Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP is pleased to announce that Jessica M. Dugdale, Erin T. Escoffery, Krysta K. Gumbiner, Derek B. Lavender and Adam M. Law have joined the firm’s Indianapolis office as associates.

Dugdale is an associate in Taft’s Private Client group. She received her B.A. in English, with a concentration in writing, from Depauw University in 2010. Dugdale earned her J.D. from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2014. While in law school, she served as executive business editor of the Indiana Health Law Review, associate night justice of the 2013 Staton Intramural Moot Court Competition Board and co-chair of Women’s Caucus. Dugdale’s note, “A Plea for Consumer Protection: The Potential Human Health Hazards of the Spray Tanning Epidemic,” was published in the Indiana Health Law Review, Volume XI.

Escoffery is an associate in Taft’s Labor and Employment group. She received her B.A. in political science and English, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008. Escoffery earned her Master of Philosophy in politics from the University of Cambridge in 2009 and her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 2014. Her note “FERPA and the Press: A Right to Access Information?” was published in the Journal of College and University Law.

Gumbiner is an associate in Taft’s Environmental group. She received her B.A., summa cum laude, in political science and humanities from Valparaiso University in 2011. Gumbiner earned her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 2014, where she was the executive symposium editor of The Journal of College and University Law. Under her direction, NDLS hosted a symposium titled “Armed Violence on Campus: A Search for Solutions.”

Lavender is an associate in Taft’s Intellectual Property group and focuses his practice on patent prosecution. Lavender received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Kettering University in 2010. He earned his J.D. with an IP Certificate from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2014. While in law school, Lavender worked for Taft’s Intellectual Property group and gained experience in patent prosecution through an externship with the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Law is an associate in Taft’s Business and Finance group. He earned his B.A. in economics and international studies from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2011. Law earned his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Illinois in 2014, where he was the articles editor of The Elder Law Journal and received honors distinction in legal research.