Lawrence Corporation Counsel Earns IBJ Honor
October 26, 2026
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2026
LAWRENCE CORPORATION COUNSEL NAMED TO IBJ’S 2026 WOMEN OF INFLUENCE CLASS
LAWRENCE, IN – Lawrence Corporation Counsel Amber Finley has been named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s (IBJ) 2026 Women of Influence class. Finley is among 26 women selected for this year’s class. Now in its 20th year, IBJ’s Women of Influence program recognizes women who have demonstrated professional excellence, leadership, and a strong record of accomplishment in their careers and communities.
Upon taking office in 2024, Lawrence Mayor Deb Whitfield appointed Finley as Corporation Counsel to lead the City’s legal department. “Amber is an invaluable member of my administration,” said Mayor Whitfield. “The City is fortunate to have her. Her legal expertise, thoughtful approach, and commitment to public service are tremendous assets to Lawrence.”
Finley, a seventh-generation Hoosier and native of New Albany, Indiana, earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Tennessee State University and her law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in both Indiana and New York.
After graduating from law school, Finley practiced law in New York City before returning to Indianapolis, where she worked in private practice and later served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Professional Licensing Division of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General. She subsequently worked as an Associate Consultant at Eli Lilly and Company. Before joining the City of Lawrence, Finley served as Associate General Counsel for the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, a municipal corporation.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Finley has held numerous leadership positions in the legal profession and the community. She currently serves as President-Elect of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation and is a member of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Board and the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law Board of Visitors. She is a past president of both the Marion County Bar Association and the Junior League of Indianapolis. Finley also previously served for seven years on the Indiana State Psychology Board.
Finley’s previous honors include the Indiana Lawyer’s Leadership in Law Up and Coming Lawyer Award (2021), the IBJ’s Forty Under 40 Award (2022), Junior Achievement of Central Indiana’s Indy’s Best and Brightest Overall Winner in the Law category (2023), and the Marion County Bar Association Outstanding Service Award (2024). In 2018, she became the youngest person inducted into the New Albany High School Hall of Fame, joining a distinguished group of inductees that includes U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sherman Minton and astronomer Edwin Hubble.
Finley offers this advice to young people: “Remember to reach back. When you can open a door for someone else, do it. Also, build genuine relationships (emphasis on genuine). The relationships you build along the way matter in your career and in life in general.”
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About the City of Lawrence, Indiana
Located northeast of Indianapolis, the City of Lawrence is Indiana’s 20th largest city and home to approximately 50,000 residents. While its military base was decommissioned in 1996, Lawrence has grown into a vibrant community that blends rich history with modern amenities. Under Mayor Deb Whitfield's leadership, the city continues to thrive as a welcoming place to live, work, and play. Learn more at cityoflawrence.org.
