Clyde & Co opens Indiana office with partner hire

Expansion strengthens US trial and defense capability and deepens insurance offering in a key Midwestern market

Global law firm Clyde & Co has announced the opening of a new office in Highland, Indiana, expanding its US footprint and further strengthening its North American trial and defense practice.

The new office will be led by Renee Mortimer, who joins Clyde & Co as a partner, accompanied by one associate. She will work alongside an established Indiana-based team that includes senior counsel Brittney Rykovich and three associates. Renee joins Clyde & Co from Lewis Brisbois where Renee was Managing Partner of the firm’s Highland and Indianapolis offices. She brings more than three decades of experience in defending insurers and corporates in complex personal injury and liability claims, with a strong track record of taking cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Indiana and Illinois.

The Indiana office builds Clyde & Co’s growing presence in the US insurance market and responds to increasing client demand for high quality defense and trial capability in jurisdictions regarded as challenging for insurers. Indiana is a significant and growing insurance market, and the firm has seen a sustained increase in both coverage and defense instructions in the state. 

The opening of the Indiana office also complements Clyde & Co’s existing trial and defense capability in the Midwest, including the Indianapolis team of four attorneys hired in 2024, and further advances the firm’s strategy of expanding its US trial and defense offering in support of national and international insurance clients.

Carolena Gordon, Global Senior Partner at Clyde & Co, said:

“Indiana is an important and increasingly active market for our insurance clients, and this expansion reflects our continued commitment to investing in jurisdictions where they need us. Working closely with our sizeable Chicago hub, Renee and the team extend our reach across the Midwest, strengthening our ability to support clients locally and regionally. The team brings outstanding trial and defense experience and a strong reputation for client service. Their arrival further strengthens our North American practice and reinforces Clyde & Co’s position as a leading insurance law firm in the US.” 

Eileen King Bower, Clyde & Co North American Board Chair, added: 

“Renee’s practice and leadership experience align extremely well with Clyde & Co’s strategy and culture. Indiana presents real opportunity for growth, particularly in defense litigation, and establishing a permanent presence there enables us to better support clients locally while also contributing to national trial work. We are delighted to welcome Renee and her team to the firm.” 

Renee Mortimer, Partner at Clyde & Co, said:

“Clyde & Co has a strong and growing reputation in the US insurance market and a clear commitment to investing in its trial and defense capability. I was drawn to the firm’s premium insurance focus, its collaborative, team based approach, and the opportunity to continue growing my practice on a diverse and innovative global platform. I am excited to join Clyde & Co and to help build the firm’s presence in Indiana and beyond.” 

Clyde & Co’s North American insurance practice provides clients with comprehensive coverage counseling along with robust litigation, trial, and defense capabilities across all major insurance lines. This year marks the firm’s 20th anniversary in the region, highlighting two decades of strategic growth and investment that have resulted in a platform of more than 400 attorneys, including over 100 partners in 21 offices across the United States and Canada. Recent growth has included new offices in Seattle (2026), Dallas (2025), Boston (2023), and Calgary (2022), reflecting the firm’s continued investment in serving insurers throughout the region.