Indiana DCS Hires Two New Assistant General Counsels

(INDIANAPOLIS) – The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) announces Kimberly Nightingale and Deborah Burke as its two new assistant general counsels for the state’s north and south regions.   

Nightingale, of New Harmony, and Burke, of Anderson, bring more than 40 years’ combined experience in the legal profession to their new positions. Both most recently served as regional chief counsels for DCS.

In their new roles, Nightingale and Burke will develop the DCS litigation division to ensure attorneys and regional chief counsels effectively represent the agency and children it serves in court hearings.   

DCS deputy general counsel James Luttrull says Nightingale and Burke have earned a reputation as skilled litigators, and he is confident they will effectively guide DCS lawyers in their work.  

 “On one hand, both Debbie and Kim bring a unique blend of years of experience and historic understanding of DCS, and on the other, they have fresh creative ideas for improvement and positive change,” Luttrull said. “This combination of knowing the past and having enthusiastic discernment about new approaches helps make them the right leaders at the right time for DCS.”   

Burke is a graduate of Indiana University and the University of California School of Law. Nightingale is a graduate of the University of Southern Indiana and the Indiana University School of Law.