Deborah J. Daniels
Of Counsel
Office: Indianapolis
ddaniels@kdlegal.com
p: 317-238-6253
f: 317-636-1507
Deborah Daniels is a former U.S. Attorney and U.S. Assistant Attorney General, and has lengthy experience in criminal and civil investigations and public safety. Her work has included responsibilities at the U.S. Department of Justice directly related to the nation’s response to the September 11th attack on the U.S., data and communications interoperability, and the nation's ability to detect, prevent and respond to future terrorist acts. Ms. Daniels provides counsel to the firm’s public and private sector clients in matters affecting public safety, leveraging of federal and state resources, federal and state regulatory compliance and internal investigations. She assists the firm’s clients in interacting with agencies of local, state and federal government, including both the executive and legislative branches at all levels, and advises clients ranging from government agencies to Olympic national governing bodies to other public and private sector entities on compliance and public policy matters.
Ms. Daniels served as the firm's Managing Partner from 2015 - 2018.
Representative Experience
- Conducted landmark internal review of policies and practices of USA Gymnastics, recommending major changes in governance and culture in the wake of massive reporting of athlete sexual abuse
- Successfully negotiated favorable outcomes for multiple corporate clients of Krieg DeVault in civil investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice
- Conducted internal review of fraudulent investments for major Indiana university
- Assisted major safety-net hospitals in obtaining critical funding to assist in providing services to the low-income uninsured population
- Directly involved in protecting physicians from the inclusion in federal legislation of language devastating to their enterprise
- Directed review and revision of Indiana criminal code
- Analyzed 2020 Title IX regulation and advised university clients on Title IX compliance
- Reviewed Indianapolis police response to 2020 community unrest at request of Mayor of Indianapolis
- Advised the City of Elkhart on police reform
Professional Associations
- Commission on Equity and Access in the Indiana Court System (Co-Vice Chair)
- Eskenazi Health Foundation (Board Member, Governance Committee Chair, Executive Committee)
- Indiana Academy (Chair, Board of Regents)
- Independent Colleges of Indiana (Board Member)
- University of Indianapolis (Secretary, Board of Trustees; led Presidential Search Committee)
- United Way of Central Indiana (Vice Chair, Board of Directors; Executive Committee)
- Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (Board and Executive Committee; Former Board Chair)
- Economic Club of Indiana, Inc. (Past President; Board of Directors)
- Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series (Honorary Board of Governors)
- Indianapolis Bar Association (Member)
- National Association of Former United States Attorneys (Former President)
- Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (Former Member, Board of Trustees)
- Eskenazi Hospital Capital Campaign (Co-Chair)
- National Center for State Courts (Former Member, Board of Directors)
- Sagamore Institute for Policy Research (Former President)
- Council for Excellence in Government (Former Principal)
- National District Attorneys Association (Former Vice Chair, Audit Committee)
- U.S. District Court Magistrate Selection Committee
- Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation (Former Chair of Criminal Justice Panel)
Awards & Recognitions
- Indiana University Bicentennial Medal, IU McKinney School of Law
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2019-2020
- Best Lawyers In America©, 2018-2022
- Best Lawyers In America© 2021 Municipal Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- Trailblazer Award, National Association of Women Business Owners, Indianapolis Chapter
- Indiana Academy Inductee
- Touchstone Award (Girls Inc.) Honoree
- U.S. Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management
- U.S. Department of Justice Award for Law Enforcement Coordination
- Antoinette Dakin Leach Award, Women and the Law Division, Indianapolis Bar Association
- Nancy Maloley Outstanding Public Servant Award, Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series
- Indianapolis Business Journal, Influential Women in Indianapolis
Seminars & Presentations
- Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Fundraising School Leadership Roundtable, "Board Engagement: Lessons We Can Learn from USA Gymnastics"
- The Foundations Seminar, "Is Your Leadership Awake? Governing Well in Today's Complex Environment"
- National Conference on Offender Re-Entry, Keynote Speaker
- National Conference on Human Trafficking, Keynote Speaker
- Indiana Judicial Conference, Keynote Speaker
- Purdue University Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS) 6th Annual Information Security Symposium, Keynote Speaker
- 7th Annual Technologies for Critical Incident and Preparedness Conference (Sponsored by U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense), Faculty Member
- Indianapolis Bar Association Cyber Security Seminar, Faculty Member
- Community Bankers of Indiana, Ohio and Michigan Security Conference, "Preparing for the Inevitable Crisis"
- Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, "Public Health and the Law" Seminar on Disaster Preparedness, Faculty Member
- Indiana State Medical Association, "The State & Future of Independent Medical Practice", Presentation on Federal Health Care Reform Analysis
- Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers, "Navigate Your Way During Challenging Economic Times", Presentation on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
- DePauw University Attorney and Physicians Seminar, Keynote Speaker/Faculty Member
- Indianapolis Bench Bar Conference, "Indiana Criminal Code Revision, 2013"
- Indiana State Bar Association, "From the ABCs to the 1, 2, 3s: Indiana Criminal Code Revision"
- Indiana State Medical Association, "Maximizing the Potential of Women"
- BKD Inaugural Women's Summit, "Maximizing the Potential of Women as Leaders"
Publications
- Co-Author, "OCR Issues Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment," August 4, 2021
- Co-Author, "More Change on the Horizon for Title IX?" March 18, 2021
- Co-Author, "Educate Your School: K-12 Public School Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Laws In the COVID-19 Environment," October 1, 2020
- Report Regarding the Response of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to the Community Protests of May 29-June 1, 2020 in Downtown Indianapolis
- Co-Author, "Title IX Regulations Issued By The U.S. Department Of Education: Implications for Educational Institutions," May 7, 2020
- Co-Author, "New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition," April 19, 2020
- “Report to USA Gymnastics on Proposed Policy and Procedural Changes for the Protection of Young Athletes” (link to report)
- "Striking the Balance on Campus Sexual Harassment", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Minimum Wage-Hike Proposals Aren't So Simple", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Pre-K is an Investment We Can't Afford to Ignore", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Keeping Arrestee DNA on File Would Solve Crimes", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Female Candidates Face Unnecessary Challenges", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "With Jobs, it's Mobility, not just 'Equality,' that Matters", Indianapolis Business Journal
- “Leading in Health Care Innovation”, Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Less Incarceration Could Lead to Less Crime", Washington Post
- "To Compete, Indianapolis must be Aggressive", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Sentencing Guidelines and Prosecutorial Discretion", Federal Sentencing Reporter
- "Revitalizing Our Communities: Safety First", National Policy Forum
- "Strategies That Lead to Safer Communities", Indianapolis Star
- "Remembering Victims of Crime", The American Thinker
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1977
- B.A., with honors, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, 1973
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
Practices
Industries
Education and School Law
OCR Issues Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment
August 4, 2021
Education and School Law
Educate Your School: K-12 Public School Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Laws In the COVID-19 Environment
October 1, 2020
Education and School Law
Title IX Regulations Issued By The U.S. Department Of Education: Implications for Educational Institutions
May 7, 2020
Education and School Law
New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition
April 19, 2020
Thought Leadership
Responsibility and Accountability: Thoughts on Board Responsibility in Private, Nonprofit Higher Education
May 6, 2019
Thought Leadership
Proposed Title IX Regulations From the U.S. Department of Education
December 2, 2018
Deborah Daniels is a former U.S. Attorney and U.S. Assistant Attorney General, and has lengthy experience in criminal and civil investigations and public safety. Her work has included responsibilities at the U.S. Department of Justice directly related to the nation’s response to the September 11th attack on the U.S., data and communications interoperability, and the nation's ability to detect, prevent and respond to future terrorist acts. Ms. Daniels provides counsel to the firm’s public and private sector clients in matters affecting public safety, leveraging of federal and state resources, federal and state regulatory compliance and internal investigations. She assists the firm’s clients in interacting with agencies of local, state and federal government, including both the executive and legislative branches at all levels, and advises clients ranging from government agencies to Olympic national governing bodies to other public and private sector entities on compliance and public policy matters.
Ms. Daniels served as the firm's Managing Partner from 2015 - 2018.
Representative Experience
- Conducted landmark internal review of policies and practices of USA Gymnastics, recommending major changes in governance and culture in the wake of massive reporting of athlete sexual abuse
- Successfully negotiated favorable outcomes for multiple corporate clients of Krieg DeVault in civil investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice
- Conducted internal review of fraudulent investments for major Indiana university
- Assisted major safety-net hospitals in obtaining critical funding to assist in providing services to the low-income uninsured population
- Directly involved in protecting physicians from the inclusion in federal legislation of language devastating to their enterprise
- Directed review and revision of Indiana criminal code
- Analyzed 2020 Title IX regulation and advised university clients on Title IX compliance
- Reviewed Indianapolis police response to 2020 community unrest at request of Mayor of Indianapolis
- Advised the City of Elkhart on police reform
Professional Associations
- Commission on Equity and Access in the Indiana Court System (Co-Vice Chair)
- Eskenazi Health Foundation (Board Member, Governance Committee Chair, Executive Committee)
- Indiana Academy (Chair, Board of Regents)
- Independent Colleges of Indiana (Board Member)
- University of Indianapolis (Secretary, Board of Trustees; led Presidential Search Committee)
- United Way of Central Indiana (Vice Chair, Board of Directors; Executive Committee)
- Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (Board and Executive Committee; Former Board Chair)
- Economic Club of Indiana, Inc. (Past President; Board of Directors)
- Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series (Honorary Board of Governors)
- Indianapolis Bar Association (Member)
- National Association of Former United States Attorneys (Former President)
- Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County (Former Member, Board of Trustees)
- Eskenazi Hospital Capital Campaign (Co-Chair)
- National Center for State Courts (Former Member, Board of Directors)
- Sagamore Institute for Policy Research (Former President)
- Council for Excellence in Government (Former Principal)
- National District Attorneys Association (Former Vice Chair, Audit Committee)
- U.S. District Court Magistrate Selection Committee
- Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation (Former Chair of Criminal Justice Panel)
Awards & Recognitions
- Indiana University Bicentennial Medal, IU McKinney School of Law
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2019-2020
- Best Lawyers In America©, 2018-2022
- Best Lawyers In America© 2021 Municipal Law "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- Trailblazer Award, National Association of Women Business Owners, Indianapolis Chapter
- Indiana Academy Inductee
- Touchstone Award (Girls Inc.) Honoree
- U.S. Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management
- U.S. Department of Justice Award for Law Enforcement Coordination
- Antoinette Dakin Leach Award, Women and the Law Division, Indianapolis Bar Association
- Nancy Maloley Outstanding Public Servant Award, Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series
- Indianapolis Business Journal, Influential Women in Indianapolis
Seminars & Presentations
- Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Fundraising School Leadership Roundtable, "Board Engagement: Lessons We Can Learn from USA Gymnastics"
- The Foundations Seminar, "Is Your Leadership Awake? Governing Well in Today's Complex Environment"
- National Conference on Offender Re-Entry, Keynote Speaker
- National Conference on Human Trafficking, Keynote Speaker
- Indiana Judicial Conference, Keynote Speaker
- Purdue University Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS) 6th Annual Information Security Symposium, Keynote Speaker
- 7th Annual Technologies for Critical Incident and Preparedness Conference (Sponsored by U.S. Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Defense), Faculty Member
- Indianapolis Bar Association Cyber Security Seminar, Faculty Member
- Community Bankers of Indiana, Ohio and Michigan Security Conference, "Preparing for the Inevitable Crisis"
- Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, "Public Health and the Law" Seminar on Disaster Preparedness, Faculty Member
- Indiana State Medical Association, "The State & Future of Independent Medical Practice", Presentation on Federal Health Care Reform Analysis
- Indiana Council of Community Mental Health Centers, "Navigate Your Way During Challenging Economic Times", Presentation on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
- DePauw University Attorney and Physicians Seminar, Keynote Speaker/Faculty Member
- Indianapolis Bench Bar Conference, "Indiana Criminal Code Revision, 2013"
- Indiana State Bar Association, "From the ABCs to the 1, 2, 3s: Indiana Criminal Code Revision"
- Indiana State Medical Association, "Maximizing the Potential of Women"
- BKD Inaugural Women's Summit, "Maximizing the Potential of Women as Leaders"
Publications
- Co-Author, "OCR Issues Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment," August 4, 2021
- Co-Author, "More Change on the Horizon for Title IX?" March 18, 2021
- Co-Author, "Educate Your School: K-12 Public School Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Laws In the COVID-19 Environment," October 1, 2020
- Report Regarding the Response of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to the Community Protests of May 29-June 1, 2020 in Downtown Indianapolis
- Co-Author, "Title IX Regulations Issued By The U.S. Department Of Education: Implications for Educational Institutions," May 7, 2020
- Co-Author, "New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition," April 19, 2020
- “Report to USA Gymnastics on Proposed Policy and Procedural Changes for the Protection of Young Athletes” (link to report)
- "Striking the Balance on Campus Sexual Harassment", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Minimum Wage-Hike Proposals Aren't So Simple", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Pre-K is an Investment We Can't Afford to Ignore", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Keeping Arrestee DNA on File Would Solve Crimes", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Female Candidates Face Unnecessary Challenges", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "With Jobs, it's Mobility, not just 'Equality,' that Matters", Indianapolis Business Journal
- “Leading in Health Care Innovation”, Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Less Incarceration Could Lead to Less Crime", Washington Post
- "To Compete, Indianapolis must be Aggressive", Indianapolis Business Journal
- "Sentencing Guidelines and Prosecutorial Discretion", Federal Sentencing Reporter
- "Revitalizing Our Communities: Safety First", National Policy Forum
- "Strategies That Lead to Safer Communities", Indianapolis Star
- "Remembering Victims of Crime", The American Thinker
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1977
- B.A., with honors, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, 1973
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
Practices
Industries
Insights
Education and School Law
OCR Issues Questions and Answers on the Title IX Regulations on Sexual Harassment
August 4, 2021
Education and School Law
Educate Your School: K-12 Public School Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Laws In the COVID-19 Environment
October 1, 2020
Education and School Law
Title IX Regulations Issued By The U.S. Department Of Education: Implications for Educational Institutions
May 7, 2020
Education and School Law
New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition
April 19, 2020
Thought Leadership
Responsibility and Accountability: Thoughts on Board Responsibility in Private, Nonprofit Higher Education
May 6, 2019
Thought Leadership
Proposed Title IX Regulations From the U.S. Department of Education
December 2, 2018