UAW attorney receives distinguished alumni award

Thursday, April 29, 2010

KOKOMO, Ind. – In 1978 when Annette Rush graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science, little did she know the time invested at Indiana University Kokomo would one day lead her to prepare a case to be argued before the United States Supreme Court.

It was the foundation of her education at IU Kokomo that steered her toward obtaining a law degree from IU School of Law – Indianapolis. Upon graduation, she found her niche in the United Auto Workers Legal Services for Chrysler employees in Kokomo.

It is this dedication to the legal arena that has earned Rush the distinction of being named the recipient of the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU Kokomo Alumni Association. She will be honored at the annual Cream and Crimson dinner on Saturday, May 1, in Alumni Hall.

"I have been reminiscing a lot about my years at IU Kokomo, which was a great benefit to me being a mother of two young boys when I moved to Howard County with my husband," said Rush, managing attorney for the organization that offers legal assistance to Chrysler, General Motors, and other UAW employees "The professors there gave so much of their own time outside of the classroom. They are unbelievable in what they did – giving so much of themselves. This award is, in a way, a credit to them."

Rush began working in the Kokomo UAW legal office in 1981, where assistance is provided for routine matters such as drafting a will, but then also includes consumer protection like credit problems, bankruptcy procedures, warranty claims, and all areas of litigation, discovery, and depositions.

In 2002, she and colleague Rebecca Harper prepared a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case involving the amount of interest creditors were entitled to receive in consumer bankruptcies. In May 2004, the Court ruled on behalf of their argument – stating that a formula approach to determining interest rates – much lower than the 21 percent demanded in this case – is an appropriate method for determining an adequate rate for this type of loan. This decision means more individuals will be able to retain their property and pay reasonable fixed bankruptcy interest – ultimately saving consumers millions of dollars.

"I think my motivation has been the tremendous opportunities I have had as a lawyer without billing them," said Rush. "We have the ability to make a difference and not create further hardships for our clients who are already having a hard time paying the bills."

Even with the downsizing of the local auto industry, Rush says their services are still in high demand.

"We have a lot of families facing difficulties as a result of economic problems," she said. "We have remained available to these people to represent them."

Indiana University Kokomo serves a seven county, primary service area in north central Indiana. The campus offers more than 40 academic programs including four graduate degrees.

"Celebrating 10,000 graduates with 10,000 Degrees of Excellence!"