IMPORTANT MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Rule of Law Statement

The board reviewed and, after discussion, approved the State Bar of Nevada Board of Governors Rule of Law Statement. The statement will be published in the December issue of Nevada Lawyer and shared broadly through the state bar’s official communications channels, ensuring it reaches members and stakeholders throughout the legal community.

Approvals

The board approved the following items:

• September 3-4, 2025, Minutes
• Attorney Resignations
• Business Partner Recommendations – Continue relationships with ALPS, ABA Retirement Funds, Clio, VLex/Fastcase, Insurance Marketplace, LawPay, and Career Center. Terminate agreements with CALM, Smith ai, and SBN Go.
• Contracts – Mineral Tree, AT&T, LaJolla Beach Club
• Section/Division Appointments:
• Alternative Dispute Resolution; Appellate Litigation; Cannabis Law; Creditors Bar; Family Law; Energy, Utilities and Communication; and Paralegal Division
• Section bylaws for:
• Administrative Law; Appellate Litigation; Cannabis Law; Construction Law; Creditors Bar; Energy, Utilities and Communication; Insurance and Health; Paralegal Division; Labor and Employment; Science and Technology; and Young Lawyers

Appointments

The board approved appointments to:

• Board of Continuing Legal Education
• Fee Dispute Arbitration Committee
• Mock Trial Committee

REPORTS

President's Report

President Kari Stephens reported that over the past month, the state bar has been actively represented at several important events, including:

• The Pipeline to Leadership luncheon with section leaders and student bar leaders from the William S. Boyd School of Law
• New admittee swearing-in ceremonies held in both Carson City and Las Vegas

She also noted that the fall season included substantial engagement with Nevada’s affinity bars, with state bar representation at all major events, including:

• Nevada Legal Services' Champions of Justice Awards in Reno and Las Vegas
• Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys' Miriam Shearing Gala 
• Northern Nevada Legal Aid's Silver and Gold Gala
• South Asian Bar Association of Las Vegas' Annual Scholarship Dinner
• Southern Nevada Senior Law Program’s SLP Salutes Senior Advocates
• Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association’s 2025 Annual Scholarships & Awards Gala

President Stephens additionally reviewed the board’s policy outlining responsibility for responding to email and phone inquiries directed to the board and clarified the roles and expectations of board liaisons.

Financial Report

Finance Director Marc Mersol presented the financial operations report for the period ending September 30, 2025.

As of September 30, 2025, cash and cash equivalents remained steady, with the majority held in designated funds. The General Fund reflects year-to-date net revenue of $279,341, exceeding projections by $503,209 due to higher-than-anticipated revenues and lower operating expenses.

2026 Annual Budget

Mersol also provided an overview of the 2026 Operating Budget. The board approved the 2026 budget as presented and recommended by the Budget Committee members: Andrew Craner, Terry Coffing, and Joel Locke.

The 2026 budget sets General Fund revenues at $9,146,400 and expenses at $8,164,400. These amounts result in a net increase in funds for the General Fund to $982,000 before depreciation. This is a $651,260 increase over 2025. Cash flows for all funds is a positive $349,700 before optional items.

Audit Report

Auditors from HRC presented the results of the 2024 financial audit, reporting an Unmodified Opinion on the state bar’s financial statements.

Partner Report

Justice Michael L. Douglas, Bryan Scott, Cameron Sue Lang, and Professor Stewart Chang presented an update on the Justice Michael L. Douglas Prelaw Fellowship Program, a one-week residential program supporting first-generation and under-resourced students through simulated classes, LSAT preparation, and law school admissions guidance.

Office of Bar Counsel (OBC)

Bar Counsel Daniel Hooge presented discipline statistics covering intake, investigations, and hearings. The OBC aims to keep active cases under 250. This goal allows for about half of cases (125) to be in the investigation phase and half of the remaining cases (125) split between the intake, screening, and hearing phases. While case distribution has fluctuated during 2025, intake has shown the most significant increase.

DISCUSSION/ACTION

CLE Group Discounts

IIn alignment with strategic priorities, the board discussed implementing group discounts for Continuing Legal Education programming. Following discussion, the board focused on offering discounts specifically to public lawyers and requested additional information regarding cost, logistics, and implementation. Staff will prepare a proposal for future review.