eNews: Membership Awards: Brandenburg Named Volunteer of the Year

Thursday, April 10, 2025

State Bar of Nevada eNews

Membership Awards: Brandenburg Named Volunteer of the Year

The State Bar of Nevada is honored to announce that Mark Brandenburg is the recipient of this year’s Volunteer of the Year award.

Brandenburg is being recognized for his work serving on the Nevada Bar Foundation’s board since 2017. Under Brandenburg’s leadership as treasurer and president of the board, the foundation worked with Nevada bankers to voluntarily increase IOLTA rates, raising available grant funding from $2.9 million to $16.6 million in just 10 years.

Brandenburg also spearheaded the Foundation Grant program, which uses MCLE late fees to fund direct and matching grants for diversity initiatives, pipeline programs, and legal service delivery programs. In the first three years of this program’s operations, it awarded more than $568,000 in grants and $410,000 in matching grants.

The State Bar of Nevada will recognize Membership Award honorees at the upcoming annual Bar Conference, which will take place June 12-13, 2025, in Washington, D.C. These awards recognize individuals and organizations for their service to the bar and their contributions to the legal profession.

Board of Governors Nominations Closed; No Elections in 2025

The State Bar of Nevada’s Board of Governors 2025 election nomination period has closed. There will be no contested elections this year.

The following candidates were nominated and will be sworn in to begin their three-year terms at the state bar’s Annual Bar Conference on June 12, 2025:

District 1: Clark County

Jeff Albregts and David Lopez-Negrete

District 3: Carson City One

Joel Locke

District 4: Washoe County

Patrick Leverty and Alex Velto

The Board of Governors consists of 15 members elected by the active licensees of the bar who are residents of Nevada and have their office address per SCR 79 in the respective districts.

Public Input Sought on Hearing Master Finalists in Eighth District

The public is invited to provide comments regarding finalists for a Court Hearing Master – Temporary Protective Order (TPO) position with the Eighth Judicial District Court. Public input is part of a three-tiered recruitment process established in an administrative directive for selecting district court hearing masters and commissioners.

Input on the candidates can be e-mailed to the Eighth Judicial District Human Resources manager’s office at EJDCRecruitment@clarkcountycourts.us, mailed to 200 Lewis Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89155, or faxed to 702-671-4560. The public comment period will be open until 5 p.m. Thursday, April 17.

The candidates listed below are finalists who have already been selected to move forward. The public input on these candidates will go to a selection panel for the final tier of the hiring process.

Temporary Protective Order Hearing Master finalists are:

Mary Brown;
Ashley Gordon Hanks;
Alexander Quagge;
Hagar Trippiedi; and
Catherine Wiersch.

Each candidate is an attorney who is a member of the State Bar of Nevada in good standing. The selected candidates will be responsible for hearing matters and rendering legal opinions and decisions in relevant case law.

State Bar Committees Seek Volunteers for Board Openings

The State Bar of Nevada is looking for qualified individuals to fill open positions on several volunteer boards. To volunteer, submit an online application form by May 16.

The Northern Nevada Disciplinary board is seeking volunteer attorneys and lay members to fill open positions. The disciplinary boards are responsible for conducting screenings and hearings for the Office of Bar Counsel. Board members are appointed to panels to hear the presentation of cases where there are allegations of misconduct.

The Clients’ Security Fund (CSF) Committee has an open attorney position. The committee is responsible for making financial resources available to reimburse victims of attorney theft. Attorney committee members investigate 10 to 15 claims filed with the CSF each year. All committee members analyze the claims to determine if attorney fees were earned and/or if attorney theft took place, evaluate the ongoing financial condition of the CSF, and approve or deny reimbursement requests in accordance with these factors.

The Lawyer Advertising Advisory Committee has an open position. The committee meets once per month to review attorney advertisements submitted pursuant to bar regulations and renders advance advisory opinions upon request. Because much of the review and communication will be online, the best candidates should be proficient with computers, e-mail, and internet use. Committee members are appointed by the Board of Governors to two-year terms.

Legal Aid Center Hosting CLE on QDROs on April 22

The Pro Bono Project of the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada (LASCN) is hosting a CLE titled “Nuts & Bolts of QDROs: Discover How to Increase Financial Stability for Family Law Clients” at noon on Tuesday, April 22, at the LACSN offices in Las Vegas and online via GoTo Meeting.

This practical CLE course is designed to help legal aid professionals spot and address retirement division issues in family law cases. Experts will break down the basics of QDROs (Qualified Domestic Relations Order)—what they are, why they matter, and how to navigate the process to protect clients’ financial futures. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, participants will learn key strategies to ensure their clients don’t miss out on critical retirement benefits.

Nevada-licensed or emeritus-certified attorneys can earn one general CLE credit by attending. To receive credit, attorneys must have at least one active pro bono case or take one new case. You can select a case or sign up for Ask-A-Lawyer sessions from www.lacsnprobono.org.

Featured CLE: Hot Topics: Construction

Defects and Mechanics’ Liens

This program offers a practical overview of key issues in construction and real property law, with an emphasis on recent developments and common pitfalls.

The construction law segment provides a concise rundown of Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 108, including lesser-known provisions such as “disinterested owner” requirements, voidable contract clauses, prompt payment law, and the statute’s interaction with NRS 624. Attendees will gain insight into potential traps for the unwary and review recent Nevada appellate decisions that impact construction practice.

The real property segment presents a broad-based look at trends, legal developments, and items of importance in real estate law, equipping attendees with essential knowledge to navigate issues that commonly arise in this area of practice.

Presented by the Construction Law Section and the Real Property Law Section.

Program Date:

April 17

Time:

3-4 p.m.

Location:

Webinar

CLE Hours:

1 General credit