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Magistrate Judge Denise LaRue, ’89, a cum laude graduate of IU McKinney, passed away on August 2. She was a magistrate judge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, a post she had held since 2011. She was 59 years old.

An Indianapolis native, Judge LaRue received her bachelor of science degree from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington, and worked as a salaried intern at the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board during her undergraduate studies. She worked in the employment relations area for several years before attending law school.

“The McKinney Law family joins the entire legal community in mourning the passing of Judge Denise LaRue,” said IU McKinney Dean Andrew R. Klein.” Judge LaRue was a role model for all of us. She cared about the future of the profession and our students. She will be deeply missed.”

Judge LaRue worked as a staff attorney at the Indiana Civil Rights Commission after graduation. She then entered private practice at the law firm that became known as Haskin & LaRue in 1994; she was named partner two years later.

Judge LaRue served on the board of directors of the Indiana Minority Health Coalition, and was a life member of the Marion County Bar Association, and a Master with the Indianapolis American Inn of Court. She also served on the Local Rules Advisory Committee and Pro Bono Committee for the Southern District of Indiana. She was also a member of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association, 7th Circuit Bar Association and a Master with the Indianapolis American Inn of Court (President 2014-2016). She received the Indianapolis Bar Association’s Antionette Dakin Leach Award in 2007 from the Women in Law Division. Judge LaRue also was a member of the IU McKinney Board of Visitors.

Visitation will take place August 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, where Judge LaRue had been a member for more than 50 years. Visitation will also take place from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the funeral service on August 12, also at the church, which is located at 5136 Michigan Road in Indianapolis.