“Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Judicial decrees cannot change the heart, but they can restrain the heartless.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Biography
Sworn in to practice law in January 2007, Tricia brings over 13 years of legal experience to the Cox, Zwerner, Gambill & Sullivan, LLP, team. Her experience includes extensive Guardianship, Trust & Estate Administration and Litigation experience as well as emergency Long-term Care Medicaid & Disability Planning. For many years, she acted as the designated Deputy Prosecutor for the Unit 7 Division of Adult Protective Services and assisted endangered disabled and elderly in desperate need of care and the intervention of our State public institutions.
Tricia joined Cox, Zwerner, Gambill & Sullivan, LLP, as of January 2, 2018, after acting as a Trust Officer with Old National Wealth Management, which expanded her elder law and estate planning practice to include a greater knowledge of how best to incorporate charitable giving into an estate plan to extend a family’s legacy.
In her extensive experience, she has advised a wide range of clients regarding how best to care for their loved ones—from those who own absolutely nothing at all to wealthy clients who want to establish a legacy through charitable giving—and everyone in-between. Her professional network includes financial advisors, CPAs, real estate agents, auctioneers, business owners, charitable entities, long-term care 24/7 facilities, at home care providers, insurance agencies as well as a network of public servants with whom she works to accomplish the goals of her clientele.
In addition to her professional life, Tricia has spent hundreds of hours volunteering her time to local charitable and civic organizations, including the Dobbs Glen Homeowners Association and St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church. Through her involvement with Terre Haute Bar Association, Tricia has served as a leader in many pro bono projects, including but not limited to, the Mock Trial Challenge of 2018 and 2019 and Talk to a Lawyer Day.
Furthermore, Tricia has dedicated many hours of her time as a donation to individuals who could not afford legal services as well as professional organizations dedicated to the betterment of others and her community.
Both Tricia and her husband, James Tanoos—a Clinical Associate Professor at Purdue Polytechnic—graduated high school in Terre Haute, Indiana. They have been married for 17 years and have three children—Michael (16), Lucia (12) & JJ (7).
Education
- Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana
- J.D. – 2006
- Butler University
- Bachelor of Arts – English, Spanish & Secondary Education – 2000
- Graduated with Honors
Bar Admissions
- Indiana, 2007
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana, 2007
Fraternities or Sororities
- Kappa Kappa Gamma
- Alpha Phi Omega – National Service Fraternity
Published Works
- Represented Estate of Ecker, Estate of Ecker v. Estate of Samson, 59 N.E.3d 282 (Ind. Ct. App.), 2016
Professional Associations
- Terre Haute Bar Association, Member:
- Secretary, 2008-Present
- Estate Planning Council of Illiana, Member:
- Board Member, 2017-2020
- Treasurer, 2018-2020
- Indiana State Bar Association, Member
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Indiana Chapter, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
Practice Areas
- Contracts
- Civil Litigation
- Elder Law
- Estate & Trust Planning
- Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation
- Guardianship
- Landlord - Tenant
- Long-Term Care Planning
- Medicaid & Disability Planning
- Real Estate Law
Honors
- Elder Law, Lawyer of the Year
- Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards
- 2020

Classes & Seminars
- Presenter at the Elder Law Institute on October 8, 2010, on Guardianship Issues
- Speaker for the Senior Education Ministries in the Wabash Valley
- Legal Assistant and Attorney: A Symbiotic Relationship, Legal Secretaries of Indiana Annual Meeting, 2016
Past Positions
- Intern Director & Caucus Assistant, Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus, 2001-2005
- Deputy Prosecutor, Adult Protective Services, Vigo County Prosecutor’s Office, 2007-2017
- Trust Officer, Old National Wealth Management, 2017
Pro Bono Activities
- Terre Haute Bar Association:
- Mock Trial Challenge, Chairperson, 2018 & 2019
- Talk to a Lawyer Day, Participant
- Dobbs Glen Homeowners Association:
- President, 2015-2020
- Board Member, 2015-2021
Languages
- Spanish