About John
A trusted adviser and passionate advocate, John Maley is skilled in advocating before trial and appellate judges, juries and mediators who rely upon his assessment of the case at hand. Whether on attack or defense, John’s understanding of diverse industries and the sophisticated legal issues that permeate complex disputes is at the core of his success as a litigator and trial attorney.John regularly represents publicly traded and private companies in regional and national litigation, trials and on appeal, and advises and represents leading universities in higher education issues and dispute resolution. He also frequently serves as special litigation counsel to the state of Indiana and advises local governments.He has deep trial experience in multiple jurisdictions, including as a pro bono deputy prosecutor and as court-appointed trial counsel.John has served as lead counsel in appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court, Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Court of Appeals, Ohio Court of Appeals, Ohio Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Appeals, Arizona Court of Appeals and Arizona Supreme Court, and in Pennsylvania appellate courts. He also has handled appeals in several federal courts of appeals, including in the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh circuits. John has successfully concluded multiple complex trials and appeals, including prosecuting and defending cases with nine-figure damages and appearing in more than 25 jurisdictions as lead counsel.John has published numerous articles on federal practice and is the author of the Appellate Handbook for Indiana Lawyers. He lectures frequently on federal civil practice, noncompete and employment matters.John is married to Vivian Maley, CEO of the Joseph Maley Foundation, named in honor of their son, Joseph, who passed in 2008; they have four other boys.
A trusted adviser and passionate advocate, John Maley is skilled in advocating before trial and appellate judges, juries and mediators who rely upon his assessment of the case at hand. Whether on attack or defense, John’s understanding of diverse industries and the sophisticated legal issues that permeate complex disputes is at the core of his success as a litigator and trial attorney.
John regularly represents publicly traded and private companies in regional and national litigation, trials and on appeal, and advises and represents leading universities in higher education issues and dispute resolution. He also frequently serves as special litigation counsel to the state of Indiana and advises local governments.
He has deep trial experience in multiple jurisdictions, including as a pro bono deputy prosecutor and as court-appointed trial counsel.
John has served as lead counsel in appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court, Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Court of Appeals, Ohio Court of Appeals, Ohio Supreme Court, Michigan Court of Appeals, Arizona Court of Appeals and Arizona Supreme Court, and in Pennsylvania appellate courts. He also has handled appeals in several federal courts of appeals, including in the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth and Eleventh circuits. John has successfully concluded multiple complex trials and appeals, including prosecuting and defending cases with nine-figure damages and appearing in more than 25 jurisdictions as lead counsel.
John has published numerous articles on federal practice and is the author of the Appellate Handbook for Indiana Lawyers. He lectures frequently on federal civil practice, noncompete and employment matters.
John is married to Vivian Maley, CEO of the Joseph Maley Foundation, named in honor of their son, Joseph, who passed in 2008; they have four other boys.
Practice Areas
Awards & Recognition
- Lawyer of the Year: Employment Law - Management, Indianapolis (2026)
- Lawyer of the Year: Trade Secrets Law, Indianapolis (2026)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Banking and Finance, Indianapolis (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Labor and Employment, Indianapolis (2025)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Indianapolis (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Indianapolis (2024)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Antitrust, Indianapolis (2022)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Labor and Employment, Indianapolis (2019)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Indianapolis (2018)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Indianapolis (2015)
- Lawyer of the Year: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Indianapolis (2014)
- Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Indianapolis (2013)
- Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Labor and Employment, Indianapolis (2012)
- Lawyer of the Year: Bet-the-Company Litigation, Indianapolis (2009)
- Recognized: Antitrust Law
- Recognized: Appellate Practice
- Recognized: Bet-the-Company Litigation
- Recognized: Commercial Litigation
- Recognized: Employment Law - Management
- Recognized: Litigation - Antitrust
- Recognized: Litigation - Banking and Finance
- Recognized: Litigation - Labor and Employment
- Recognized: Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
- Recognized: Trade Secrets Law
- Special Focus: Appellate
- Special Focus: Civil Litigation
- Special Focus: Class Actions
- Special Focus: Complex Litigation
- Special Focus: Contract Disputes
- Special Focus: Covenants Not to Compete
- Special Focus: Defendants
- Special Focus: Defense
- Special Focus: Electronic Discovery
- Special Focus: Fiduciary Duties
- Special Focus: Labor and Employment
- Special Focus: Litigation
- Special Focus: Management
- Special Focus: Non-Compete
- Special Focus: Product Liability
- Special Focus: Title VII Litigation
- Special Focus: Trade Secrets
- Who’s Who in Indianapolis Law
- Who’s Who in American Law
- Benchmark Litigation, Indiana Litigation Stars
- Chambers USA, 2009-2018
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2007-2019; Lawyer of the Year, 2009, 2012-2015, 2018 and 2019
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2004-2019
- Fellow, Indianapolis Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Indiana Bar Foundation
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers