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Stephanie V. McGowan
Partner
Indianapolis, IN
Partner
Indianapolis, IN
Stephanie focuses her practice on tort and product liability litigation and trial practice. She also handles municipal and employment litigation. She represents private and public entities in all stages of the litigation process, from pre-litigation through appeal. Stephanie has represented clients in federal and federal appellate courts and state and state appellate courts throughout the United States. As a trial attorney and litigator, she has authored numerous successful dispositive motions and served as second chair in several jury trials.
Stephanie focuses her practice in personal injury defense and general tort defense, including wrongful death, major and catastrophic injury, constitutional torts, and complex tort claims. She serves as national counsel for a logistics transportation provider and an elevator/escalator manufacturer. She is a graduate of the International Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy.
When she is not practicing law, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and golden retriever, hiking in US and Canadian national parks, and playing soccer.
Gonzalez v. City of Hammond, 2022 WL 445507 (N.D. Ind. Feb. 14, 2022) – summary judgment granted on discrimination claims brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and Indiana’s workers’ compensation statute.
Bethuram v. Cathedral Trustees, Inc., 2021 WL 5163417 (S.D. Ind. Nov. 5, 2021) – summary judgment granted on reverse race discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII.
Turner v. Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, d/b/a IndyGo, 2021 WL 1967464 (S.D. Ind. May 14, 2021), aff’d on appeal 2021 WL 6500580 (7th Cir. Oct. 29, 2021) – summary judgment granted on religious discrimination claim under Title VII.
Perez-Herrera v. NowClinic, et al., 2019 CVC-A 000107 (Common Pleas Court Wayne County, Ohio May 6, 2021) – summary judgment granted in negligence action where trial court determined pharmacy owed no duty to plaintiff when plaintiff was not a patient of the pharmacy and never previously had a prescription filled at the pharmacy.
Cortez v. Indiana University Health, Inc., 151 N.E.3d 332 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020), trans. denied – affirming trial court’s order that the case was within scope of the Medical Malpractice Act such that it first had to be presented to a medical review panel.
Chariton v. City of Hammond, 146 N.E.3d 927 (Ind. Ct. App. 2020), trans. denied – affirming trial court’s order granting summary judgment that the Indiana Tort Claims Act applied to Plaintiff’s claims and Plaintiff did not substantially comply with the Indiana Tort Claims Act notice requirements.
Cynthia Jones, as personal representative of the Estate of Miranda Peoples, v. Kerry J. Forestal, in his official capacity of Sheriff of Marion County, et al., 2020 WL 1469832 (S.D. Ind. Mar. 26, 2020) – summary judgment granted on various claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and various state law claims arising from an in-custody suicide.
Brigid A. Ford v. Marion County Sheriff’s Department and the Consolidated City of Indianapolis and Marion County, 270 F.Supp.3d 1059 (S.D. Ind. 2017), aff’d on appeal 942 F.3d 839 (7th Cir. 2019) – obtained defense verdict after week-long federal court jury trial on failure to accommodate and hostile work environment claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Jesse Norwood v. East Allen County Schools, 2018 WL 4680008 (N.D. Ind. Sept. 28, 2018), aff’d on appeal 825 Fed.Appx. 383 (7th Cir. 2020), reh’g and reh’g en banc denied – summary judgment granted on race discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981.
James E. Mitchell v. Muncie Community Schools, 2017 WL 2985638 (S.D. Ind. July 13, 2017) – summary judgment granted on race discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII.
Washington University School of Law, J.D., 2012
Cornell University, B.A. with distinction, Government and History; Law and Society minor, 2009, magna cum laude
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Honorable Nannette A. Baker
State of Indiana
United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Indy’s Best and Brightest, 2021 Finalist “Law”
Selected for inclusion in Indiana Rising Stars®, 2018-2020, 2022-2024
Young Lawyers Division Distinguished Leader Award, Indianapolis Bar Association, 2020
Up & Coming Lawyer, Indiana Lawyer, Leadership in Law Awards, 2019
Young Lawyer of the Year, Indianapolis Bar Association, 2019
Distinguished Fellow, Indianapolis Bar Foundation, 2019
Indianapolis Bar Association, Bar Leader Series, Class XIII
Indianapolis Bar Association
Chair of Public Policy Standing Committee 2021-2022
Member of Board of Directors 2019-2020
Chair of Young Lawyers Division 2019-2020
Vice-Chair of Legal Education for the Young Lawyers Division 2017-2018
Indiana State Bar Association
Seventh Circuit Bar Association
Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
Chair of the Employment Law Section 2021-2022
Vice-Chair of Employment Law Section 2019-2020
Teachers’ Treasures, Member of Board of Directors
Cornell Alumni Association of Central Indiana
Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassadors Network
Women Initiative Committee, Member
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Belong Committee, Member of Retention, Development, and Advancement Subcommittee
Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Former Member
December 3, 2019 | Publications
Relying on a 2002 Supreme Court decision, the Seventh Circuit held that courts can sometimes analyze...
September 17, 2018 | Press Releases
A federal jury on Friday, September 14, reached a defense verdict on all counts in favor of the Mari...
December 20, 2016 | Press Releases
Frost Brown Todd (FBT) announces the addition of Senior Associate Stephanie V. McGowan to its Indian...