John M. Starbuck, Attorney

John Starbuck is an associate attorney at Kightlinger & Gray’s Merrillville, Indiana office. John’s practice focuses on Insurance Defense and other civil matters.

Prior to joining the firm in 2024, John worked in Cass County, Indiana as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney wherein he gained significant experience in the court room. John’s legal background includes civil child support cases, quasi-civil juvenile cases, criminal non-support of a dependent cases, and higher-level criminal felony cases.

While attending the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, John completed internships at Indiana Legal Services in the Medical Legal Partnership, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General in Licensing Enforcement.

Before attending law school, John earned his B.A. in Anthropology from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (now known as Indiana University Indianapolis), an M.A. in Anthropology from Penn State, and a Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from Penn State. John completed post-doctoral research in the Department of Orthodontics and Oral Facial Genetics Imaging Analysis of the Craniofacial Complex Center at the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis, Indiana. Afterwards, John was a Visiting Lecturer in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana. Next, he worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida.

Outside of practice, John enjoys spending time with his wife and four dogs.