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Mark Nicholson, J.D. ’08, has published his first book, The Law: From Prison to the Street. The work offers first-hand knowledge and examples of how police and correctional officers violate people’s rights daily, aiming to make readers aware of their legal rights and protections.

Nicholson is a member of the board of directors of the ACLU of Indiana, where he is a longtime volunteer. Nicholson’s path to becoming a lawyer was rough, and the ACLU of Indiana played a positive role. He is a military combat veteran who served in the U.S. Army and National guard. Less than a year after his service he was charged with murder and convicted of voluntary manslaughter. He served 12 years in prison and was homeless after his release. He began volunteering with the ACLU of Indiana, who didn’t realize Nicholson was homeless. Nicholson found help through the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation. He enrolled in law school at IU McKinney, where he made the dean’s list, served as class president, and was voted to represent his evening program classmates as the commencement speaker in 2008. He practices law in Indianapolis and also is a member of the Board of Directors for the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation.

Nicholson was named an Elite Lawyer in 2020 by the Elite Lawyer directory and rating service dedicated to providing a diverse directory of the nation’s most outstanding attorneys. Elite Lawyer awards and recognizes attorneys who have displayed a high level of competence in their practices and have received acknowledgement from their peers, community, bar, and committees. He teaches a course on prison law as an adjunct professor at IU McKinney.