Part of Indiana legal history, Dawn is the first African American woman to rise from associate to equity partner at Barnes & Thornburg and, reportedly, in the state of Indiana. That distinction reflects not only her talent and tenacity but the firm's enduring commitment to positioning all talent to win. Today, as the partner leading firm-wide efforts around that commitment, she works to build a purpose-driven culture grounded in three core pillars: Sponsorship, Integration, and Culture.

In her litigation practice, Dawn represents entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies across virtually all stages of the litigation process — from pre-litigation counseling and alternative dispute resolution through trial and appeal. What distinguishes her most is a relentless focus on understanding client business needs and delivering counsel that serves them. Dawn’s practice centers on business and commercial litigation, with deep experience in employment matters, trade secret protection, restrictive covenant enforcement, intellectual property policing, and vendor and contractual disputes.

Beyond the courtroom, Dawn is a published author of Boss Presence and a national keynote speaker on leadership, mindset, and professional development. She also serves as Counsel to the President of the Indiana State Bar Association.

At her core, she is motivated by one enduring belief that pointing people toward their own greatness is the most powerful way to drive real, lasting change.