Jaime Oss is a woman of leadership, strength and powerful convictions. Her dedication to law and her involvement in the community has influenced others to follow the same path. In 2013, Oss was nominated and chosen as a finalist for the Northwest Indiana Up-and-Coming Woman of the Year in Law, and in 2014, she was awarded the Northwest Indiana Most Influential Woman in the Law.
"It is an incredible honor, and I was very shocked I won it. I try my best to help people and to encourage young people to go to law school, and I encourage young lawyers to get involved and be in leadership positions. Hopefully the award will help me to continue help young people and lawyers move forward," Oss said.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2000, and obtained her Juris Doctor Degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2003. Oss started working at her father's law firm, Huelat Mack & Kreppein P.C., in 1997, starting off as a legal secretary doing overflow work and answering phones as a receptionist.
"I got the feel for what we do here and fell in love with it and decided to go to law school," Oss said.
Oss had been watching her dad in trials from a young age. The intense moments in the courtroom she witnessed when he presented a case gave her an adrenaline rush that caused her to follow in her dad's footsteps and become a lawyer.
Her areas of practice include insurance defense, civil litigation, products liability, personal injury, and insurance coverage. On a day-to-day basis, Oss manages the law firm, meaning not only does she carry her own caseload, but she also oversees the staff to make sure everything works like a well-oiled machine.
"I try to take care of my employees; we are a family business and since we are all about family, I try my best to make them feel at home," Oss said.
Her favorite part of her job is interacting with her employees and clients and having the ability to make them feel better. In addition to her job as a lawyer, she takes part in several legal organizations.
Oss is on the Board of Directors for Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana where she is the Chair of the Rules Committee. She also is on the Board of Directors for the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra where she is the new bookkeeper. In 2013, she became the president of the La Porte County Bar Association; it is an organization where most of the lawyers in La Porte County may meet up once a month, get to know each other and are able to develop relationships with one another.
She has been a member of both the LaPorte County Bar Association and the Indiana State Bar Association for the past five or six years.
"One of the main stereotypes of those in the legal profession is that we are mean, ruthless and we cannot get along with one another. One of the Supreme Court issues as of late is attorney civility. I think being a part of the Bar Association helps keep people civil by developing relationships with one another," Oss said.
The relationships between lawyers through the Bar Association not only help the lawyers with their reputations, but also with their clients.
The association also creates a network between lawyers, allowing them to refer or suggest one another to their clients.
From 2012 to 2014, Oss served as chair of the Indiana Bar Association's Service Committee, a group that puts together service projects to be completed by attorneys and judges from across the state. They are brought together to take part in hands-on service projects in their local counties. Throughout the year, the Indiana State Bar Association also donates to a charity of their choice.
In 2013, the legal community came together to form what is known as "The Annual Day of Service." Each year, one Saturday in September is dedicated to a service project in the area. Last year, Oss and those in the Bar Association worked together with the Michigan City Parks Department and helped clean up Washington Park Beach.
Oss is also a member of the Nominating Committee, the Women's Lawyers Association, the Legal Ethics Committee and is the District Two representative for the litigation section of the Indiana State Bar Association.
The Legal Committee of the Indiana State Bar Association meets every other month to discuss weighty ethical issues that have been posed to the committee through the ethics hotline.
"We are always trying to be on the cutting edge of what the Supreme Court and disciplinary commission are looking at and how we can help lawyers follow the ethical rules and not stay out of trouble," Oss said.
In 2012, she took part in Indiana State Bar Association's Leadership Development Academy, which empowered her to reach her full potential.
"Before that, I was involved in the Bar Association and a few other committees, but I really didn't feel like I was part of that group. Once I became involved in the Leadership Development Academy, I had the chance to meet some of the most influential people in the state of Indiana," Oss said.
Oss met every Supreme Court Justice many of the Court of Appeals judges, senators, state representatives and mayors.
"When I met these people, I realized how humble and down to earth these people are. They were trying to show us what they do, and show us that they are normal people just like we are, and that any one of us can be in those positions," Oss said.
This experience has taught Oss the importance of being open to opportunities, for she can do anything she sets her mind to.
"One of the reasons why meeting all of those appellate judges was fun and empowering for me was because I would like to be one of them someday," Oss said.
She aspires to be a judge of any kind at some point in her career, although her dream job is to one day be a part of the Indiana Court of Appeals. The practice of law can be daunting, but over the years, Oss has come out of her shell as a lawyer by contributing to the Bar Associations.
"My dad told me to be involved and that I needed to realize that the law is more than what I am doing in my office. I have learned so much through my involvement in the Bar Association and have met so many great people and my life is different and better because of it," Oss said.
In addition to her rigorous workload, her and her husband of thirteen years, Tony, take care of their three children: Drew, Nathan and Nicholas.
"I enjoy being a mom, and Tony and I try to take our kids out and about and let them have wonderful experiences. As a child, my family and I never took advantage of the beautiful lakes and parks in our area, so I am trying to show my kids that we live in a beautiful part of the country. This summer, we are hoping to spend more time out on the lake with our kids and enjoy LaPorte County," Oss said.
She works hard to provide her children with the best lives she possibly can, especially by showing them that anything is possible.
Photo provided by Barry's Photography