Posey County attorneys open new firm ‘to give back’

By Dave Pearce
There will be a new shingle hanging on Mount Vernon’s Main Street this week. Mount Vernon attorneys Trent Van Haaften and Adam Farrar have decided to open their own law practice in the 200 block of Main Street. The two attorneys, Van Haaften a Mount Vernon High School graduate and Farrar, a graduate of North Posey, hope to blend their talents and put themselves into a position to help their friends in Posey County.
“One of the things I have always wanted to be was a small town lawyer in a position to help folks in the community, whatever their problem may be” said Van Haaften, who served as Posey County’s Prosecutor before moving on to the State House as State Representative. “I have been fortunate in the past to do that, to a certain degree, as a prosecutor and then as an elected official.”
But Van Haaften said he and Farrar complement each other extremely well in their areas of expertise and it just seemed like the right time and the right fit for the two to step out.
“We have practiced in the same firm now for seven years and throughout that time, we both emphasized the need to give back to the community,” Van Haaften said of himself and his partner. “Now that we are starting our own firm, we want to continue helping the people of Posey County with their legal needs. We mesh well together. I have gained most of my experience in the courtroom while Adam has concentrated more in the areas of real estate, oil and gas, and business assistance. Our two personalities as well as our areas of expertise should go together very well.”
Both attorneys will leave another firm that has an office in Mount Vernon when they open the doors to their new practice on December 1. Both attorneys are making a concerted effort to advance in technology and take advantage of paperless technology available, allowing costs to be cut and overhead to be reduced.
“Bamberger (Foreman, Oswald, and Hahn) has been a great place to work and is full of good people,” Van Haaften said of the duo’s present employer. “But it is one thing to be among the group and is another to try to make your own mark. It is something I have been thinking about that over the past few months and here with the new year about to begin, it just seemed like the right time.”
Van Haaften emphasized that this will be an opportunity for him and Farrar to be able to help people who have helped them throughout their lives. But Van Haaften is no stranger to being in the public eye. And while Farrar does much of his work behind the scenes, the pair seem perfectly willing to work on building a small business together.
“I think having your name on the door is every bit as much in the public eye as an elected official,” Van Haaften said. “We are making a commitment to Mount Vernon and to Posey County in terms of where we have decided to locate. I think this is the same type of commitment shown in the past in the political arena.”
The office will be located on the first floor of the building at 201 Main Street in Mount Vernon and the attorneys are thrilled about the location, near the river and near the new, big plans for Mount Vernon.
“We are very excited about the location because I can look out the window and see the river. And with the plans for retail and residential building downtown, you can feel we are at a tipping point in turning the downtown around,” Vanhaaften said. “The riverfront has changed so quickly and greatly so it is just exciting to be there and hopefully be there as the big changes occur.”
“We’re looking back to the opportunity to give back, more than anything,” VanHaaften stressed. “We are looking forward to being a part of the Posey County community from a business standpoint. We feel very blessed and fortunate to have this opportunity.”
Van Haaften is the son of David and Dolores Van Haaften and is married to Beverly (Corn) Van Haaften, all of Mount Vernon.
Farrar is the son of Ron and Theresa Farrar of Cynthiana.
After graduating from the Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Farrar aspired to return to Posey County to establish his practice.
“While both Trent and I have spent the bulk of our careers working in Posey County, the fact is we are leaving positions with the largest law firm in this region, so there will definitely be a period of adjustment,” Farrar recognizes. “We will be facing new challenges in the coming years, but we’re excited to tackle them together. Ultimately, we think the new firm will not only help us achieve our professional goals, but it will also help us better serve our clients.”
Farrar is proud of his involvement in the Posey County Community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Posey County Economic Development Partnership, the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana, and 21st Century Leadership of Posey County. He also serves as Poultry Superintendant at the Posey County 4-H Fair.
Adam lives just outside New Harmony, where he keeps a small flock of poultry and enjoys life in rural Posey County.
According to the Facebook Page of the firm, Van Haaften & Farrar is a full-service community law firm located in Posey County and serving all of Southwest Indiana. Our attorneys represent the families, businesses, and local governments of the area, whether large or small, with broad knowledge and experience in the areas of the law affecting their clients. Our attorneys use the value of hard work and personal commitment instilled in them by their Posey County upbringings to diligently serve their clients and their interests. Whether it is in the courtroom or at the bargaining table, the attorneys at Van Haaften & Farrar bring a common sense approach to the law, focusing on solution-oriented planning and execution for all their clients. The company website is http://www.vhflawyers.com
You may reach the firm by calling 812-838-1400.