Bruce Donaldson spent nearly 40 years practicing law, the last 32 at a large, national Am Law 100 firm based in Indianapolis. Over the course of his law career, he worked in the areas of real estate, civil litigation, corporate, employee benefits, municipal finance, and public-private partnerships. Bruce also has represented clients on a pro bono basis in the criminal justice system. Bruce retired from his law practice at the end of 2023 and turned his attention to a call to chaplaincy that he felt drawn to a few years prior to his retirement.
Since retiring Bruce has been trained and licensed as a chaplain with the International Fellowship of Chaplains. He also has been ordained as a lay minister for this work by his local church. He serves on the board of directors of the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic in Indianapolis, where he also provides spiritual care to the attorneys, staff and clients at the clinic.
Bruce understands through first-hand experience how challenging and stressful working in the legal profession can be. Beyond that, like all of us, Bruce has gone through difficult life events that challenge mental, emotional, spiritual and even physical health. He has a special place in his heart for those who are struggling with life’s most difficult challenges, and a desire to bring comfort, support and hope into these situations. He provides his services at no charge as a way of giving back to the legal community that he worked in for so many years.
While Bruce will not impose his own religious beliefs on those he works with, he is motivated and sustained by his faith, having found that spiritual grounding is the most critical element to his own well-being. His favorite quote that summarizes why he chooses to do this work is: “We love, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.