George Horn navigates complex litigation, steering clients through white collar criminal matters and major product liability actions. With a track record of 170+ trials since 1987, George brings battle-tested courtroom skills to each engagement, defending clients before federal and state courts across the country. His background as a prosecutor has resulted in a dual perspective that frequently proves invaluable to those he serves today.
In the white collar arena, George's work spans Fortune 500 companies to individual clients, guiding them through investigations and prosecutions. His proactive approach to shielding cleints from attack often helps them implement preventative measures, averting legal pitfalls before they arise. This forward-thinking strategy extends to his product liability practice, where he has defended major corporations against claims nationwide.
Experience
- Barnes & Thornburg represented counseling center in its motion to quash state's subpoena for counseling records in a prosecution for murder. On interlocutory appeal of trial court's grant of the motion, the Indiana Supreme Court partially affirmed grant of motion.
- The United States government, acting through the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section, the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, filed a 26-count criminal indictment against United Water Services, Inc. (United Water), one of the country’s largest water and wastewater treatment companies, and two of its managers, Dwain Bowie and Gregory Ciaccio; alleging that the defendants tampered with legally required monitoring methods while managing the Gary Wastewater Treatment Facility for the City of Gary from 2003 to 2008, thus violating the Clean Water Act.
On November 9, 2012, after a two-week trial in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, which followed a four-year federal government investigation led by the EPA, the FBI and the Department of Justice, a federal jury acquitted United Water and the two managers of all allegations. The prosecutions marked the first time the government brought tampering charges without proof of actual alteration of compliance samples. Judge Simon accepted the Barnes & Thornburg team’s proposed definitions of what constitutes tampering under the Clean Water Act.
The verdict represents a complete vindication for the company and the accused individuals, avoids multi-million dollar fines and penalties, as well as possible imprisonment for the employees, and prevents a potentially business-ending debarment from future waste water and drinking water treatment business within the United States.
Leading the defense were partners Larry Mackey, Patrick Cotter and Harold Bickham, with primary assistance from partner George Horn and assistance throughout the trial by associates Tim Haley and Meredith Rieger.
United States v. United Water Services, Inc. , Dwain Bowie and Gregory Ciaccio, Case No.
Credentials
Education
- Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1987
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1984
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
- Indiana
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana