Victoria Bain
Victoria Bain is an Associate Attorney at Weiss, Schmidgall & Hires, P.C. and serves as a Public Defender with Lake County Government in Indiana. After beginning her legal career as a law clerk with the firm during law school, she advanced into her current role, where she focuses her practice on criminal defense, property and consumer disputes, contractual matters, personal injury, and general civil litigation. A significant portion of her work centers on criminal law, where she represents clients through court appearances, client consultations, and jail visits, guiding individuals through some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
Victoria earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Criminology from Valparaiso University, where she was also a Division I student-athlete on the women’s swim team. She later graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and passed the Indiana Bar, continuing her career with the firm that mentored her professional development. Throughout her journey, she has gained extensive litigation experience, including serving as second chair in a defamation trial that was ultimately affirmed on appeal. She is currently working toward murder certification to further expand her capacity to represent clients in serious felony cases.
Raised in a Marine Corps family, Victoria is deeply committed to service and advocacy, particularly for active-duty service members, veterans, and underserved communities. She is passionate about protecting the rule of law and increasing access to justice through both private practice and public defense work. Outside the courtroom, she enjoys traveling, attending concerts, visiting Major League Baseball parks, and spending time with friends and family.
• Licensed Attorney
• Prepare to Practice Certification
• Litigation Research Certification
• Valparaiso University
• Lake County Bar Association
• Criminal Defense Section of Lake County Bar Association
• Pi Sigma Alpha
• Valparaiso University Swimming
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the incredible mentors I've had and the supportive environment at my law firm. I started as a law clerk and they let me do so many things that young attorneys don't typically get to do during my three years of law school. I've been fortunate to learn under partners like Christopher Schmidgall, who took me under his wing on bankruptcy and creditor issues, Amanda Hires, who taught me literally everything I know about criminal law and is just so knowledgeable, patient, and communicative with clients, and Jessica McFeders, one of the best legal writers I've ever met who has taught me so much about the procedural side of things and how we work so well together. I definitely lucked out with these relationships. Beyond that, I value the working relationships I build, both professionally and personally, because in this career your work life does bleed into your personal life and you don't really get to take a step away. You have to build relationships with trust and good communication, and I think the number one value in this career should be those relationships that you build.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It is so important that you stand your ground. This is still a male-dominated field, although I would say the tide is starting to turn, which is great, and it's becoming a little bit more diversified. But you will encounter older attorneys, sometimes even older women attorneys, who just don't have the level of respect that you do deserve. You have the same degree as everybody else working in this field. I think it's very important to speak up for yourself and to stand firm on your beliefs and what you're doing for your clients. That would be my number one piece of advice, is just to stay firm.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is addressing the cultural and systemic barriers that continue to impact criminal justice and legal advocacy work. Navigating these obstacles requires persistence, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to equity. At the same time, I see meaningful opportunities in the growing public awareness around reform, expanded education initiatives, and a stronger collective focus on increasing access to justice and support for underserved communities.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value my working relationships and my relationships in general, both in my personal life and as an attorney. I think a lot of times your work life does bleed into your personal life in this career because you don't really get to take a step away. So you have to build relationships with trust and good communication, and I think the number one value in this career should be those relationships that you build. Beyond professional relationships, I was a college athlete, so I still enjoy working out and staying active. I have a dog who keeps me busy, and I love sports in general. What really matters to me is being able to help people during what might be the worst day of their life, and knowing that I practiced under really good defense attorneys who taught me how to navigate those hard times means a lot to me.