Thursday, January 16, 2025

State Bar of Nevada eNews

State Bar’s 2025 Section

Pro Bono Challenge Kicks Off February 1: “Take 1”

The State Bar of Nevada’s successful Section Pro Bono Challenge will repeat again in 2025, and all members of state bar practice area sections can participate and earn points. It’s easy to join in and make your mark.

 

Countdown to feeling great – 3, 2, 1!

 

 

Section members can volunteer online and select your favorite legal service provider or reach out to them directly. Last year sections earned 1,137 points – let’s beat it this year and make a difference.

 

2024 Top 10 Sections Ranked: LGBTQ+, Bankruptcy, Family, Probate and Trust, Public Lawyers, Solo and Small Practice, Real Property, Appellate Litigation, Labor and Employment, and Cannabis.

 

Who will be in the top 10 this year? Join in and learn more.  The 2025 challenge runs February 1 through May 31.

This Week at the State Bar

The State Bar of Nevada is searching for two attorney coaches to mentor new Mock Trial teams at Desert Oasis and Liberty high schools in Las Vegas. For information, e-mail CLE Director Eric Johnson at ericj@nvbar.org.

The State Bar of Nevada is hiring an Assistant Bar Counsel for its Las Vegas office. 

The State Bar of Nevada is seeking dedicated and qualified individuals to join the Functional Equivalency Committee. This committee plays a crucial role in evaluating a petitioner's qualifications under SCR 51.5 to be eligible to apply for admission in Nevada. 

View Upcoming Bar Events

State Bar Seeks Feedback on Formal Ethics Opinion

The State Bar of Nevada’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has drafted a formal opinion and is seeking comments from membership.

 

The formal opinion is regarding the following matter:


“Whether Rule 4.2 of the Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct prohibits a Nevada-licensed attorney from contacting a represented party when the Nevada-licensed attorney is not engaged in the practice of law on behalf of a client, as well as the limitations, if any, on an attorney in providing public comment at a publicly noticed meeting.”

 

The deadline to submit feedback is noon on Saturday, February 15.

 

The full opinion will remain posted on the State Bar of Nevada’s website until the deadline. The website allows members to voice their opinions about these matters via online comment form.

National Firms Latest to Earn 2025 Diversity Medallion

McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte & Carruth and TALG are the latest firms to be recognized as State Bar of Nevada DEI Medallion Partner in Diversity recipients in 2025.


The state bar recognizes the commitment that law firms and legal organizations have made to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in their practices.


The state bar invites law firms to display their commitment to DEI by becoming a 2025 Partner in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and proudly displaying the medallion on the firm’s website, marketing materials, or anywhere else to promote a commitment to DEI.


Medallions are earned annually, and the image is provided upon completion of at least five DEI initiatives.


In addition to numerous other DEI initiatives, McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte & Carruth has provided all new hires with a mentor (not a supervising attorney) responsible for encouraging participation in firm events and who can provide guidance about firm culture. It also offers billable credit hours for participation in DEI activities within the office and in the community.


TALG follows Mansfield Rule 5.0 by considering 30-50 percent of unrepresented talent for all leadership positions and the activities that lead to leadership. It also takes pro bono cases through a legal aid provider.


For information, contact Claudia Mason at claudiam@nvbar.org.

Chief Justice Calls on Attorneys to Apply for Upcoming Vacancy

Nevada Supreme Court Chief Justice Douglas Herndon is calling on all attorneys who have considered serving as a judge to step forward and apply for an upcoming vacancy in the Seventh Judicial District.


The Honorable Gary Fairman, of the Seventh Judicial District Court, Department 2, will retire on April 4, 2025. The district is comprised of Eureka, Lincoln, and White Pine counties. To fill this forthcoming vacancy, the Nevada Commission on Judicial Selection will convene to review qualified applicants for appointment to the bench.


The application period is open and will close at noon on February 12, 2025. Interested applicants must contact Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) staff member Margarita Bautista at mbautista@nvcourts.nv.gov to obtain the necessary application materials and guidelines for submission.


Application instructions can be found on the court’s website.

DOJ Offering $50,000 Prize to Rural Communities

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Access to Justice opened submissions for the 2025 Access to Justice Prize. The prize is earned through a year-long, nationwide competition designed to spark innovative solutions to address the justice gap. The theme for the 2025 prize is “Closing the Rural Justice Gap,” and the department seeks proposals that address access to justice challenges in rural communities.

 

Solutions to close the justice gap begin within individual communities. The competition is open to rural nonprofit and community-based organizations; academic institutions; and local, state, tribal, and territorial government entities, including courts. Submissions may broadly include any idea that would seek to improve legal systems, processes, interactions or outcomes, or to better solve civil or criminal justice problems for rural communities. 

 

The competition opened January 7, and the submission period closes on Monday, March 31. This summer, up to five finalists will be selected and each receive a $5,000 prize. After further refining their ideas, the finalists will present their ideas at an Access to Justice Showcase later this year, where the grand prize winner will receive a $50,000 prize.

 

Organizations are invited to submit ideas for closing the rural justice gap. Visit the Access to Justice Prize website to learn more, or email JusticePrize@usdoj.gov with any questions.

Nevada Jewish Bar Association Hosting Meeting January 22

The Nevada Jewish Bar Association (NJBA) is holding a virtual general membership meeting at noon on Wednesday, January 22. NJBA’s mission is to promote community, combat antisemitism, and perform tzedakah (pro bono).

 

Those interested in attending the meeting or learning more about the NJBA should contact Scott Lachman at scott.lachman@akerman.com

Featured CLE: More Winning the Appeal at Trial

The Appellate Litigation Section will host “More Winning the Appeal at Trial.” The original CLE, “Winning the Appeal at Trial,” was such a hit at the annual bar conference in New York City in 2023 that some people could not get in the door. Now, back for an encore, the same panel will again tackle the problem of what to do before and during trial in order to preserve the record for a winning appeal. While some of the same topics will be discussed, this CLE also will include additional material not presented in 2023. 

 

The panel represents seasoned trial and appellate attorneys in civil, criminal, and family law, as well as a sitting Nevada Supreme Court justice and a judge from the Nevada Court of Appeals.

 

This CLE will be unique in that it will be presented simultaneously from two separate locations. Panelists Justice Linda Marie Bell, Robert L. Eisenberg, and Anjali Webster will be at the state bar office in Reno. Panelists Judge Deborah L. Westbrook, Marshal S. Willick, and Sharon Dickinson will present from the state bar office in Las Vegas. The person responsible for keeping the conversation going is moderator Dan Polsenberg. Questions are welcomed.

 

The panel will discuss tried and true tactics on how to perfect an objection, the importance of writing pre-trial motions, and give tips on how to win on appeal. 

Program Date:

January 23

 

Time:

5:30-6:30 p.m.

 

Location:

State Bar offices in Las Vegas and Reno, and via Zoom

 

CLE Hours:

1 General Credit

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