Staff

Eric Abel

A 1967 graduate of Schulte High School, Eric Abel was graduated from Indiana State University and the University of Tulsa College of Law. Between 1979 and 1987, Eric Abel served Vigo County as the elected prosecuting attorney, adding another layer of depth to his experience and making him adept at family law issues where criminal behavior has been involved. Socially, Eric Abel has served on the board of directors of the local community theater for 11 years.

Laura Palmer

Secretary/Bookkeeper

Laura moved to the Terre Haute, Indiana area in 1986 and has lived in the surrounding area ever since. She has worked in the legal profession since 1988, wherein she has had 15 years experience as a legal secretary, 7 years as a paralegal and 2 years as a case manager. Before coming to work at Abel Law, Inc. she primarily worked in the fields of personal injury and workmen’s compensation.

As secretary/bookkeeper with Abel Law, Inc. Laura performs numerous tasks such as the opening of new files, preparing initial and subsequent pleadings for filing with the Court; correspondence with clients, attorneys and courts; transcription; scheduling of court hearings, mediations and depositions; as well as billing clients and all aspects of bookkeeping.

In Laura’s spare time she enjoys birding, gardening, and photography; and just about anything to do with nature.

Beth Dowden

Paralegal

Beth was born in Springfield, Missouri and was raised primarily in Indiana. After graduating high school in 1984 in Terre Haute, Indiana, she attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri where she obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Secretarial Administration. Beth then moved to Wichita, Kansas and in 1989 began work as a legal assistant at the law firm of Lyon & Phillips and has been serving the legal community since that time. From Wichita, Kansas, Beth eventually moved closer to family and lived in Indianapolis, Indiana where she worked for a short time as a legal secretary/receptionist at the downtown law firm of Foley & Poole. When she met her husband in Terre Haute, Indiana, Beth moved from Indianapolis and continued her legal assistant career with the law firm of Brames, Abel & Oldham in 1993. When Eric Abel became a sole practitioner in 1996, Beth continued her position as legal assistant for Mr. Abel, whose practice was primarily that of family law. Although Beth moved on to pursue a career in the “corporate world” for a time, she eventually returned to the Abel Law Firm and with her 22 years of legal assistant experience, has now moved into the position of paralegal for Eric Abel.

As paralegal with Abel Law, Inc., Beth is responsible for always “staying a step ahead of Mr. Abel” in his family law practice by performing the tasks of legal research, discovery preparation and responses, meeting with clients, preparation of asset/debt schedules and preparation of QDROs and COAPs, or, simply stated, whatever needs to be completed before and after Mr. Abel and his client go to court. Beth applies her legal experience and her empathy for clients' situations to ultimately ensure that a successful outcome is reached for every client with as little stress as possible. Beth is an active member of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Paris, Illinois and enjoys singing, taking walks out in the country where she lives, traveling, being a “soccer mom” for her daughter and overall just spending time at home with her family.