Sarah Steele Riordan

"I want to use my litigation and advocacy skills, along with my political common sense and relationships, to forge solid legal and policy solutions for my clients, be they businesses, government entities or individuals." 

With over 20 years of experience as a litigator and advisor to local governments, school administrators and companies that do business with government, Sarah draws daily on her written and oral advocacy skills to protect and advance her clients’ interests.  Sarah understands the challenges faced by government and government contractors.  Having spent over a decade deeply involved in Indiana politics, Sarah offers her clients unique insights about the players and the playing field. 

In recent years, Sarah has:

• Negotiated multimillion dollar government consolidations of township fire departments with the City of Indianapolis, resulting in significant taxpayer savings and efficiencies
• Supervised legal team effecting intergovernmental land swap to facilitate the construction of Eskenazi Hospital
• Advised charter schools and turnaround operators in their dealings with state and local education officials
• Litigated multimillion damage claims against schools
• Advised Sheriff John Layton on compliance with Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act
• Served as general counsel to township government
• Represented Indiana’s largest agency in a broad criminal grand jury investigation
• Represented licensed professionals and regulated businesses before state administrative agencies

• Appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels to two terms on the Indiana Election Commission
• Appointed by Mayor Bart Peterson to Marion County Board of Zoning Appeals
• Former General Counsel, Indiana Democratic Party
• Former Secretary, Marion County Democratic Party
• Law Clerk to the Honorable James G. Carr, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
• Member of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio Bar Associations (inactive in Michigan and Ohio)
• B.A., University of Michigan 1990, with high distinction,
• J.D.,  Indiana University Maurer School of Law, 1993, cum laude