Welcome to our new Associate Joseph T. Lipps
Joe was born at the “old” Reid Hospital, and raised right here in Richmond, Indiana. Graduating from Richmond High School in 2001, he joined the Marine Corps on his 19th birthday, just weeks prior to the 9/11 events. During his enlistment, Joe completed two combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as an Infantry Marine. During the invasion of Iraq, Joe was a part of the “tip of the spear” and in Afghanistan, he fought in combat operations in the Kunar Province.
Following his service in the Marines, Joe attended undergraduate studies in North Carolina, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Arts degree in Political Science. While in Wilmington, Joe played rugby for Cape Fear Rugby and surfed in his free time, although due to working for a personal injury law firm, doing every minute thing a small firm requires, did not allow for much free time.
From there, Joe attended Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, FL, interning and volunteered in the community extensively during his law school career. One of those opportunities included writing wills, healthcare, and other estate planning instruments for US Navy reservists. Additionally, he interned with Liberty Mutual and spent a semester learning to litigate title and mortgage cases. As part of his International Law certificate requirements, he also traveled to Grand Cayman Island and participated in mock trial events at the Cayman Islands’ Truman Bodden Law School.
After graduating from Coastal Law, Joe was admitted to the Florida bar, where he immediately began a career as a criminal prosecutor, prosecuting dozens of crimes, including 10-20-Life gun crimes. He gained extensive courtroom trial experience. Following his time as an Assistant State Attorney, Joe worked in a large, Florida-wide plaintiff’s law firm, covering a wide range of personal injury cases.
Joe then moved his family back to Richmond and recently worked as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Wayne County, again prosecuting a wide range of higher-level felony crimes.
Joe spends his free time with his wife and daughters. While Joe is admittedly “bookish”, they really bring him out of his comfort zone! You can catch them enjoying plays at RCT and symphony music, playing golf together, and walking their two dogs, Gypsy (the sweetest Labrador on the planet) and Jack-Jack (a schnauzer puppy, adopted at the HELP shelter). His limited free time is spent helping the community as well, such as his role as a board member of Wayne County’s Girls, Inc. Joe’s wife, Hannah, is a mental health counsellor in our community and trying to gain enough experience to figure Joe out as well!
Joe began serving our clients in 2021. Whether he is assessing your case, advising you on possible causes of action, or negotiating on your behalf, in our law firm Joe will fight for you. With Joe’s history of fighting in combat or the courtroom, we welcome him and know you will recognize the brilliance in our decision to bring him in to fight for you.
