Jessica S. Lacy, Attorney
Jessica S. Lacy founded the Indianapolis law firm, Lacy Law Office in March 2008. Her practice focuses on the areas of family law (divorce, custody, paternity, child support, mediation), probate law (estates, adoptions, guardianships), and civil litigation. Ms. Lacy earned her undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education from Hanover College in 1997 and earned her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2000. During law school, she clerked for the South Carolina Department of Revenue and for the South Carolina Department of Education.
Ms. Lacy began her legal career in Indianapolis as a law clerk at Rubin & Levin, where she assisted with complex commercial litigation. From there, Ms. Lacy became the general counsel for Continental Enterprises, where she practiced intellectual property law, corporate law and labor, and employment law. In 2003, Ms. Lacy joined the firm Freedman & Associates, where she began developing her family law and probate practice. Ms. Lacy has completed the Family Law Mediation Certification course, Parenting Coordination training, and Family Law Arbitration training. In addition to her regular practice, she offers mediation, arbitration, parenting coordination, and private guardian ad litem services. Ms. Lacy is a registered domestic relations mediator. In 2018, Ms. Lacy opened the Lacy Law Office Mediation Center. Ms. Lacy spearheaded the Hancock County Mediation Days pro bono mediation program to offer free mediation services to Hancock County residents going through contested family law cases.
Super Lawyers identified Ms. Lacy as a Rising Star in 2010 and 2011, and Ms. Lacy was selected to Super Lawyers for 2020. In addition, Ms. Lacy is a member of the Indianapolis Bar Association, the Indiana State Bar Association, and the Hancock County Bar Association. Ms. Lacy previously served as the President of the Hancock County Bar Association. Ms. Lacy serves as the President of the Board of Cumberland CAST, and Ms. Lacy serves as the Secretary of the Board for the Hancock County Arts Council. In addition, Ms. Lacy recently joined the board of the Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen. Ms. Lacy is committed to serving her community personally and professionally.
Ms. Lacy has volunteered in the Ask a Lawyer program, and regularly volunteers as a Guardian Ad Litem for Kid's Voice and for the Marion County Juvenile Court to help represent children in domestic and juvenile cases. Lacy Law Office has historically been a partner in education with Warren Township, and the firm was also a charter member of the Eastside Business Association in Indianapolis. Ms. Lacy is a frequent lecturer for the National Business Institute to provide continuing legal education to attorneys on topics such as “Child Custody Procedures: Form by Form,” “Divorce Law A to Z,” and "Probate A to Z."
In addition to her law practice, Ms. Lacy enjoys spending time with her family, camping, and reading.
Jenifer O. Habecker, Attorney
An attorney first licensed in Texas, Ms. Habecker brings a broad practice base to Lacy Law Office. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned her Juris Doctorate at St. Mary’s University-San Antonio, where she was a published member of the St. Mary’s Law Journal, elected to the Board of Advocates, and state Mock Trial finalist. During law school, Ms. Habecker was a student-teacher of legal writing, and her participation in the school’s legal aid program fostered her belief in strong client support and civic duty.
Within a few years of receiving her Texas licensure, Ms. Habecker moved from general practice with an emphasis in family and criminal defense work to criminal prosecution, where she served as a felony prosecutor. During this time, she actively tried a wide range of cases while spearheading two Central Texas-based narcotics task forces. As a result of this experience, Ms. Habecker developed insight into seeing “both sides of the fence” and has carried this insight throughout her career. She continued to provide pro bono representation and founded a clinic that provided bi-weekly “ask a lawyer” services. Ms. Habecker’s efforts to support pro bono services earned her recognition from the State of Texas.
Following a move to Indiana and a brief departure from the legal realm to raise her family and work with her husband in his specialty chemical representative firm, Ms. Habecker returned to the practice of law. Ms. Habecker represented clients in Johnson County and the surrounding area in domestic relations, wills and estates, criminal defense, and small business matters. Ms. Habecker completed the Family Law Mediation and Civil Law Mediation courses and provided mediation services for private clients and the Johnson County Alternative Dispute Resolution Project. Additionally, she trained in the Collaborative family law process.
Most recently, Ms. Habecker and her husband decided to give life up north a whirl, and she secured her license to practice law in Michigan. The too-short summers and the too-long commutes requiring dodging deer and other wildlife made the opportunity to join Lacy Law Office an easy decision to return to Indiana. She brings to Lacy Law Office many years of experience representing a diverse body of individuals and small businesses seeking resolutions and developing positive futures.
Throughout her legal career, Ms. Habecker has cultivated a practice of giving back to the community, be it local, legal, or global. As a result, she has had the opportunity to serve on multiple boards and committees addressing issues ranging from the unauthorized practice of law to food insecurity. Additionally, Ms. Habecker continues to assist students of all ages in developing civic knowledge and participation.
Her areas of practice with Lacy Law Office are primarily assisting families of different structures in navigating life changes. Additionally, Ms. Habecker is trained as a Guardian ad Litem, Parenting Coordinator, and a Collaborative Law practitioner.
In her free time, Ms. Habecker enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, and pursuing her various interests like becoming an Indiana Master Naturalist.
Denise F. Hayden, Of Counsel
Denise F. Hayden was first admitted into practice in Indiana in June 1990. Ms. Hayden began her legal career working at the Attorney General's Office while in law school. Upon graduation, Ms. Hayden joined the general practice firm of Gaddy & Gaddy, where she worked as an associate attorney practicing mainly in the area of family law for four years. Ms. Hayden founded her own firm in 1994, and over the next 20 years, Ms. Hayden developed a successful family law practice, including mediation, appeals, and guardian ad litem services. As a mediator, Ms. Hayden has helped hundreds of families reach agreements in their family law matters. Over the course of her career, Ms. Hayden has also represented hundreds of children as a Guardian ad litem. In 2015, Ms. Hayden closed her practice and joined Lacy Law Office in an Of Counsel capacity. Ms. Hayden continues to offer mediation and guardian ad litem services as well as handling family law appeals.
Ms. Hayden has served as a speaker for continuing legal education seminars, including being a joint panelist with Ms. Lacy to address the intersection of domestic violence issues and mediation. Ms. Hayden currently serves on the Board for Kids' Voice of Indiana, and she also serves as a frequent volunteer Guardian at litem for Kids' Voice. Ms. Hayden has received the Indianapolis Bar Association's Family Law Section award, and Ms. Hayden was just honored with the Unsung Heroes award by the Indianapolis Bar Association. Ms. Hayden volunteers for the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (JLAP), and she has served as a surrogate attorney. Throughout her career, Ms. Hayden has been a constant and dedicated mentor for her fellow attorneys in the family law bar.
When not working or helping out a colleague, Ms. Hayden enjoys reading, cross stitch, IU sports, and spending time with her family and pet cats and dog.
Johna Goff, Law Clerk
Ms. Goff is a native of Fortville, Indiana, and a proud alumnus of Mt. Vernon High School. After graduating, she went on to play basketball at Ball State University. Ms. Goff completed her bachelor’s degree in 2004 with a degree in Criminal Justice. Ms. Goff joined the United States Marine Corps in 2008 and was quickly deployed to Afghanistan in 2009-2010. Ms. Goff gained invaluable leadership experience both while stationed state-side and while deployed. Ms. Goff was selected to represent the Marine Corps and the Armed Forces on their respective basketball teams. During her time in the Marine Corps, Ms. Goff received many awards. After receiving her Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps, Ms. Goff came back to Indiana in 2013. Since returning to Indiana, Ms. Goff has focused her career within the criminal justice and legal field. She has worked for large and small law firms, as well as a few different prosecutor’s offices. In 2015, Ms. Goff's growing passion for justice and equity led her to attend law school. Over the course of 3.5 years and a 3-hour commute on weekends, Ms. Goff completed earned her Juris Doctor from Western Michigan Cooley Law School in January 2019. Ms. Goff is working as a law clerk while studying for the Bar Exam and training for her eventual position of associate attorney.
Ms. Goff volunteers with the Mt. Vernon Optimist program and coaches several teams in the various sports offered throughout the year. Since 2019, Ms. Goff has taken on the role of Mt. Vernon's Optimist Girls’ Basketball Commissioner and has served on the Board of Directors of the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation.
Ms. Goff is married and has a daughter in 1st grade. During her free time, Ms. Goff enjoys spending time with her wife and daughter and coaching.
Amy G. Beldon, Legal Assistant
Amy G. Beldon has been with the Lacy Law Office since its inception and continues to be a crucial member of our team. Ms. Beldon handles legal assistant duties in the areas of family law and probate, and provides legal assistant support to Ms. Lacy. Ms. Beldon has over 18 years of legal assistant experience. She began her legal career at Continental Enterprises, where she worked in the area of intellectual property law. Ms. Beldon honed her legal assistant skills in the areas of bankruptcy, criminal defense, probate, and family law at Freedman & Associates, before leaving to assist with starting the Lacy Law Office.
Ms. Beldon is the mother of three handsome boys and stepmother to one precocious girl. In her free time, Ms. Beldon enjoys spending time with her family and enjoying the great outdoors.
Janet S. Rohlman, Legal Assitant
Janet S. Rohlman joined the Lacy Law Office in September 2015. Ms. Rohlman is an experienced legal assistant with more than 30 years of experience working on family law cases. Ms. Rohlman began her legal career working with Patrick K. Dugan, where she gained experience in personal injury, criminal, and family law. Ms. Rohlman honed her legal assistant skills in the area of family law while working at Gaddy & Gaddy on the west side of Indianapolis before going to work for attorney Denise F. Hayden, where she was Ms. Hayden's right hand for more than 10 years. Ms. Rohlman has become an integral part of the Lacy Law Office team. She provides legal assistant support to both Ms. Habecker and Ms. Hayden.
When not working, Ms. Rohlman enjoys spending time with her husband and her children, supporting Scecina High School, volunteering in her community, and enjoying her hobbies of crafting and crocheting.
Amy Lester, Mediation Coordinator
Amy Lester joined the Lacy Law Office team in May 2018 as we prepared to open the Lacy Law Office Mediation Center. Ms. Lester schedules all of Ms. Lacy's, Ms. Hayden's and Ms. Habecker's mediations, which includes coordinating with multiple attorneys and parties. Ms. Lester is also responsible for running the Mediation Center, including greeting our mediation guests, scheduling all rental use, providing support services for the mediators, ensuring that our guests have a variety of refreshments, and to make our guests' experience as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
Ms. Lester is the mother of 2 handsome young men. In her free time, Ms. Lester enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading, and working on home improvement projects with her husband.
Betty L. Sanders, Office Manager
Betty L. Sanders joined Lacy Law Office in 2009. Ms. Sanders is the Office Manager and oversees the general office administration, firm systems and procedures, billing, and client relations. Ms. Sanders worked as the Warren Central High School Treasurer for 11 years. Ms. Sanders began her professional career at Morris Plan in Indianapolis. She brings years of office administration, secretarial, customer service, and finance experience to the firm.
Ms. Sanders is a mother of three, and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren, and her hobbies include crocheting and doing crossword puzzles.
