Biography

Perry’s legal career spans about five decades, starting in 1978. After 27 years as an attorney with Haller and Colvin.  Perry started Shilts Law Office, solely to provide high quality family law representation.

Perry’s career had many highlights. Perry was Northeast Indiana’s representative (Third District) to the Family Law Section of the Indiana State Bar Association from 1996 to 2003. During those seven years, he served as the editor of the statewide Family Law Section’s newsletter, “Family Matters.” Locally, he was a member of the Allen County Family Law Section’s Executive Committee from 1992 to 2003 and served as Chairman of that Committee for two years. He was also the editor of the Allen County Family Law Section’s newsletter, “Domestic Help,” from its creation in 1994 to 2003.

Over the years, Perry has been a speaker on a number of family law topics, locally and on the state level, including two state presentations on “The ABC’s and XYZ’s of Qualified Domestic Relations Orders” and “Settlement, Mediation, and Trial.” Perry has been elected a Fellow of the Indiana Bar Foundation, a program established to honor and reward members of the State Bar Association for outstanding work and service to the legal profession and community. Perry received and has maintained Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating (AV) since 1993, based on the opinions of fellow attorneys and in 2009 was included in the listing of Indiana Super Lawyers in the family law area.

Perry’s philosophy in divorce representation is simple and akin to the medical profession’s Hippocratic Oath, “Above all, do no harm!” An attorney’s representation and advocacy should not make any case worse than it was before his or her involvement, especially if children are involved. Perry emphasizes the benefits of well-reasoned, timely settlements. Litigation is sometimes necessary, but Perry stresses it should be a last resort after all settlement options are exhausted. Finally, if litigation is required, Perry strives to use his 40 years of experience to present the issues to the Court in a manner designed to achieve the best possible result.

Since the addition of Michael Setlak and associate attorneys, Perry has directed the law firm’s efforts to maintain the highest standard of representation for each client regardless of the attorney providing the service on the issue involved. This effort to maintain quality is built upon Perry’s emphasis that every attorney have the strongest foundation possible through knowledge of the laws of Indiana and knowledge, either individual or collective, of applying those laws to the facts as presented by each client.

Perry has been driven through the years to help families in Northeastern Indiana proceed through difficult times. In late 2024, after the unexpected passing of his dear friend and legal assistant of over 30 years, Gretel, Perry ceased active client representation and providing litigation services.  Perry now supports the attorneys of Shilts & Setlak, LLC as the firm continues its tradition of helping.