CCHA provides alternative dispute resolution services in a variety of contexts. We have mediators registered to assist with both civil and family law cases, and experience mediating disputes regarding labor and employment; personal injury; divorce, custody, and modification; and commercial disputes. Our practitioners excel at facilitating the exploration of alternatives to foster a mutually agreeable settlement for the parties.

Meet the Team

Kevin Smith - Kevin Smith joined CCHA in June 2016 after serving Hoosiers for more than a decade as both the Clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court, and Supreme Court Administrator, managing 28 employees and gaining invaluable insight into the inner workings of Indiana’s Judicial Branch and its three highest courts. He is a partner in the Appeals and Litigation practice groups.

He also worked extensively on interpretations of and revisions to the Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure, the Indiana Admission and Discipline Rules, and the Indiana Administrative Rules; led a multi-discipline team of public and private practitioners, court staff, and IT professionals in planning and implementing Indiana’s appellate e-filing initiative; taught numerous seminars on appellate procedure; and oversaw the Supreme Court’s legal and administrative caseload of approximately 1,000 matters per year and its transition from paper to electronic records.

Doug Church - Doug joined CCHA in the 1970s. A nephew of Manson Church, Doug understood that providing excellent legal service was only part of what made a good lawyer – he and others during that era of the firm wanted to create a workplace where people commit to making a positive difference in their communities – and that they did.

To date, Doug is routinely involved in civil litigation matters before the courts of general jurisdiction throughout the State of Indiana as well as United States District Courts. He has been involved in mediation as a mediator of choice since the inception of the rule allowing mediation. His civic and community involvement has been extensive and he considers his service on the Conner Prairie Board of Trustees and his service on the Greater Indianapolis YMCA Foundation Board of Trustees as distinct privileges.

He is a partner in the Litigation practice group.

Leslie Craig Henderzahs - Leslie joined and became the first female partner at CCHA in 1992, a firm that has now grown to over 40% female. She is a partner in the Family Law practice group.

Leslie is an experienced skilled civil litigator; and is a certified family law specialist as certified by the Family Law Certification Board. She serves on the Indiana Supreme Court Innovation Initiative Task Force. In her litigation practice, Leslie focuses on the complexities of preserving and dividing businesses, farms and other sizable assets of self-employed and high net worth individuals including the intricacies of pension and retirement plans and executive compensation packages involving deferred income such as stock unit awards, restricted stock, and stock options. Additionally she enjoys helping clients with interstate custody and jurisdiction issues.

Amy Matthews - Amy joined CCHA in April 2012. She is a partner in the Education Law Group at the firm. She represents schools and other educational entities in various matters such as bargaining/labor relations, human resources, policy analysis, fiscal management, and special education. Aside from her school law practice, she provides mediation services for both civil and family law cases, and has been trained by the CIACP in Collaborative Practice.

Kevin Vanderground - Kevin joined CCHA in July 2014. He primarily dedicates his legal practice to Business Services, Mediation and Real Estate. He has represented organizations and individuals in civil litigation and provided general counsel services. His clients include biotechnology companies, real estate developers, retailers, tax-exempt organizations and financial institutions. Kevin has also negotiated and executed multi-million dollar real estate transactions and countless other contracts. He has been lead counsel on over 500 personal injury, products liability, premises liability, civil rights, commercial litigation and consumer finance matters.

He is a partner in the Litigation and School Law practice groups.

Eric Douthit - Eric joined CCHA in October 2003. He is a partner in the firm’s Business Practice Section. Eric advises clients on a variety of corporate and commercial matters, with an emphasis on emerging business creation, business mergers and acquisitions, real estate and zoning, and general corporate and business counseling.

As part of his representation of businesses and their owners, a large part of Eric’s practice is dedicated to assisting business clients from small, family-owned businesses, to multi-million dollar organizations in acquiring private or traditional financing and other commercial and business transactions and contract negotiations of all types, organizations and restructuring, dissolutions, shareholder agreements, succession planning, and ownership structures. His clients touch a variety of industries, including agriculture, health-care, software development, automobile dealers, transportation and logistics, real estate development, and hoteliers.

Who We Are + What We Do

“Mediation is a wonderful tool for resolving disputes before the expense gets out of hand and the ability to have some control over the outcome moves to a judge or jury,” says Partner Doug Church. “My experience in mediation has been very positive and I know that my clients have appreciated the early and less expensive way of resolving their disputes.”

Contact the Mediation Attorneys at CCHA

If you have a legal matter that requires the help of an experienced mediator, contact CCHA today, for expertise you can rely on.