On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, the Indiana Supreme Court issued a public reprimand against Attorney James H. Lockwood. The reprimand stems from two significant breaches of professional conduct during his practice.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of James H. Lockwood,” with case no. 24S-DI-319.
The charges cited Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 1.6 and 8.4(d).
Lockwood represented a client in a protective order case, during which the client also worked as an unpaid assistant in his office. He provided the client with a Dropbox link that granted access to sensitive firm materials and client files. After the client left in January 2023, Lockwood failed to deactivate the link, leaving it unsecured until at least May 2024.
Additionally, while representing a client in a paternity case, Lockwood faced a grievance from the opposing party. He responded by threatening legal action for defamation against the opposing counsel. When informed that the grievance would not be pursued, Lockwood remarked that the opposing party had “lucked out.”
The Indiana Supreme Court found that Lockwood violated professional conduct rules by revealing client-related information without consent and engaging in conduct that jeopardized the judicial system’s integrity. The court has ordered him to pay $250 in costs related to the proceedings.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Lockwood is a personal injury attorney in South Bend, Indiana. He acquired his law license in Indiana in 2017.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
