Atty. Cathleen M. Shrader
Focusing on appellate practice and complex business litigation, Cathleen Shrader has extensive experience in civil litigation. She is experienced in representing clients at all levels of the appellate process; at representing businesses in contract, warranty, intellectual property, and other disputes; and at representing trustees, beneficiaries, and personal representatives in complex estate and trust disputes.
Profile Summary
About Cathleen M. Shrader at a glance
Cathleen M. Shrader is a business, litigation, and appellate attorney based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, practicing at Barrett McNagny LLP. Admitted to practice in Indiana, Indiana State Bar Association. Educated at Duke University (J.D., 1994) and Indiana University Bloomington (BS, 1990). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Appellate Practice (2026) and Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026). Serands clients in Fort Wayne, IN and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Focusing on appellate practice and complex business litigation, Cathleen Shrader has extensive experience in civil litigation
- She is experienced in representing clients at all levels of the appellate process
- at representing businesses in contract, warranty, intellectual property, and other disputes
- and at representing trustees, beneficiaries, and personal representatives in complex estate and trust disputes
- Cathleen has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America® publication for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation since 2012 and in the Super Lawyers® publication for Business Litigation since 2013
- She has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell as an AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney based on peer review and judicial ratings
- In 2010, the Indiana Supreme Court appointed Cathleen to the ten-member Indiana State Board of Law Examiners
- The Board of Law Examiners is responsible for the licensing of attorneys in the state of Indiana
- She was President of the Board from 2016 – 2019, served as Vice President and Board Secretary
- Her third term ends in December 2022
- In 2019, she was appointed to and served on the Indiana Supreme Court’s Study Commission on the Future of the Indiana Bar Exam
- From 2018 – 2020, Cathleen served as a member of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination Committee of the National Conference of Bar Examiners, a committee charged with working closely with NCBE staff to perpetuate and develop policies intended to assure the psychometric reliability, validity, and security of the MPRE
- In 2020, the National Conference of Bar Examiners appointed Cathleen to its Multistate Essay Examination/Multistate Performance Test Committee for the 2020-2021 year
- Cathleen is a member of the Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA), has chaired the ISBA’s Appellate Practice Section, (2006-2007), and was vice chair of the ISBA’s Lawyer Advertising Rules Committee from 2017 – 2019
- Cathleen is also a member of the Allen County Bar Association and has chaired that association’s Appellate Practice Section
- She is a member of and former president the American Inns of Court, Benjamin Harrison Chapter
- Cathleen is a member of the Amicus Committee of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
- She is a frequent speakers on issues relating to appellate practice and on issues relating to lawyer advertising, ethics, and social media
- Since 2010, Cathleen has been the representative of the Indiana State Bar Association on the nonpartisan Indiana Debate Commission (IDC), the oldest incorporated and independent debate group in the nation which is dedicated to promoting state-wide political debates in Indiana
- She is currently the Vice President
- In 1990, Cathleen graduated cum laude from Indiana University School of Business with a B.S. in Business Economics
- In 1994, she received her J.D. from Duke University, where she served as Research Editor for the Duke Law Journal
- Cathleen is admitted to practice before the Indiana state courts, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Sixth, Seventh, and Eleventh Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana and the Western District of Michigan
Practice Areas Explained
Cathleen M. Shrader's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Cathleen M. Shrader handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
Cathleen M. Shrader is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Indiana →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Cathleen M. Shrader is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Indiana →
Appellate attorneys for civil and criminal appeals at state and federal court.
Cathleen M. Shrader is one of 86,319 appellate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse appellate attorneys in Indiana →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Indiana
Practicing law in Indiana. Legal matters in Indiana are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Fort Wayne are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Indiana state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Indiana brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Indiana courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Indiana attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Fort Wayne or all attorneys in Indiana.
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