Dakota Coates is an associate at Ice Miller in the Litigation and Data, Security, and Privacy Groups.
 
Dakota graduated, magna cum laude, from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law with a minor in education policy. While in law school, he served as vice president of the Student Bar Association. Additionally, he was president, vice president, and a Maurer representative for Indiana University’s Graduate and Professional Student Government. Dakota also served as the Chairman of the IU All University Student Association, where he worked with the IU Student Trustee to advise the IU Board of Trustees on student affairs issues. Throughout these roles, Dakota was heavily involved in the redrafting of IU Bloomington’s Title IX policies, the creation of an array of COVID-19 procedures, revising student health and wellness programming, and promoting student rights. Dakota was a key player in the expansion of Indiana University’s food security initiatives, including being a co-founder of the Emergency Meal Project, which has provided thousands of free meals to food insecure students and their families in the Bloomington area.
 
During law school, Dakota was also active in the Sherman Minton and Philip C. Jessup Moot Court competitions, and he continues to serve as a judge for various Moot Court competitions.
 
Prior to joining Ice Miller, Dakota was a research extern for the Indiana Legislative Services Agency where he assisted with the legislative drafting and review process. Additionally, he served as a research assistant to a multi-discipline collection of faculty across IU's campus, performing research on an array of fields including corporate/political ethics, higher education due process law, Title IX, judicial independence, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
 
Dakota graduated, with distinction, from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Business in information systems and law, ethics and decision making, as well as a minor in political science. During his undergrad, Dakota served as the President and Vice President of Internal Affairs for the Residence Hall Association, where he lead the process to reorient the student activity fee and advised Residential Program & Services Leadership on matters related to sustainability, international student housing, and more.
 
Outside the office, Dakota is heavily involved in food security efforts throughout Indiana and is an ardent advocate of expanding the state’s first-generation college student support programs. His interests also include film criticism, musicals, event planning, teaching, and politics.