Firm History
In 1935 D. Burdette Custer, a native of Adams County, Indiana and a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, returned to Adams County and began the practice of law. The following year, he and Vincent Kelly opened the law firm of Custer and Kelly. Shortly after the United States entered World War II, Mr. Custer was called to active duty in the United States Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant. He was released from active duty at the end of the war at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and later retired from the Air Force Reserves as a full Colonel.

Following his service in the war, Mr. Custer returned to Decatur and reestablished his practice as a sole practitioner. In 1950, Robert G. Smith, a recent graduate of Northwestern University School of Law joined Mr. Custer and the law firm became known as Custer and Smith. Mr. Smith was a native of Flora, Indiana and also was a veteran of World War II. Mr. Custer and Mr. Smith practice together representing many individuals and entities, including the towns of Geneva and Monroe, the Adams County Health Department and the Adams County Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. They also represented the Bank of Geneva and Adams Central Community Schools and were instrumental in the formation of the school system.

In 1969, Daniel C. Burry joined the law firm and the name changed to Custer, Smith and Burry. Mr. Burry was an Adams County native and received his law degree from Ohio Northern University. The following year, Mr. Custer retired from the practice of law and the name changed to Smith and Burry. Dan Burry was elected Adams County Prosecuting Attorney in 1972 and served two consecutive terms in that position. In 1980, Mr. Custer passed away. In 1982, DuWayne W. Herman, a native of New Haven, Indiana and graduate of Indiana University Law School joined the firm and the following year the firm name was change to Smith, Burry and Herman. Mr. Herman became the City of Decatur attorney in 1987 and remained in that position for the next 20 years.

In 1988, Adam T. Miller, an Adams County native and a graduate of Ohio Northern University Law School joined the firm and the following year the name was changed to Smith, Burry, Herman & Miller. In that same year, Mr. Smith retired from the practice of law. In January
of 1991, Mr. Smith passed away. Out of respect for Mr. Smith, the attorneys continued to keep his name in the title of the law firm for over 15 years after his retirement.

In 1993, Mark S. Burry, son of Dan Burry, joined the firm. Mark Burry is a native of Adams County and a graduate of Ohio Northern University Law School.

In 2005, Dan Burry, retired from the practice of law and Jeremy W. Brown, also a native of Adams County, Indiana and a graduate of Indiana University Law School joined the firm. The name of the firm changed to the current name of Burry, Herman, Miller & Brown, P.C..

The current active members of the firm are DuWayne Herman, Adam Miller, Mark Burry and Jeremy Brown. The firm represents Adams County, the Town of Monroe, Adams Memorial Hospital and Adams Central Community Schools, the Adams County Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals, the Adams County Health Department and the Adams County Township Trustees.

All of the members of the firm are active in the Adams County community and their individual respective churches.