Advancing strategic impact and government affairs for Indiana's leading organizations
With a focus on strategic planning, coalition building, and targeted communication, we deliver customized solutions that protect and enhance organizational value. Clients choose our firm for the same reason they choose specialized legal counsel: personalized service ensures each client receives the attention and expertise needed to achieve their advocacy goals.
Government Affairs And Strategic Consulting
Our firm navigates market and non-market forces to advance legislative initiatives in today's dynamic political landscape. Whether you are entering a legislative session, facing a regulatory challenge, or building a sustained policy presence in Indiana — we are prepared to represent your interests with the full force of our expertise and relationships.
Government Affairs & Lobbying
- Coalition building
Bridging diverse stakeholders to advance shared legislative and policy goals across Indiana and beyond.
- Legislative advocacy
Protecting your interests through targeted, strategic engagement with policymakers at every level of government.
- Strategic communications
Messaging that resonates — crafted for the audiences that matter most to your mission and community.
- External affairs strategy
Positioning your organization to lead — not react — in shifting political and regulatory environments.
Strategic Consulting
- Public sector process consulting
Identifying and closing operational gaps in government systems so communities can be served better.
- Civic education
Empowering communities, schools, and leaders to engage meaningfully in civic life.
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Looking deeper? Our public sector practice closes the operational gaps that hold governments back.
See how we help governments
Advancing your interests at the Statehouse
Operating across multiple industries, we leverage cross-sector intelligence to deliver customized solutions that protect and enhance the value of our clients.
- 01Legislative strategy
We analyze the legislative landscape before sessions begin, identify risk and opportunity, and build the political architecture needed to advance or defend your interests at the Statehouse.
- 02Coalition & alliance building
We identify the strategic partners whose alignment amplifies your position and bring them to the table.
- 03Public affairs & narrative building
The most effective policy campaigns are backed by a compelling public narrative. We develop and execute communications strategies that shape how your position is understood inside and outside the chamber.
- 04Long-range policy planning
We think beyond the current session. As counsel for organizations whose interests run deeper than one legislative cycle, we develop multi-year policy roadmaps, emerging regulatory threat assessments, and proactive positioning.
- 05Regulatory affairs
Agency rulemaking, formal comment, permit proceedings, and administrative advocacy — we engage the full regulatory process.
Closing the gaps that hold governments back
Government entities must uphold public trust — not just with intent. We work alongside public sector leaders to assess where systems fall short and build people and processes that in turn raise institutional capacity.
- 01Process gap assessment across departments
A systematic review of where workflows break down, bottlenecks form, and services fall short of resident expectations.
- 02Resident services delivery audit
Evaluating how effectively government agencies reach and serve the people they’re designed to support.
- 03Staff development & capacity building
Training and developing government personnel so teams operate with greater confidence, clarity, and cohesion.
- 04Policy alignment & communication strategy
Ensuring that internal policies are clearly communicated and consistently applied across departments.
- 05Competency frameworks for leadership
Equipping leaders to serve communities with understanding, trust, and accountability.
Architects of culture. Builders of people.
Three ideas guide our public sector strategies.
Design the culture
We have the power to be the architects of what culture looks like in the companies and communities we serve — and we act on that responsibly.
Raise understanding
When people truly understand a system — its history, its gaps, its potential — they hold it to higher standards. That’s how lasting change begins.
Build people first
Organizations and systems only function as well as the people inside them. We invest in human capacity so institutions can fulfill their true purpose.
Rooted in public service. Driven by results.
Chaka Coleman
Managing Principal
Chaka built a diverse career spanning law, public service, and regulatory advocacy. Her career began in the private sector where she helped clients navigate complex regulatory challenges. Chaka also dedicated several years to public service, serving as Deputy City Clerk for one of Indianapolis’s fastest-growing suburbs and as a bailiff in the state’s largest criminal court system. Her experience across government and the private sector uniquely positions her to bridge policy, business, and community interests. She later joined a mid-size business and real estate litigation firm in Carmel, where she strengthened her legal expertise and strategic insight.
Beyond her professional work, Chaka is deeply engaged in her community. A mother of five, she has served on the Carmel Plan Commission and the Carmel Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations. She serves on the IU McKinney Black Alumni Council, which promotes access and opportunity within the legal profession and she also serves as Treasurer of the Board for the Bishop Joseph D. Farris Senior Living Center, providing quality housing for seniors on Indianapolis' east side.
A graduate of both the Hamilton County Leadership Academy and the Richard G. Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series, Chaka is committed to empowering women leaders and advancing effective, common-sense policy solutions. In her spare time, she enjoys contributing to The Indiana Lawyer, mentoring law students, and engaging in civic initiatives that strengthen the community.
Memberships:
- Indianapolis Bar Association
- Bar Leader Class XXII
- Government Affairs Society of Indiana
- National Black Professional Lobbyist Association
Ralph Durrett, Jr.
Vice President, Community Engagement
Ralph Durrett, Jr. served as the first Chief Violence Prevention Officer for the City of Indianapolis where he led initiatives centered on violence prevention, community empowerment, and youth development. A graduate of the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Ralph also holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Indiana University Indianapolis. During law school, he facilitated courses in civics, law, and government for students at Arsenal Technical High School, empowering young people to recognize the importance of civic engagement and social responsibility. He also works closely with juvenile and community coalitions, helping shape perspectives and understanding of social and cultural systems.
Before his appointment as Chief Violence Prevention Officer, Ralph managed land acquisition, design and construction of capital projects for the City of Indianapolis, overseeing complex initiatives from planning through completion. His multidisciplinary expertise continues to inform strategic work in mental health and violence prevention and reduction, while addressing the social determinants that shape individual and community wellbeing.
Ralph lives in Indianapolis with his family. He and his wife, a social worker with expertise in therapy and clinical research, share a deep passion for improving mental health and strengthening communities. Together, they serve as mentors and advocates through several local programs dedicated to empowering youth and families.
Our mission is to educate and empower the full stakeholder ecosystem on the value of investing in and committing to the advancement of Hoosier communities.
Ready to architect something better?
Whether you lead a government agency, an organization, or a community — let’s find the time to build towards the future.