Commitment to a community can take many forms, and Neal Anderson’s commitment to Evansville and the Tri-State area shows in his decision to return to his hometown to start his family and his legal career.
As a native of Evansville, Neal attended Reitz Memorial High School and the University of Evansville, where he double-majored in Criminal Justice and Sociology. While at UE, he served as President of the Sociology Club and Secretary of the Criminal Justice Club, and was one of five students selected to present his senior research paper at the Undergraduate Research Conference at Butler University.
Helping to ensure the legal rights of individuals is important to Neal. While attending the University of South Dakota School of Law, he was actively involved in the Innocence Project of South Dakota, which is staffed by law students who volunteer to investigate claims of innocence raised by inmates at the South Dakota State Penitentiary. The investigation of these claims required review of trial records, interviews with inmates and counsel, and evaluation of evidence used to obtain the conviction. Neal’s work with this program helped to solidify the work ethic he exercises on behalf of his clients.
In the summers between his semesters at law school, Neal returned to Indiana to gain legal experience through internships. He had the honor of serving as summer intern clerk for the Honorable Richard L. Young, Federal District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. The following summer, he interned with the Honorable Melissa S. May, Indiana Court of Appeals, in Indianapolis. During his third year of law school, he was nominated by students and faculty to be the student representative on the Admissions Board for law school admissions.
Following the receipt of his law degree, Neal returned to his hometown and served the legal needs of the Tri-State as an associate attorney with Zoss Law Office for five years, practicing family law, personal injury law, criminal law, and small claims and collections. His experiences throughout law school and as a practicing attorney have helped to shape Neal’s determination to thoroughly represent his clients, and as a member of the Gerling Law team since 2014, he brings a renewed energy and focus to serving the people of Evansville in many capacities.
Neal is married to Melanie Anderson and has two children, Emma and Ethan, and two beloved Shih Tzus named Zoey and Lilly. Neal, as an avid animal lover, is also a current Board member at It Takes a Village, Canine Rescue, located in Evansville, IN.