediation Association
- Education Chair, Indiana State Bar Association's Young Lawyer's Section Council
- Indiana Pro Bono Council
- Communication & Education Co-Chair, Indiana State Bar Association's Wellness Committee
- Indianapolis Bar Association's Women and the Law Division CLE Chair (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019).
- Indianapolis Bar Association, Law Student Executive Board
- American Bar Association - Legal Practices Family Law Liaison (By Presidential Appointment), 2017
- Past-President, Indianapolis Equal Justice Works Division
- Indiana State Bar Association
- Member, National Association of Professional Women, An Exclusive Membership for Female Professionals
- Indianapolis Bar Association
- Indianapolis Bar Association's Indy Bar Review Steering Committee
- Indiana State Board Association Governance Committee
- Indianapolis Bar Association, Steering Committee, 2008
- American Bar Association, Law Practice Division Executive Board, 2014
- Indiana University Purdue Indianapolis Legal Services Committee
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- A. What's the Difference Between a Search Engine and a Directory? B. How do Search Engines Really Work? C. Learn Boolean Logic to Create the Best Search Strategies for Finding RelevantDocuments D. Which Search Engines are the Best? E. A Close Look at Google and Search Engines That "Think" F. Learn Browser Tricks - the Power of the "Find" Function to Scan Web PagesQuickly G. Managing Bookmarks H. Effectively Using RSS Feeds, Blogs and Podcasts A. Accessing Public Records B. Professional Licenses C. Criminal Records D. Vital Statistics: Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Records E. Real and Personal Property Records, Speaker, Find it Free and Fast on the Net: Strategies for Legal Research on the Web, National Business Institute, Lawyers, 2018
- This team of seasoned Electronically Stored Information (ESI) gurus will present on emerging issues in relation to the use of eDiscovery in litigation, including identification of relevant custodians and types of documents that may be important to any given case. In relation to ADR generally and eDiscovery mediation specifically, this team will discuss how a mediator can help cut through the clutter and noise associated with parties lack of understanding of electronic data. There is an increase of the use ofmediators in relation to eDiscovery across the country and mediators having an understanding of these concepts will serve to bridge the knowledge gap among the parties. Also, a small discussion of the ESI Pilot Project in the Seventh Circuit and the trainings that have occurred in Indiana., Speaker / Panelist and Moderator/Chair, ESI & ESI Panel Mediation Discussion, Indiana State Bar Association, Lawyers, Bar Associations, 2018
- How to get evidence in, preserve evidence, and preserve issues on appeal., Moderator / Chair, Bench and Bar: Evidence in Trial and On Appeal, Indianapolis Bar Association - Women & The Law Division, Lawyers, Bar Associations, 2019
- How to Get Email, Social Media and Other ESI in - and Keep Theirs OutWith Real-Life Scenarios and Examples of How to Practically Apply the Rules During TrialTop Mistakes That can Jeopardize Admissibility of ESI Overcoming Authentication Hurdles The Hearsay Rule Applied to (ESI) Email Messages, Chains and Attachments Social Media, Instant Messages and Blogs Voicemail, Video and Audio Recordings, Speaker, Hearsay, Email, Business Records Exceptions, and Social Media - In the Trenches, National Business Institute, Lawyers, 2018
- Admitting and preserving social media. Making relevant objections to keep others' out., Speaker, How to Get Your Social Media In and Keep Theirs Out, National Business Institute, Lawyers, 2019
- Bar Association, Moderator / Chair, Grow Your Practice Through Unbundling, American Bar Association, 2018
- Co-Author, Out of the Darkness, American Bar Association, Bar Association, 2015
- Retirement plans are often among the largest marital assets subject to distribution in a marital dissolution, and the regulations surrounding retirement plans can be intricate and complex. In addressing the distribution of retirement plans, professional expertise, reasonable discovery, and sufficient education are strongly recommended for a family practitioner or any lawyer addressing such issues. This article seeks to provide a basic overview of retirement asset distribution, including issue spotting, caveats, and perhaps a few landmines to avoid., Co-Author, Dividing Marital Assets in a Divorce, American Bar Association, Bar Associations, 2015
- Speaker, Mediation From Start To Finish, National Business Institute, Professional Bar Association, 2017
- Speaker, Adoption Made Simple - From Start To Finish, National Business Institute, Bar Association, 2018
- Speaker, Unleashing the Power of Microsoft and Adobe for Lawyers, National Business Institute, Bar Association, 2018
- Bar Association, Speaker / Panelist, Ethics and Equal Access to Justice in All Languages: Title VI and Consideration of Title II, American Bar Association, 2017
- et CLE, court updates, attend a great reception, AND celebrate women in the judiciary all in just two hours! Our discussion at this year’s roundtable will inform you about state, federal, and tax court current procedural and substantive issues, the effect of new laws and/or rule changes, caselaw updates, disclosure of confidential information, ESI preservation, tips and traps of e-filing federal/appellate cases and the new tax reforms for 2018 from the newly-appointed Magistrate Judge Doris L. Pryor, Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Melissa S. May, and Indiana Tax Court Judge Martha Blood Wentworth., Moderator / Chair, Judges Round Table, Indianapolis Bar Association, 2018
- Money matters. It connotes power, indicates success, and reveals a lawyer’s value to the firm. When a firm’s compensation practices do not provide equal pay for equal work, women leave. In the nation’s largest firms, women earn substantially less than men, as shown by ABA research and studies by other independent groups. The compensation gap persists even when hours and business development are equal. The gap widens with each step up the law firm ladder, all the way into the level of equity partners, where the greatest disparity exists. It's been 55 years since the Equal Pay Act was enacted. How much progress has been made and what else can we do to diminish the pay gap between men and women? Our speakers, two successful female attorneys, will review the Equal Pay Act and discuss where we stand today in relation to its statutes. We'll also relate our discussion to the Rules of Professional Conduct that cover responsibilities of a partner or supervisory lawyer, responsibilities of a subordinate lawyer and misconduct., Moderator / Chair, Gender Equality in Partner Compensation, Indianapolis Bar Association, Bar Association, 2018
- Moderator / Speaker, Dividing Marital Assets in a Divorce, American Bar Association, Bar Association, 2017
- Lecturer, Indy Bar Review, 2010
- Co-Author, "At the Intersection - Arts Education, Cultural Policy, Community Development and Capacity Building," South Bend Heritage Foundation, 2006
- Co-Author, "Oral Histories Collection," Indiana Civil Rights Heritage Center, 2003
- "Lanterns in the Sky - New Views on Gender," Indiana University South Bend, 2002
- "Estate Planning," Goldstar Networking Group, 2011
- "Passing Indiana's Essays on the Bar," Indianapolis Bar Association, 2012
- "Estate Planning," Premier Women's Network, 2012
- "Tips For Taking the Indiana Bar," Indianapolis Bar Association, 2010
- "Tips For Taking the Indiana Bar," Indianapolis Bar Association, 2011
- "Riots, Rebellion & Rancor: Seventh Circuit Review of the Infamous Chicago Seven Trial," American Indianapolis Inn of Court, 2010
- "Women and the Law: Overview of Domestic Violence in Indiana," Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 2010
- "How to Pass the Bar," Indianapolis Bar Association, 2010
- "The Second Annual Public Interest Dinner," Indiana Historical Society, 2010
- "The Importance of Pro Bono Activities," Indiana School of Law-Indianapolis, 2009
- Master of Ceremonies Speech Contest, Indiana University, 2001
- Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis' Law Repayment Assistance Program
- University of Notre Dame Law School Summer Conference of Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) Program, 2007
- Author, Implicit Bias - What is it and Why Should Lawyers be Concerned?, Indiana State Bar Association, Legal, 2014
- Author, Family Law Updates, Indianapolis State Bar Association, Legal, 2014
- Author, Mediation confidentiality; ADR rules review coming, Indiana Lawyer, Legal, 2013
Verdicts/Settlements:
- https://www.in.gov/judiciary/opinions/pdf/05091803par.pdf, 2018
- https://publicaccess.courts.in.gov/docket/Search/Detail?casenumber=9a8q2yIFQ09herPje2SMSJPtKmLxP7e8KZyNhm3xdPY1https://publicaccess.courts.in.gov/docket/Search/Detail?casenumber=-iZW-04QkVORLwmHNhKqTArMh9qb6xRzaZgR3CNTzfY1, 2019
- https://publicaccess.courts.in.gov/docket/Search/Detail?casenumber=9a8q2yIFQ09herPje2SMSJPtKmLxP7e8KZyNhm3xdPY1, 2019
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Indiana State Bar Association - Audit & Finance Committee, 2019
- Served as the IU-McKinney School of Law chosen Class Agent since 2010 (to present)., 2021
- IUPUI Liberal Arts Alumni Board (On Board since 2010-Present). Currently serving as Alumni Awards Chair., 2019
- IUPUI Paralegal Studies Advisory Board (On Board since 2013-Present), 2019
- Volunteer, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
- Volunteer, St. Joseph County Homeless Shelter
- Executive Board, Indiana's Mediation Association
- Volunteer, REAL Services
- Volunteer, Robinson Learning Center
- Member, Indianapolis' Business Builders Goldstar Network
- Indiana State Bar Association's Appellate Pro Bono Project, 2010
- Volunteer, Kid's Peace
- Disability Legal Services of Indiana's Executive Board
- Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 2010
Honors/Awards:
- Successfully graduated from IndyBar Bar Leader Series, IndyBar Bar Leader Series Graduate, Indianapolis Bar Association , 2020
- Graduate of 2016 Stanley K. Lacey Leadership Series, Graduate Stanley K. Lacey Leadership Series, Stanley K. Lacey Leadership, 2016
- Honored as the 2018 sole alumna for public interest law, community service, and contributions to the legal community., IU McKinney Public Interest Award, IU McKinney School of Law, 2018
- Served as Judge Pro Temp, Judge, Pro Tempore, Marion County Courts, 2017
- Early Career Achievement Award, IU-McKinney School of Law, 2013
- National Association of Professional Women - Woman of the Year Award, 2011 - 2012
- Young Lawyers Section, Indiana State Bar Association Scholarship Recipient, 2010
- Gold Pro Bono Award Indiana University School of Law- Indianapolis, 2010
- CLEO Fellow, Indiana Supreme Court, 2007 - 2010
- Student of the Year Award Presented by Congressman Tim Roemer, 1999
- Appellate Judges Institute, Appellate Judges Institute - Scholarship Recipient, Indianapolis Bar Association, 2014
- Recognized By Super Lawyers every year since 2013, Super Lawyers, Rising Star and Super Lawyer, 2022
- The Early Career Achievement Award is given each year to alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the legal profession, their communities, and/or the law school, and demonstrate the potential for continued success. Alumni must be within 10 years of graduating from IU McKinney to be considered for this honor. Prior honorees include Jonathan Burns, ’06; Tadd Miller, ’06; Andrea Ciobanu, ’10; and Janet Gongola, ’10., IU McKinney Early Career Achievement Award, IU McKinney School of Law, 2013
- Graduate of the Inaugural Columbia Club Impact Program., Columbia Impact Graduate, Columbia Club, 2018
- Indianapolis Bar Association Pro Bono Award, 2010
- Emerging Pearls Foundation, Social Action and Human Justice Award, 2011
- Norman Leftstein Award, 2010
- Indianapolis Bar Association Pro Bono Award of the Year, 2010
- HUD Fellow, Indiana University, 2004 - 2006
- Trial Advocacy College - Graduate & Scholarship Recipient, Trial Advocacy College - Graduate & Scholarship Recipient, Trial Advocacy College, 2014
- , Rising Stars, Super Lawyers, 2014
- , Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2016
- The Mission of the FBI Indianapolis Citizens Academy Alumni Association is to promote greater understanding and support of the FBI in the interest of national security and the protection of civil liberties. The FBI’s Citizens Academy is, without a doubt, the most effective tool the FBI utilizes to facilitate dialogue within the community and establish partnerships with those they serve., FBI Citizens Academy Graduate, 2015
- Trained in Indiana Family Law Arbitration by the Mediation Option Group., Family Law Arbitration Training, Mediation Option, 2016
- Indiana State Bar Association's Leadership Academy, 2012, Graduate Indiana State Bar Leadership Development Academy, Indiana State Bar Association , 2012
- Indianapolis Bar Association Family Law Section Bench & Bar Scholarship, 2011
- John Paul Berlon Award, 2010
- Equal Justice Works Summer Scholar, 2009
- First Place Speech Contest, Indiana University, 2000
- AV Rating, Martindale Hubbell, 2014
- Stanley K. Lacy Leadership Series Graduate, 2016
- , Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2017
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Family Law Certification as recognized by the Family Law Certification Board, 2020
- Admitted to Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2016
- Admitted to the US Supreme Court., 2015
- Collaborative Law Professional- Training in Honolulu, Hawaii Collaborative Law Professional receives specialized training and works with a group and team of professionals to work through a "no-court" divorce., 2017
- Trained Indiana Family Law Arbitrator, 2016
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Adjunct Professor of Law (Teaching Introductory Law Classes and Legal Ethics Classes) From 2015 to present, 2021
- ABA Liaison Spring Conference Award to Civil Rights of Children Committee, 2019
- Honored and chosen as an ABA YLD Fellow., 2017
- Chosen as a national ABA Law Practice Fellow., 2017
- Honored and Chosen as an ABA YLD Scholar, 2014
Industry Groups:
- ADA Compliance
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Appeals
- Appellate Practice
- Attorneys
- Civil Mediator
- Civil Rights
- Collaborative Law
- Counselor
- Domestic Mediator
- Domestic Relations
- Family Law
- Guardian Ad Litem
- Law
- Law Firm
- Lawyer
- Legal
- Mediation
- Mediator
- Parenting Coordinator
- Special Education Mediator
Selections
3 Years Super Lawyers
7 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2021 - 2023
- Rising Stars: 2014 - 2020
