ANGOLA — A lifelong area resident, Marylyn Ernsberger of Ernsberger and Helmer, Attorneys at Law, knew from a young age she wanted to become an attorney.

The year 2019 marked 10 years in practice, working in counties all over northeast Indiana.

In her early 20’s, she knew she wasn’t yet ready to commit to law school, however, so she waited until her children got into school to start.

“My husband was extremely supportive,” she said.

She holds a bachelor of science degree in political science from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and received her law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.

She spent 10 years running her own small business. It’s her small business and life experience she says give her a benefit in her law practice.

“Having a small business has helped me with my firm because the firm can be like running a small business,” Ernsberger said. “I couldn’t do it without my extremely wonderful staff.”

Before she and her firm partner, R. Larry Helmer began their firm, Ernsberger worked at Eberhard and Wimer and with Allen Stout.

“I was fortunate to learn from both places,” she said.

Her partnership with Larry, she said, is a great one. Offices are located in Angola and LaGrange and don’t close for lunch, she said. They also always willing to make sure they are available for a client that needs them.

“We will go the extra mile for our clients,” she said.

Ernsberger said fellow Angola attorneys Patricia Martin and Latriealle Wheat have been great mentors and positive influences for her.

She focuses her practice in the areas of family law, estate planning, guardianship, real estate transactions and civil litigation including personal injury and wrongful death as well as mediation.

She also serves as the current president of the Steuben County Bar Association President, a position she’s held for a couple of years now. She has previously served on the Steuben County Community Foundation Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the Steuben County Literacy Coalition.