Laura Swafford focuses her law practice representing individuals and their families in significant personal injury, wrongful death, and civil rights cases.  Laura grew up in Carmel, Indiana, and attend college at Indiana University with a degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Legal Studies.  Laura obtain a J.D. from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, where she graduated cum laude.  Prior to joining Wagner Reese, LLP, Laura was a litigator with a well-respected Indianapolis defense law firm where she focused her practice on cases involving personal and catastrophic injuries, employment discrimination, and civil rights violations. This prior experience sharpened Laura’s trial skills and has helped Laura to effectively advocate for her clients.

For the last 5 years (2019-2023), Laura has been selected by her peers to the Indiana Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, an honor only 2.5% of attorneys receive. She has also received recognition as a Best Lawyers:  Ones to Watch in 2021 and 2022 and by The National Trial Lawyers:  Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiffs Lawyers in Indiana in 2022. Laura has been a speaker at conferences for the Indiana Trial Lawyer Association, National Business Institute, and Indianapolis Bar Association.

Laura is admitted to practice in the State of Indiana, the Southern District and Northern District federal courts and in the Seventh Circuit federal appellate court.  She lives in Indianapolis with her husband, son, and bulldog.  Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.

Areas of Practice

Education

  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D., 2015, cum laude
    • President, Student Bar Association, 2014-2015
    • Indiana International & Comparative Law Review, Executive Member, 2014-2015
    • Dean’s Tutorial Society, 2013-2015
  • Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, B.S., 2012

Honors & Awards

  • Selected to Rising Stars for Personal Injury – General, and Civil Rights
  • Selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2019 – 2023
  • The Best Lawyers in America©: Ones to Watch, 2021 & 2022
  • Bar Leader Series, Class of XVII
  • The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40, 2022

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Bar Admissions

  • State of Indiana, 2015
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 2015
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 2015
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2017

Professional Associations

  • Indiana State Bar Association
  • Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Marion County Bar Association

Publications

  • “EEOC investigative subpoena power to be tested,” The Indiana Lawyer, March 22, 2017.
  • “Avoiding Spoliation: The Duty to Preserve Evidence,” The Workplace Lawyer, A Newsletter of the ISBA Employment, Labor & Benefits Section, 2016.

CLASSES/SEMINARS TAUGHT

  • Opening speaker at the National Business Institute (NBI)’s seminar, “Pain and Suffering Damages in Personal Injury,” May 16, 2022.
  • Indiana Trial Lawyers Association 34th Annual Lifetime Achievement Seminar, “How Sexual Assaults Can Become Civil Rights Cases,” May 13, 2022.
  • Indiana Trial Lawyers Association 54th Annual Institute, “Jail Death:  Not Your Normal Wrongful Death Claim,” November 9, 2018.