William G. Hussmann, Jr., Of Counsel

Bill Hussmann is a former U.S. Magistrate Judge who joined Kightlinger & Gray’s Evansville office in 2016, after retiring from the bench. Hussmann, who presided over a wide range of civil cases in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, focuses his practice on Alternative Dispute Resolution, including handling mediations and arbitrations. Bill performs mediations and arbitrations at all Kightlinger & Gray locations. Since February 2016, he has conducted over 100 private mediations throughout all parts of Indiana.

During his nearly 28 year judicial career, Bill conducted bench and jury trials and wrote approximately 50 opinions each year. He spent most of his time each year conducting approximately 150 mediation style settlement conferences where parties were present in person. Bill’s case load of civil disputes included Employment, Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice, Breach of Contract, ERISA and Disability, Civil Rights, Unfair Business Practices, Patent and Trademark issues, and Environmental Law.

Since his completion of Arbitration training through the American Arbitration Association in 2016, Bill has been selected as an Arbitrator in over 80 arbitration cases through the AAA and as a private arbitrator. These cases primarily are in the areas of employment law (including cases involving disputes over non-compete provisions in employment contracts), personal injury claims, business disputes (including those dealing with software purchase breach of contract claims), and business dissolution matters.

Prior to becoming a judge, Bill spent time in both the public and private sectors. He served as an in-house staff attorney with Associated Insurance Companies, Inc., conducting and supervising claims litigation brought against a health insurer and advising on how best to avoid lawsuits. As Indiana Deputy Attorney General in the General Tort Section, Bill defended the state and its agencies from tort claims. Later, as a staff attorney with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission, he prosecuted claims of attorney ethical violations.

Between 2013 and 2016, Bill served as a member of the U.S. Judicial Conference Committee on the Codes of Conduct. In that capacity, he was one of 15 judges throughout the United States who was designated to provide formal and informal guidance to other federal judges on compliance and ethical issues arising under the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Beginning in June, 2021, Bill will be a member of the Board of Directors of the Evansville Bar Association, where he has been a longtime member of the Evansville Bar Association’s Diversity Outreach Committee and formerly served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Evansville’s School of Business. He is a frequent presenter at bar association conferences and events, often discussing issues like bench and bar relations, employment litigation, evidence, federal civil procedure, and local rules.