Janelle P. Kilies

Janelle P. Kilies

Partner
Janelle possess a genuine love for helping others—and being an attorney provides an opportunity to utilize that passion, every day. Whether consulting with clients to avoid potential legal issues or defending clients when issues arise, she is committed to providing timely, real-life, practical advice.
Janelle P. Kilies
“Attitude goes a long way in determining your ultimate success, recognition, reputation, and enjoyment in practicing law.”

With a practical approach to problem solving, a creative use of technology, and outside-of-the-box thinking, Janelle provides clients with unique insights and solutions. She is an attorney in Lewis Wagner’s employment and complex litigation groups, concentrating her practice in the defense of employment-related claims, including employment discrimination, wage disputes, wrongful termination, employment agreement disputes, and civil rights claims. She also provides proactive prevention counseling on employment issues, including drafting employment policies and practices, navigating employee discipline and termination. She has a passion for assisting employers with in-house training programs, stemming from employer policies related to discrimination and harassment, ways to improve communication skills, and a host of topics pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Janelle leverages extensive experience in litigating mass torts and consumer class actions in the areas of product liability, consumer fraud, false advertising, and deceptive marketing claims nationwide, in both state and federal courts.

Janelle has been active in enhancing and furthering the local legal industry. She has spearheaded the preparation and presentation of several mock trials and innovative focus group presentations in complex cases. In the mass tort context, she helped design, develop, and maintain a sophisticated online platform for the efficient exchange of discovery information, the prompt evaluation of thousands of cases, and the creation of a meaningful settlement matrix.

A steadfast supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, Janelle is also a mom of two, who are growing up too fast, and enjoys cooking—if a very good glass of red wine is involved.

With a practical approach to problem solving, a creative use of technology, and outside-of-the-box thinking, Janelle provides clients with unique insights and solutions. She is an attorney in Lewis Wagner’s employment and complex litigation groups, concentrating her practice in the defense of employment-related claims, including employment discrimination, wage disputes, wrongful termination, employment agreement disputes, and civil rights claims. She also provides proactive prevention counseling on employment issues, including drafting employment policies and practices, navigating employee discipline and termination. She has a passion for assisting employers with in-house training programs, stemming from employer policies related to discrimination and harassment, ways to improve communication skills, and a host of topics pertaining to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.

Janelle leverages extensive experience in litigating mass torts and consumer class actions in the areas of product liability, consumer fraud, false advertising, and deceptive marketing claims nationwide, in both state and federal courts.

Janelle has been active in enhancing and furthering the local legal industry. She has spearheaded the preparation and presentation of several mock trials and innovative focus group presentations in complex cases. In the mass tort context, she helped design, develop, and maintain a sophisticated online platform for the efficient exchange of discovery information, the prompt evaluation of thousands of cases, and the creation of a meaningful settlement matrix.

A steadfast supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, Janelle is also a mom of two, who are growing up too fast, and enjoys cooking—if a very good glass of red wine is involved.

  • Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, B.A., 2007
  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2012
  • Supreme Court of Indiana, 2012
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana, 2012
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, 2012
  • ALFA International
    • Employment Practice Group
    • Future Leaders Forum
    • Product Liability & Complex Torts Practice Group
      • Steering Committee Member
      • Mini Regional Seminar Chair, 2019-2020
  • American Bar Association
  • Avalon Betterment Club – Past President
  • Heritage Place – Board of Directors, 2013-2016
  • Indiana Super Lawyers – Rising Stars, 2016-2023
  • Indiana State Bar Association
  • Indiana University – Dean’s List
  • Indiana University – Dean’s List
  • Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
    • Dean's Tutorial Society
    • Notes Development Editor, Indiana Law Review
    • Student Bar Association
  • Indianapolis Bar Association
  • Maximo Nivel, South America, 2009
  • Special Night Out – Co-Host, 2012-2020
  • The Best Lawyers in America
    • Ones to Watch - Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action - Defendants; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2022-2023
  • "FTC proposal to ban noncompetes: What employers need to know," The Indiana Lawyer, January 2023.

  • “Recognizing & Understanding Generation Bias in the Workplace,” Association of Legal Administrators, July 12, 2022.
  • “Understanding the Impact of Unconscious Bias in the Workplace,” Moderator, ALFA International Client Seminar, March 13, 2020.
  • “You? Yeah, You're Biased. Negotiating and Overcoming the Unconscious Bias,” ALFA International Webinar, May 15, 2020.
  • “Understanding the Misuse Defense in Product Liability Cases,” The Indiana Lawyer, November 11, 2019.
  • “The Game is On: Are You In? (You Have to Play, or You'll Never Win),” ALFA International Client Seminar, February 28-March 2, 2019.
  • “How to Apply Rules to Discovery and Evidence, Building Your Civil Litigation Skills,” National Business Institute (NBI), Indianapolis, April 20, 2018.
  • “Protecting Your Brand with Tested Paper and Electronic Swords - Indemnity in the Electronic Age,” ALFA International Product Liability and Complex Torts Regional Seminar, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, April 19, 2018.
  • "Discover a way to avoid the document dump," The Indiana Lawyer, February 7, 2018.
  • “When Legal Nightmares Become Reality - You Mean All These People Are After US?,” ALFA International Product Liability and Complex Tort Seminar, Santa Barbara, California, October 6, 2017.
  • “If Only I Had Been Told…A Failure To Warn Discussion: Causation, the Uncertainty Principle and the Benign Experience Principle,” Panelist, ALFA International, Product Liability and Complex Tort Practice Group, April 10, 2017.
  • “E-Discovery: 10 Legal and Practical Pointers, BUSINESS LITIGATION: It’s A Team Sport!,” Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, February 24, 2017.
  • “What to Do When Your Supervising Partner Makes a Mistake," DRI: The Voice, August 29, 2012.
  • “How to Scale the Tower of Babble,” DRI: The Whisper (Volume 8, Issue 2) (co-author), 2012.