Andrea L. Ciobanu
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Appellate Attorney in Indianapolis, IN
- Appellate (20%),
- Civil Rights (30%),
- Family Law (20%),
- Criminal Defense: White Collar (10%),
- Civil Litigation: Plaintiff (10%),
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (10%)
- English,
- French
Andrea L. Ciobanu is the managing attorney at Ciobanu Law, PC, in Indianapolis, Indiana. She represents clients throughout Indiana in a range of civil rights and litigation matters, including real estate, business, commercial and defamation issues, family law, domestic matters, protective orders, education law and ADA Compliance, as well as Appeals and Post Conviction Relief. She also is a trained registered civil, domestic, and elder mediator, trained Parenting Coordinator, trained family arbitrrator, as well as a trained Guardian Ad Litem. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist as recognized by the Family Law Certification Board. Ms. Ciobanu is committed to providing clients with the highest levels of service and communication in a cost-effective manner.
Ms. Ciobanu earned her law degree from the Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis (now IU McKinney School of Law) in 2010. Prior to attending law school, she graduated from Indiana University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts with concentrations in sociology and history, followed by a Master of Public Affairs (MPA) from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs in 2006. Among other awards, Ms. Ciobanu was awarded the John Paul Berlon and Norman Leftstein Awards in 2010, the National Association of Professional Women "Woman of the Year" Award (2011), the Emerging Pearls Foundation Social Justice Award (2011), as well as the Early Career Achievement Award from her Alma Mater, IU McKinney School of Law (2013). In 2012, Ms. Ciobanu was selected as only 1 of 25 lawyers across the state to attend the Indiana State Bar Leadership Academy, in which she was awarded a scholarship to attend. Andrea was accepted into the Trial Advocacy College in 2014 with a scholarship. Andrea was chosen as a national ABA Young Lawyer Scholar for 2013-14. Andrea was chosen as a 2016 ABA Law Practice Fellow and a 2017 ABA YLD Fellow. Ms. Ciobanu was awarded with the IU McKinney 2018 Public Interest Award.
Andrea is a 2016 SKL Lacy Leadership Graduate and a 2015 FBI Citizens Academy Graduate. Ms. Ciobanu is a 2017 graduate from the international Academy of Collaborative Professionals, whereby, she received her training in Honolulu, Hawaii. Ms. Ciobanu is a 2018 graduate of the Inangural Columbia Club Impact Program. Ms. Ciobanu has an AV Rating from Martindale Hubbell and a 10 Rating from AVVO.
Prior to creating Ciobanu Law, PC, Ms. Ciobanu worked for the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as well as the Marion County Prosecutor's Office where she worked in the Domestic Battery Division, as well as the Post Conviction Relief Division. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Ciobanu also worked in a private law firm, where she primarily worked in tort and personal injury litigation. During graduate school, Ms. Ciobanu worked on several Housing and Urban Development projects. During graduate school, Ms. Ciobanu also participated in international law projects dealing with international human rights, including programs to address child labor through a branch of the United Nations, whereby she spent a semester abroad working on this program. Ms. Ciobanu continues to represent personal injury clients, cases involving civil and human rights, as well as battered women, children, and other individuals seeking protection through protective orders.
Ms. Ciobanu also volunteers her time to work on pro bono appeals through the Indiana State bar Association's Pro Bono Appellate Program. Ms. Ciobanu has argued before the Indiana Appellate and Supreme Courts. She is also a frequent speaker for bar associations and the National Business Institute on a wide array of legal topics.
Ms. Ciobanu also served as an independent contract consultant to the Indiana Supreme Court Strategic Initiative Grant Project, whereby she coordinated the pilot project in three counties across the state, primarily in family and civil litigation (2012-2014).
Outside the courtroom, Ms. Ciobanu enjoys giving back to her profession and her community through a number of organizations, including the American Bar Association as well as multiple local and state bar associations. She has served as the Chair of the Indiana State Bar Association's Alternative Dispute Resolution Section. As part of her program initiatives, she has worked on a statewide E-Discovery Pilot Project, Statewide Mediation Day Pilot Project, as well as a Disaster Relief Mediation Pilot Project. She is also a member of the Indianapolis American Inn of Court and the Indiana Association of Mediators. She has served on several boards and committees, including, but not limited to, the Indianapolis Bar Family Law and Women & the Law Executive Boards, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Paralegal Advisory Board, and the Indiana University Alumni Board, the ABA Disability Committee, as well as the Disability Legal Services of Indiana Board.
Ms. Ciobanu is fluent in American Sign Language and uses this skill to extend her practice to hearing-impaired people throughout Indiana and in federal court to advocate for equal access to the court system, as well as ADA Compliance. She also volunteers her time to several area organizations that serve underprivileged members of the community.
- 20%Appellate
- 30%Civil Rights
- 20%Family Law
- 10%Criminal Defense: White Collar
- 10%Civil Litigation
- 10%Alternative Dispute Resolution
Appeals, Americans with Disabilities Act, Race Discrimination, Discrimination, Adoption, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Father's Rights, White Collar Crime, Mediation
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Rising Stars: 2014 - 2020
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About Andrea Ciobanu
Admitted: 2010, Indiana
Professional Webpage: http://ciobanulaw.com/attorneys/andreaciobanu/
Honors/Awards:
- 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
- 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 - Scholarship Recipient, Indianapolis Bar Association, 2014
- SuperLawyers, Rising Star, 2015
- 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 Inangural 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, 2014
- Rising Stars, SuperLawyers, 2014
- SuperLawyers, 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, 2016
- Indiana State Bar Association's Leadership Academy, 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
- SuperLawyers, Rising Star, 2017
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- 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 Indana Family Law Arbitrator, 2016
Bar/Professional Activity:
- 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 Alterntive 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
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)., 2019
- 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
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 RelevantDocumentsD. 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 PagesQuicklyG. Managing BookmarksH. Effectively Using RSS Feeds, Blogs and Podcasts A. Accessing Public RecordsB. Professional LicensesC. Criminal RecordsD. Vital Statistics: Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce RecordsE. 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, Bar Associations, Lawyers, 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, Bar Associations, Lawyers, 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
- Moderator / Chair, Grow Your Practice Through Unbundling, American Bar Association, 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
- Speaker / Panelist, Ethics and Equal Access to Justice in All Languages: Title VI and Consideration of Title II, American Bar Association, 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
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Adjuct Professor of Law (Teaching Introductory Law Classes and Legal Ethics Classes)
- 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
Videos:
- Pass the Torch for Women Foundation, Professional Women's Organization, 2013
Educational Background:
- IU McKinney School of Law, Roisman Schoolar, 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
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
Andrea L. Ciobanu:
Last Updated: 3/20/2020