Professionalism and Civility [2026 Edition]

Cari L. Sheehan, Assistant General Counsel | Taft Stettinius & Hollister

Cari L. Sheehan is the Assistant General Counsel at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, bringing more than fifteen years of experience in civil litigation, conflicts of interest, and professional responsibility to her role advising firm attorneys on ethics compliance, risk prevention, and conflicts of interest. She also leads ethics training and education initiatives across the firm and is passionate about promoting ethical awareness, integrity, and professionalism in the legal and business communities, with a primary research focus on the ethics of artificial intelligence.

• Education & Credentials

Cari earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 2007, after completing her undergraduate degree, cum laude, at the University of Southern Indiana in 2004. She is admitted in Indiana and Illinois, as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, multiple federal district courts across Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern District of Indiana and Northern District of Illinois.

• Recognition & Leadership

Cari received the Top Live Faculty Award from LexVid for 2024–2025, recognizing her excellence as a continuing legal education presenter. She is a recurring author of the “Ethics Curbstone” column in Res Gestae, the journal of the Indiana State Bar Association, where she has published articles on legal ethics, the use of AI in legal practice, and the ethics of AI under United States v. Heppner.

• Professional Involvement

Cari serves as a member of the State of Indiana AI Task Force, created by SEA 150, and was reappointed to the Artificial Intelligence Taskforce in 2025. She is a member of the Sagamore American Inn of Court, the Ethics Committee of the Indiana State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. She is also an Adjunct Professor at the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law, where she teaches Professional Responsibility, and previously served as Assistant Clinical Professor of Business Law and Ethics at the Kelley School of Business.

• Experience

Cari is a frequent presenter and author on ethics and professionalism in the legal industry, having delivered over 200 seminars for various local and national platforms. Her work at Taft centers on advising attorneys on ethics compliance, risk prevention, and conflicts of interest, as well as reviewing and negotiating outside counsel guidelines, conflict waivers, and engagement letters carrying ethical implications.

SESSION 1 – AI, GenAI, and the Duty of Technological Competence | 1:00pm – 1:15pm

Examine how ABA Formal Opinion 512 and state-level guidance reshape duties of competence, confidentiality, and candor. Learn practical safeguards for integrating generative AI into your practice without breaching ethical obligations or risking sanctions.

SESSION 2 – Digital Communications, Social Media, and Deepfakes | 1:15pm – 1:30pm

Navigate the ethical pitfalls of online communications, social media posts, and manipulated digital evidence. Understand how courts are addressing deepfake authentication challenges and what attorneys must do to protect clients and preserve credibility.

SESSION 3 – Ethical Boundaries in Advocacy: Zealous vs. Abusive | 1:30pm – 1:45pm

Identify where vigorous advocacy crosses into sanctionable misconduct under the Model Rules. Review recent court decisions distinguishing aggressive representation from abusive behavior, and learn how to advocate forcefully while staying on the right side of professional standards.

SESSION 4 – Civility Under Pressure: Discourteous Conduct & Difficult Situations | 1:45pm – 2:00pm

Develop practical strategies for handling discourteous opposing counsel, contentious depositions, and high-stakes disputes with composure. Explore real-world scenarios where civility breakdowns led to discipline and learn techniques to protect both your reputation and your client’s interests.