Merrillville, IN

Kenneth J. Allen

Kenneth J. Allen is a principal at Allen Law Group, specializing in serious personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He has appeared as counsel in over 100 trials and published appellate court decisions, with cases recognized among the country’s 'Top 10 Verdicts'. Mr. Allen is a 30-year member of the Carpenter’s Union and has worked in various trades.

Barry D. Rooth

Barry D. Rooth (1957-2025) was a founding partner of the Merrillville, Indiana law firm of Theodoros & Rooth, P.C. During his life, he garnered over 20 years of experience in plaintiffs’ medical malpractice litigation. He received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1979 and his Juris Doctor from the Valparaiso School of Law in 1982. Mr. Rooth was a member of the Lake County Bar Association, the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and the Illinois Bar Association. Barry D. Rooth was licensed to practice in both Indiana and Illinois.

Leon Sarkisian

For more than 30 years, Leon Sarkisian has helped protect the rights of injured people, their families and the families of those who have lost loved ones as a result of the negligence of others. He received his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in 1978, graduating with honors, and graduated cum laude from the Indiana University Mauer School of Law in 1981. He is rated by Martindale-Hubbell as 'AV Preeminent' and by Super Lawyers as an 'Indiana Super Lawyer'. Leon is also a Lifetime Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Tom Blackburn

Blackburn Romey founding partner Tom Blackburn graduated with honors receiving a degree from Indiana University at the Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He was awarded cum laude status in 1977 when he graduated. He is currently admitted to practice law at the United States Courts of Appeals Seventh Circuit, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, the U.S. District Courts in Northern and Southern districts of Indiana in addition to all state courts in Indiana. Since 1977, he has been active in practicing law and currently serves as a member of the Indiana State Bar Association on the Ethics and Advertising Committees, the American Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, as a board member at the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, and as an appointed member of the Executive Committee for the State of Indiana for the National Trial Lawyers Association. The National Trial Lawyers Association has named Tom as one of the Top 100 trial lawyers across Indiana. In addition, he has been named an Indiana Super Lawyer and was also awarded the distinction of being a top lawyer for personal injury and wrongful death in Fort Wayne by Professional Research Services. From Martindale-Hubbell, he has received the AV preeminent certification. Furthermore, he has received distinction as a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-million Dollar Advocates Forum. Tom was named a Top Lawyer by Ft. Wayne and Indianapolis Monthly Magazines and received the “2018 Ten Best Personal Injury Attorneys” designation from the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. The certification from Martindale-Hubbell is achieved by fewer than 5% of all lawyers. Furthermore, he serves as a lifetime charter member of the Best Attorneys of America under RUE ratings. Previously, Tom served as a law firm partner, general practitioner and deputy prosecuting attorney. While working as a partner in a law firm, he focused his practice on insurance defense law. Since 1985, his practice has been exclusively limited to personal injury and wrongful death law.

Robert F. Parker

Bob is an Of Counsel attorney at BCC. He is a 1974 honors graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He received his law degree with honors from Indiana University in Bloomington in 1977. Bob is admitted to practice before the Indiana Supreme Court, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, the Northern District of Illinois, the District of Colorado, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. His memberships include the American Bar Association, Lake County Bar Association, and the Indiana State Bar Association, where he has served three terms on the Board of Governors, and has previously served as Chairman of the Young Lawyers Section and Counsel to the President. In addition, Mr. Parker is a former President of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana, having been honored as its Defense Lawyer of the Year in 1998. He is also a member of the Defense Research Institute, receiving DRI’s “Exceptional Performance Award” in 2003. Bob is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers as well as the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, two of the most exclusive and prestigious “invitation only” organizations for trial attorneys. He has been named a Diplomat of the Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana. He has previously served as an adjunct professor of law at the Valparaiso University School of Law, where he taught courses in Pretrial Skills and Trial Practice. Bob is resident in the firm’s Merrillville office, and his practice is concentrated in commercial, professional liability, and personal injury litigation. After 40 seasons officiating college and high school football, Bob now spends his Friday nights during the Fall observing and evaluating officials for the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

Daniel A. Gioia

Daniel A. Gioia was born in Bellerose, New York. His parents were both born and raised in New York City. He practices Dispute Resolution as an experienced Family Law Mediator and Civil Case Mediator. Dan is a member of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators, and the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. He has served previously at the request of the Indiana Supreme Court, on the Joint Task Force for Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules, and the Domestic Relations Focus Groups for Family Law Mediation, which were responsible for recommending revisions in the Rules and Procedures of the Indiana Supreme Court as well as the Indiana Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules. Dan has also served as a Law Professor and an invited participant with the Indiana Bar Association Conclave’s for Legal Education in 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2011: an effort which convened the Deans and Faculty from all of Indiana’s law schools; and Judges from all levels of the Judiciary; and select influential Attorney Practitioners and Members of the Bar; to study and improve all aspects of legal education for all members of the legal profession. He previously served as Adjunct Faculty of the Valparaiso University School of Law where he taught the course on Medical Malpractice Liability from 1999 to 2020 when the school closed. He also serves regularly as a presenter for C.L.E. in the areas of Medical Malpractice; Legal Malpractice; Law - Medicine & Medical Bio-Ethics; and he also moderated the Lake County Bar Association’s Medical Bio-Ethics Seminar in 2004. Dan served as the President of the Lake County Bar Association in 1990; and he served as the President of the Calumet American Inns of Court in 2002 & 2003. Dan’s day-to-day practice includes serving quite often as the Chairman of Indiana’s Medical Review Panels for the Indiana Department of Insurance in Indianapolis. He served as a member of the Board of Managers of the Lake County Bar Association from 1986 to 1990; and again in 2009. He is also a member of the Indiana State Bar Association, and was previously a member of the American Association for Justice. Dan is a past-president of the Indiana Supreme Court Commission for Continuing Legal Education; having completed two three-year terms with the C.L.E. Commission. In 1996, he served as Chair & Moderator of: “Teaching Techniques for the 21st Century”, a Seminar for all Indiana C.L.E. providers, sponsored by the Indiana Supreme Court and its Commission for Continuing Legal Education. Dan has also been a member of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics since 2004. He participates annually, since 1985, as an invited Guest & Lecturer at the week-long Medical-Legal Course taught by M.B. Segal, M.D., J.D., a mandatory requirement for all graduating Resident Medical Students in Emergency Medicine at the University of Chicago. He has been honored and selected as a Super Lawyer in the field of Dispute Resolution, each year since 2015; and he has been rated A-V Pre-eminent by Martindale Hubbell since the early 1980’s.

Chad Romey

Blackburn Romey Fort Wayne office is home to attorney Chad Romey. He originally received a cum laude BS Accounting degree in 1998 from Manchester College and one year later received a Master of Accountancy degree. He graduated in 2002 from the University of Virginia School of Law. Following his graduation from law school, he worked in Atlanta, obtaining experience from one of the biggest law firms in the world, Greenberg Traurig LLP. He currently serves as a member of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association and the Indiana State Bar Association. He has also been named one of the top 10 under 40 personal injury attorneys in Indiana, an award given to him by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys, Inc. He currently maintains licenses to practice in Georgia as well as in Indiana and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Northern and Southern District Courts and all state courts in Indiana. In 2012, he was recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the top 40 Under 40.