Each year the Indianapolis Bar Association (IBA) Paralegal Committee pits local law firms against one another in the “Teddy Bear Challenge”. Bears are collected to supply the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, Indianapolis Fire Department and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Bears on Patrol program. This program was created to provide comfort to children who may be suffering from the trauma associated with various incidents. Officers carry these donated bears in their vehicles and dispatch them as needed.
The IBA Paralegal Committee awards a prize to the firm with the most bears donated per employee and a prize for the firm that collects the most bears overall. This year Cohen & Malad, LLP won the prize for most bears per employee. The firm collected a total of 391 bears which equaled 8.145 bears per employee! Bose McKinney & Evans, LLP took the prize for most bears overall by collecting 1189!
IBA Paralegal Committee Chair and Cohen & Malad, LLP paralegal, Jodie Bergeron stated, “Last year through the ‘Teddy Bear Challenge’ Indianapolis law firms donated nearly 4,000 bears. While this is a significant amount, the officers often utilize all of their bears and are in need of more.”