Reza Athari v. Deluca & Assoc.--Round 1 of the Billboard/Television tournament (ends 7/2 at 5 p.m.)

Reza Athari
Reza Athari is a fixture among the Las Vegas billboard/television law firms. His billboards advertising cheap DUI defense and immigration assistance are all over lower income neighborhoods in Las Vegas. Mr. Athari has such an established presence around town that you'd think he holds one of the lowest bar numbers in the Nevada Bar. But, it turns out Reza Athari is not actually barred in Nevada (NV Bar Attorney Search). Martindale.com reveals that Mr. Athari is barred instead in California and the Ninth Circuit (hey, why do you need state bar admission when you practice federal immigration law, anyway?).

In fact, Reza Athari may be the best-known Nevada attorney who's not licensed to practice law in the state. He has a very strong billboard presence and also has television ads (Spanish language ad available here). Combine that with the fact that Mr. Athari's business model is so successful that he has offices running in St. George and Salt Lake City, UT, as well as the office in Las Vegas. Not bad for a seemingly small immigration firm. All of which make the Athari firm a tough competitor in this round.

Deluca & Assoc.
Going up against Mr. Athari is a bankruptcy firm headed by a true television personality. Deluca & Associates CEO, Anthony Deluca, is a regular contributor to the local Fox News affiliate on debt and bankruptcy issues. (Video clips available on Deluca website here and on Google Video here). That kind of marketing prowess is damn impressive and painting yourself as a local authority on bankruptcy law can't hurt the firm's bottom line.

He also does a Legal Tips clip for Vegas tv:



All of which gives Mr. Deluca and his law firm a quiet and fairly dignified media presence. Okay, giving legal tips to the general public in a t-shirt may be a little over the top, but we think Mr. Deluca's media persona is so well put together that we're having a hard time making fun of him (compared to say an attorney advertising himself as "Top Gun").

Checking in with CL: Have things really gotten that bad?

We received a tip about a back and forth war of words on the Craigslist legal hiring board (chain of posts available here). It all started as a posting for an open Paralegal position, hiring at $9 an hour (post available here). A debate began over whether a decent paralegal could be found for $9 an hour, even in this economy.

Then the hiring law office shot back with this comment:

I never wrote that a paralegal was worth only $9 per hour or that it was a fair wage - what I said was that I posted on CL and that there were people requesting that much due to the economy - the average requested was probably in the $10-$12 range. I even had a couple of attorneys, who were having trouble finding work, ask for $10 per hour.

(Craigslist post available here)(emphasis added)

What do you think readers? Just a Human Resources person mouthing off to Craigslist detractors or has it gotten bad enough for attorneys to offer their services for $10 an hour?

If so, watch out Mr. Stokes. I'm pretty sure that price is even cheaper than a half-price lawyer.

The firm formerly known as KKBRF does some stealing of its own

Oh Snap! Tired of being known as the firm that got served by Greenberg Traurig, the firm formerly known as Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw & Ferrario showed this week that it has some moves of its own.

[WWL really should come up with a symbol for their new name . . . you know, like when Prince wasn't Prince before he became Prince again. For now, WWL will use TFFKAKKBRF as an acronym for Kummer Kaempfer]

After having its talent raided by Greenberg Traurig a few weeks back, TFFKAKKBRF went out and did some stealing of its own. (LV Business Press [last pgph of story onGT]) The firm took Business Litigation Super Lawyer and Gaming Commission Chair Peter Bernhard and attorney Georganne Bradley from the Las Vegas office of Bullivant Houser Bailey.

Damnnnnn. TFFKAKKBRF got served by GT, but then turned around and served up BHB. Oh, it's on now! We got a dance off, y'all.

Justice Injury Lawyers v. G. Dallas Horton (Round 1 continues)

by Beantown

Justice Injury Lawyers
“Injured? Get Justice” is just one of the many slogans splayed across the website for Justice Injury Lawyers; and anyone enjoying their nightly Family Guy in Las Vegas has no doubt seen at least one JIL commercial (while JIL’s website link to commercials appears to be down, at least ten different variations grace YouTube).

Here's our personal favorite:



Formed in 2007, JIL’s four currently managing partners are: Bradley S. Mainor, A Professional Corporation; Eglet & Eglet, A Professional Corporation; Robert M. Adams, A Professional Corporation; and Robert W. Cottle, Ltd. Oh yeah, and Robert T. Eglet is the Resident Agent. I wonder if JIL has any relation to some other attorneys in town?

When WWL reported the connection between JIL and Mainor Eglet Cottle as a “well known secret in the Vegas community” back in March ’08, one anonymous poster explained: “Mainor [Eglet Cottle] takes million dollar cases and the other firm [JIL] takes everything else.” In other words, JIL is the redneck love child the Med-Mal Goodfellas (known in the back alleys of Fourth Street as Bobbie T., Tracy E., Mr. Cottle-r, Bob “Tiny” Adams, and The Main-Man B-rad). No word on which one of them carried JIL to term, but top bets are on Tiny.

Did someone spill a 50 gallon vat of sulfuric acid on little Billy? What a shame – but don’t worry, Mainor Eglet Cottle will fight for you. Wait. You say it was only a Dixie Cup of hot chocolate? You’re one the wrong floor – 862-HELP is four levels down. Good luck.

G. Dallas Horton
The Notorious B.I.G. Dallas Horton (website available here) made his grand entrance to WWL in March of this year, when WWL reported about his apparent botanophobia and willingness to frivolously burden the Supreme Court of Nevada over a flowerbed. (post available here) In response to the posting, one person commented: “Anybody who takes a case like this is desperate and/or stupid,” while another said: “Even Dallas is smart enough to know this case had no merit.” Then, when WWL reported that Horton just recently took down an $8.9M judgment, more than a few posters jumped at the chance to undercut Horton’s involvement in the actual trial itself and lend credit to Bobbie Vannah [my personal favorite quote: “Horton is an asshole AND and idiot. Vannah's just an asshole.”]. (For additional insinuations against GDH and GDH's replies, check out his firm's entry on the RipOff Report) Even with the Ken-doll haircut and the spray on tanner, can G. get no love?? Apparently not.

G. Dallas does have a decent television advertising presence, but not many of his commercials have made it online. The only one we could find was on Crazy Motion (available here) and that ad just features gliding photographs of G. Dallas in earlier ads.

According to its website, G. Dallas Horton & Associates “is AV rated with an AV rated attorney” – an interesting boast given that martindale.com currently sizes Horton up as being only “BV-rated.” Apparently, Horton’s relatively recent raid on Lewis Brisbois (taking LBBS partner Dave Thomas & LBBS associate Christian Smith) and addition of long-timer Monte Hall, Esq. (Bar No. 239), to the mix have given G. the street cred to bolster his boasting.

[Final Writer’s Log: Despite extensive research, I have been unsuccessful in discovering what the “G.” stands for . . . Tony The Tiger says it’s “grrrrrrrrrreat,” but I’m not buying it.]

Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away with meeeeee . . .

Update: If the email sent around Alverson Taylor by Mr. Alverson's secretary is accurate, we here at WWL owe Mr. Alverson an apology for reporting that he was bragging about buying a yacht while eliminating raises and 401k contributions and drastically cutting insurance benefits for employees.

The email read:

"This is too funny. If you want a good laugh, look at Wild Wild Law Blog.
Bruce's new 10 year old little fishing boat that he recently bought on Craig's
list for $2,800 has now become a yacht. The mole gets better every day."

Our apologies. WWL appears to have been steered wrong on that last post. We hereby retract our former post. We hope this won't interfere with our invitation to cruise Lake Mead with Mr. Alverson this weekend. We assume our invite is in the mail.

Our prior post [now retracted]:
WWL received another tip from Alverson Taylor [does the drama ever stop over there?]:

Seems that majority shareholder of Alverson Taylor, Bruce Alverson, just ordered himself up a new yacht boat and has been going around the office talking about how he can't wait until it's delivered.

Way to pick up spirits, Mr. Alverson. When employees are feeling down about how their firm is struggling, and how their raises were cut, health insurance benefits drastically cut and 401k contributions halted, nothing makes them feel better than knowing the top name on the letterhead is able to treat himself.

Randolph Goldberg v. Frank Sorrentino (Round 1 of the Tournament of Billboard/Television Vegas Law Firms

The Round One match ups continue. Today's offering: Randolph Goldberg v. Frank Sorrentino (Voting will be open until 5 p.m. on Tues., 6/30).

Let's meet the contenders:

Randolph Goldberg

Randy recently got into a bit of a pickle with bankruptcy judge Bruce A. Markell, getting himself sanctioned. One such sanction forced Goldberg to provide clients with copies of BAM's opinion about his ethical shortcomings.

There is no doubt, however, that Goldberg is a "commercial personality." Any television viewer sans Tivo can attest to that. What is more fascinating about Goldberg is the fact that he doesn't have a website, instead choosing to have his firm listed on various "Yellow Page" type websites (see here here here) where readers and past clients can leave comments about his quality of service. Even better, Goldberg responds to the comments personally. Here's one of our favorites:

Response from this business:

LIAR Posted at: 06/26/09
MS. [REDACTED] IS A LIAR AND SHE IS SLANDERING ME. I HAVE HER SIGNATURES AND SHE KNEW EXACTLY ALL FEES. SHE HAS A GAMBLING PROBLEM AND DOESNT WANNA PY BACK HER DEBTS DESPITE HER EXCESSIVE INCOME. SHE IS A CROOK WHO DOESN'T PAY HER BILLS

Now THAT'S how to treat a client! The original comment posted by the client would actually be libel, not slander, but he's a bankruptcy attorney so we'll give him a pass. Goldberg is certainly feisty, but will it be enough to overcome the man who never ages ...

Frank Sorrentino

Anyone who has lived in Vegas for a while is familiar with the name "Attorney Frank Sorrentino." Not because of his reputation for being a good attorney, but because of his reputation for producing the most god-awful commercial to ever run on local television.

Sorrentino's "forever 1985" style advertisement has been going strong since, well, the 1980's. The commercial itself has remained unchanged.

We've been meaning to pay his office a visit to see what he actually looks like 20 years later. We just can't seem to find a recent photograph of the man (besides the screen-capture from his commercial that he posts on his website). Maybe he can't be photographed ... like a vampire!

We're not real familiar with his reputation in legal circles, so you readers will have to enlighten us in the comments. We would be very interested in hearing any background information regarding those commercials. Did he pay so much for them that he is still recouping his costs? Does he not know they look dated? Was he hideously disfigured in the early 1990's? Inquiring minds want to know!

So there you have it, feistiness vs. experience. What do you think, readers?

Ninja Watch!: the case of the missing crown

As a trashy gossip rag loosely-affiliated member of the fourth estate, WWL feels it is important to incorporate stories in the interest of protecting public safety. In that vein, we feel it is important for members of the Nevada bar in northern Nevada to be on the look out for ninjas.

The LV Sun reports:

Miss Nevada's head will be missing something important when she's crowned Saturday night: the crown itself.

Organizers say the crown, almost identical to the one worn by Miss America, was stolen late Thursday morning from the locked Reno hotel room of a pageant board member . . .

Pageant spokeswoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson says the company makes one
crown for each state, and getting a replacement before Saturday night is impossible.
She says Circus Circus hotel security is going through security tapes . . .

Good luck to hotel security. Ninjas' skill in the art of silent attack, practical invisibility and quiet theft will make it very hard for the hotel to catch them.

Jacko's Death: The Vegas Connection

Bet you didn't think we could work a post about The King of Pop's death into our little Vegas legal blog, did you? Well, thanks to a helpful tipster - we found a connection!

Yesterday, shortly after MJ moonwalked his way into the great beyond, Clark County "Court Information Officer" Michael Sommermeyer sent the following email:

From: Sommermeyer, Michael
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 3:32 PM
To: All Clark County Courts Employees
Subject: Court News

Michael Jackson, who recently had a case in District Court Dept. 11, has died in Los Angeles following a cardiac arrest, according to the Associated Press. He died at 3:15 pm PDT after being rushed to UCLA Medical Center at approximately 12:30 pm PDT.

Michael Sommermeyer
Court Information Officer

Wow! Seventeen minutes after his death? That's incredible, Michael! Who says things move slowly down at the courthouse? Judge Gonzalez had that one cleared from her docket before the body cooled.

(LVRJ)

Adam Kutner v. Craig Kenny (Round 1 of the Tournament of Billboard/Television Vegas law firms)

The Round One match ups continue. Today's offering: Adam Kutner v. Craig Kenny (Voting will be open until 5 p.m. on Sat., 6/27).

Let's meet the contenders:

Adam Kutner

Readers of the blog know that Adam Kutner is no stranger to these pages or to the media spotlight. Back in May 2008, WWL nominated Mr. Kutner for the title of Biggest Douchebag in Vegas based on reports that he harshly abuses and mistreats his employees. (post available here). Kutner responded to the critical article published in Las Vegas City Life by stating that the allegations were false and merely an attack on his "good name" by a rival personal injury firm.

But this poll is not about which attorneys are and are not douchebags. No, this poll is about which Billboard or Television advertising law firm has the best litigation skill, extreme wealth, business model, most aggressive (effectively aggressive), best place to work, most embarrassing story, attorney's complete lack of shame, etc.

And Kutner has all those things. Would we even be talking about him if it wasn't for those annoying commercials where he walks through an automobile junkyard and tells injured parties to call his office? Injured Vegas residents know to call him after injuries resulting auto accidents, slip and falls--even in the case of dog bites. All in all, Kutner makes for a formidable tournament opponent.

Craig Kenny

The Law Offices of Craig Kenny may be the feel-good competitor of this tournament. Just a glance at Kenny's website presents a heart-warming picture of the staff surrounding the firm's sign (the web site also include pictures from the Kenny firm annual party). Such images mark a stark contrast with the alleged d-bag environment over at the Kutner office.

And the Kenny firm appears to be succeeding as well. Craig P. Kenny & Associates is doing so well that it is building a new four-story, class A office building in downtown Vegas. (LV Business Press) According to a press release we received, the new building will include a gym, theater and half-court basketball court accessible by all employees.

That said, while the Kenny law firm certainly should have been nominated to be one of the best places to work (Are you hiring by the way?), we're not exactly sure why the Kenny firm was nominated to be the best Billboard/Television Vegas law firm. The staff here at WWL can't think of a single ad we've seen involving Craig Kenny.

But in the end, the vote is up to the readers. So what do you think?

Ensign tripped up by Ninth Circuit Curse?

Over at Above the Law, David Lat has the intriguing notion that a hex is placed upon any politicians who dare to suggest that the Ninth Circuit should be split. Lat suggests that Nevada Senator Ensign may have been the most recent in a long line of curse victims. (story available here)

Lady Luck picks a Lady for Chief Judge

Voting amongst the Las Vegas Municipal Court Judges resulted in a tie when the Judges tried to select a new Chief Judge. So how did they settle it? As any town built on gambling would: the top two candidates played High Card. They each selected a card from the deck and highest value card won the position of Chief Judge. (RJ)

This year Lady Luck decided it was time for a woman to hold that power and Judge Betsy Kolkoski pulled a Queen of Spades (a rather ominous card for a woman of power who spends her day dressed in black).

Congratulations to Judge Kolkoski: the Las Vegas Municipal Court's first female Chief Judge.

Vannah & Vannah v. Rob Graham (Round One of our Billboard/Television law firm poll)

In this Round One match up of our Billboard/Television law firm poll, WWL pits Vannah & Vannah against Rob Graham. (Voting will be open until 5 p.m. on Fri., 6/26).

Let's meet the contenders [Editor's note: neither Robert Vannah, nor Robert Graham, takes an exciting picture, so I have included pictures of my current crush, Twilight star Robert Pattison to provide a pleasant reading atmosphere]:

Vannah & Vannah

Vannah & Vannah isn't just a heavyweight player, it's the gorilla that just can't be killed. The insurance companies would love to see the firm fall and the insurance defense firms hate V&V with a passion. And those of you who follow ethics investigations know that Vannah & Vannah was on the periphery [or at the center if you ask some people] of the Noel Gage medical mafia trial. (RJ) The U.S. Attorneys couldn't convict Gage in federal court and so we'll never know if the allegations of Vannah medical witness testimony fixing are true.

But put all the allegations aside because V&V is a media monster. They may not have billboards left and right as your drive down the freeway, but the RJ and LV Sun is full of Vannah verdicts, many of which have million dollar price tags. (V&V news). You can't beat free press, and free press reporting how much money you won is even better.

Rob Graham
Graham may be the first actual television star attorney we have in this tournament. He has "appeared or consulted on numerous television news or documentaries” as a legal expert, including several episodes of America's Most Wanted. And we here at WWL can't get enough America's Most Wanted. Those reenactments are awesome.

Most recently, Mr. Graham was a technical advisor to an documentary on MSNBC regarding a large-scale fraud that impacted many elderly and business clients. Top that off with his firm’s marketing that they have represented celebrity clients like Tony Orlando, Sharon Stone, Robert Forbuss, Test Your Reflex, Gail and Harvey Allen, and Boys Town of Nevada. (Rob Graham & Assoc. website). Take it all together and Graham may just be a media heavyweight who's been hiding in the shadows.

$8.9 Million Verdict and No Flowerbeds Were Harmed

G. Dallas Horton (with the help of Robert Vannah) must have known his match-up in WWL's Tournament of Billboard/Television Vegas law firms was next week. How else do you explain Mr. Horton's client receiving an $8.9 million judgment one week before Mr. Horton's firm is up for the vote.

The RJ reports that the award was issued from the bench by District Judge James Bixler. The judge cited that the plaintiff "will require periodic medical pain relieving procedures to control pain in her back, which will continue throughout the plaintiff's life due to the permanency of her condition."

$8.9 million for a 43 yr old woman's periodic pain. Well done, Mr. Horton. You didn't even have to sue inanimate plant life.

Donn M. Ianuzi, Esq. v. Half-Price Lawyers (Round 1 of Billboard/Television law firm poll)

By Beantown

Welcome to the next match up in Round One of our Billboard/Television law firm poll: Donn M. Ianuzi, Esq. v. Half-Price Lawyers. (Voting will be open until 5 p.m. on Thurs., 6/25).

Let's meet the contenders:

Donn M. Ianuzi, Esq.
He may have passed the Nevada bar in ‘89, but don’t call him a technophobe. Instead of following the herd and erecting towering homages to himself across the thoroughfares of Las Vegas, “The Donn” Ianuzi (the first “n” is silent) could be hailed as the King of Craigslist. (Craigslist postings available here). When it comes to shear posting proliferation, the gauntlet has been tossed – and slapped across – the faces of the other competitors in the Billboard/Television Advertising Firm Match-up. We challenge anyone to find an equal to Donn “King” Ianuzi – whose June 10th, 2009, spamming of Craigslist (with no less than 9 individual postings between 8:15 a.m. and 9:47 p.m) may set the valley record.

No question about it, internet-based marketing on Craigslist is loads cheaper (read: FREE) than a giant billboard or television commercial and loads easier (in reference to a failed run at the Department 22 position, Ianuzi was once quoted by the RJ as saying “I don't believe really in campaigning hard for a job. If it happens it happens”). (story available here). But a warning to budding Craigslist marketers: You get what you pay for. Where else can a disgruntled client steal your advertising thunder by calling you out as one of the “Most Inept” lawyers in the same place you advertise? (post available here). At least with a Billboard, you weed out the former client who’s not so unhappy as to justify a fifty-foot climb and public vandalism.

When it comes to “bang for your buck” in legal advertising, there’s little doubt that Ianuzi is King. No word yet on whether “The Donn” is prowling for divorce clients on AshleyMadison.com (warning link is lightly NSFW unless you want the tech guy thinking you're cheating on your spouse). . . Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Half-Price Lawyers
What can be said about “Half-Price Lawyers” that WWL didn’t already sum up in its May 21, 2009, profile (available here)?

In all fairness, HPL’s No. 2 Bracket ranking is somewhat undeserved, as founder Adam Stokes' newest endeavor is just that – brand spanking new. If we’re judging HPL on its Billboard/Television Advertising as it stands today, this is a probably a re-building year and the best is yet come. When we first laid eyes on the goofball comics of HPL’s website, we were thoroughly disappointed . . . but then we turned up the volume in the office, and were bestowed with the timeless gift of the HPL jingle. The jingle alone may be just enough to raise HPL to the top of this tournament. We won’t ruin it for you, but suffice to say that junior high dances in the school cafeteria just found the next “final dance.”

As for Stokes himself, you can’t discount a man who has been quoted as saying that pizza boxes are “[t]he next cereal box.” (quote available here). Here at WWL, we can’t wait to reach into the bottom of our Cheerios and find a “Get Out Of DUI Free” coupon from HPL; and, seriously, who wouldn’t relish in opening their next pizza to the sounds of HPL’s musical genius?

Who's going to take it readers? The dominator of craigslist or the cartoon law firm?

Golightly & Associates v. Jonathan J. Lord (Round 1 of Billboard/Television advertising firm poll)

Welcome to the next match-up in Round One of our Television/Billboard poll. If you've watched TV, you must know Golightly & Associates, who is taking on Jonathan J. Lord. (Vote at the top of the blog until 5 p.m. Wed., June 24).

Meet the Contenders:

Chad Golightly
You can see him nightly during the commercial breaks during the nightly news. You can see his glamour shot billboard all over town. So, who is Chad Golightly?

According to an editorial in the RJ from 2007 (available here), Golightly considers himself "more serious" than other advertisers like The Heavy Hitter. We can only assume that by "more serious," Golightly means "doesn't blink. EVER."

However, at least one former client doesn't agree. One unhappy Golightly client suggested on the Rip Off Report (available here) that Golightly made his money through slapping attorney liens on his former clients after being fired as counsel. While Golightly may be the ruthless businessman some former clients claim he is, WWL has discovered his softer side. (See Golightly's Amazon profile here)

Then there's the lyrical nature of his last name, Golightly, which apparently has other, less mirth-filled meanings. The following comment was left on an RJ post asking for the worst tv lawyer:

I laugh every time I see Chad Golightly (spelling?) on TV... as I'm sure anyone else who has ever worked in a hospital has. Golightly is a liquid given the night before and the morning of some procedures. It tastes nasty (so I've been told) and it's soul purpose is to (how to I put this nicely) clean out your innards. In other words... it makes ya *hit your brains out for about 12 hours. We used to tell people not to venture too far from the bathroom after taking the first dose.

All kidding aside, Golightly & Assoc. is such a television and billboard powerhouse that the firm's ads have even inspired internet satire:

Jonathan J. Lord

Jonathan J. Lord isn't someone with a billboard or a commercial. You can, however, find out everything you need to know from his website, Legal Lord:

First and foremost, this office has been dedicated to God from the day it opened. We believe in treating people fairly and compassionately while at the same time zealously protecting their interests. Our goal is to provide Christ-centered legal representation at a fair rate, thus making high-quality legal representation more available for the Christian and non-Christian alike. We acknowledge that we are accountable to God for our behavior toward others and understand that the way we treat others is our greatest witnessing tool.

Lord's mission statement is crystal clear:
"Hate Evil, Love Good; Maintain Justice In The Courts." Amos 5:15. That says it all.

Sure, Lord may not be as well known or visible as Golightly, but perhaps he blinks while carrying out the Lord's work. An attorney working for the forces of good rather than the forces of evil is a rare thing in contemporary society and we don't readers should count a servant of the Lord out until the votes are tallied.

Cast your vote for your favorite!

"Thieves, Drunks and Lawyers . . ."

Wow, the Las Vegas Sun sure has a low impression of Vegas lawyers. A story in the Las Vegas Sun today reads: "Thieves, drunks and lawyers are why your rates are so high" How are lawyers equated with drunks and thieves? The LV Sun explains:

Nevadans also love their personal injury lawyers. According to the Insurance Industry Institute, Nevadans file 39.7 injury claims for every 100 auto accidents. The national average is 24.5.

"Those guys are looking for work," [says Michael Geeser, president of the Nevada Insurance Council and AAA spokesman]. "They have their ads blasting, and as soon as you get in an accident, call one of these guys, and somebody is gonna pay."

Damn it personal injury lawyers, the Las Vegas Sun says you're driving up the insurance rates for all of us. But wait, personal injury lawyers say it's the insurance companies' fault:

(Bill Bradley, a prominent Nevada trial lawyer, said poor claims handling by
insurance companies is a significant cause of high premiums in Nevada.
Rather than promptly and fairly compensating innocent accident victims,
insurance companies delay payments or offer unfair settlements, which requires
victims to hire lawyers, delays eventual settlements and drives up costs,
Bradley said.)

Hmmm . . . I'm confused. Why doesn't the headline say "Thieves, Drunks, Lawyers and Insurance Claims Handlers are why your rates are so high"? Not sure. Also not sure why the LV Sun authors put an entire paragraph/quote within parenthesis. Maybe our readers will be able to clear up who's at fault: the insurance companies or the plaintiff's attorneys.

Drive Thru closed? Not for Justice Pickering

Nevada Supreme Court Justice Kris Pickering apparently has a grudge against United Parcel Service. She was in a parking lot this morning and saw a UPS store lurking, so she bravely stepped on the gas and rammed the front of the store. The RJ reports:

Supreme Court Justice Kris Pickering drove her Mercedes sedan into the front of a UPS store near Rancho Drive and Charleston Boulevard around 9 a.m.
today, the store's owner said. . .

"The whole front just exploded inward," Halovich said. "All the wood and glass flew in like shrapnel and everything shot right by me. Miraculously, it just missed me."

Ok, Justice Pickeirng doesn't have a UPS store vendetta. According to the article, her accelerator got stuck while she was parking, forcing the car into the store's windowfront.

Anyone know a good product liability defense attorney in town? Mercedes is going to need one.

Update: Las Vegas Now has posted closed circuit video of the accident:

Richard Harris v. Michael Strange & Assoc. (Round 1 of Billboard/Television advertising firm poll)

Our first billboard/television advertising firm match-up in the first round puts old school Vegas powerhouse Richard Harris up against scrappy newcomer Michael Strange & Assoc. Let's get ready to rumble. (Vote at the top of the blog until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23)

Here's some background on these contenders.

Richard Harris (examples of fake news story, PR videos available here):

Say what you will about old Dick Harris, but he has built himself one hell of a firm. A few years back, he purchased Ticket Busters from Adam Stokes, along with the 666-6666 phone number (reportedly paying millions for the privilege). He also seems to own approximately 75% of all the billboards in this town (and, in case you were wondering, that girl on the billboards is an "actor"). Harris has also shown himself to be quite the boss around Christmastime, reportedly taking his entire staff on a 5-day holiday cruise.

Harris has set up what seems like a great compensation package for his attorneys. Associate lawyers are paid 20% of the net fees to the firm on the first $1 million in fees received on cases during the calendar year. The commission increases to 25% of fees received between $1 and $1.5 million, and then again to 1/3 in excess of $1.5 million. Associates must bring in $30,000 in fees monthly to break even, and receive a $6,000/month draw against their commissions as a "base." In 2007 and 2008, individual associates earned between $250,000 and $750,000. Pretty nice salary, especially considering the lack of billable hours.

Michael Strange & Associates:
Michael Strange is one of the youngest faces in our tournament. And say what you want about this scrapper, but he's out there putting in the marketing hours in this tough economy.

We first found Mr. Strange advertising on craigslist (ads available here). He may not be the biggest advertising firm in the tournament, but given the number of craigslist posts, we think he may have the marketing endurance to go the distance against Richard Harris.

While we question whether a law firm should have "& Associates" in its name unless there are actual "associates" at the firm [from Mr. Strange's website, it would appear he is a solo practitioner], we think his DUI, family law and bankruptcy practice may be focused enough for Mr. Strange to be the Cinderella-story of this tournament.

What do you think readers?

Boyd Raises The Bar

According to the LV Sun, our local lawyer factory is starting to smell the sweet odor of success with their recent USNWR ranking, and decided that the students who got them to that ranking just aren't quite good enough.

Boyd received 1,755 applications for the 2009 term, admitting 407 and enrolling 157 students. That works out to be about a 23% acceptance rate, and an 8% enrollment rate. We're not sure how to interpret those numbers, but the Sun reports that Boyd has become so competitive that even local applicants with "juice" are being turned away:

The growing competition to enroll in Boyd has left some seemingly well-placed applicants — including family members of local politicians, high-profile lawyers and judges — out in the cold, insiders say.

Yikes! If anyone can give specifics as to which politicos or judge's spawn got the cold shoulder from Boyd, we'd love to hear about it! Dean John V. White (you can't tell from the angle of that photo, but he is actually sitting on a pile of money) better watch out. Those politicians and attorneys may hold the future of his law school in their hands, you know, with the current "budget crunch" and all.

Joking aside, it is great to see Boyd making moves to better their reputation. However, we can't help but wonder what the consequence of making Nevada's only law school too exclusive may be. What do you think, readers? Do we actually want Boyd to crack the top 50?

(LV Sun)

Gibbons to Ensign: "I feel you dawg."

If you haven't heard by now, Senator John Ensign is having some marital issues, and who better to jump to his aid than someone who has been there before?

It seems that Governor Jim Gibbons now has some odd infidelity-bond with Senator Ensign, and he wants to let Ensign know that he's there for him. Here's Gibbons' quote from the RGJ:

"John handled this the way he thought was best and I think their family has a lot of work to do to get through this, I just want to tell them that they have my support. Whatever I can do to help them is fine.”

Awww, how sweet! Isn't it great to see fellow marital bond-breakers getting together to fight a common enemy?

Oh, and in case you were wondering, that website Gibbons' accuser Chrissy Mazzeo put up is still there ... and still fabulous! If you haven't already, you must check out the updated "Plaintiff's Exhibit Gallery," complete with a Family Circus style map detailing the night's events.

(RGJ)

Breaking News about the Bar Exam

Today, the Las Vegas Sun posted an amazing expose on the Nevada Bar exam. While this may be hard to believe, the bar exam is both hard and stressful.

The article focused on the efforts of Byron Francis, managing partner of the Nevada offices of Armstrong Teasdale. Mr. Francis, listed in The Best Lawyers in America 2009 in construction law, has been licensed in Missouri since 1974.

The Pulitzer Prize winning Sun offered amazing insight into the experience of taking the bar. Truly, these are things that none of our WWL readers have ever considered, I'm sure. Here are some highlights:

• The bar exam is taken by mostly "20-somethings with MacBooks who had been doing nothing but studying for the exam for months." [Hey, Apple, this is perfect for one of those commercials with Drew Barrymore's ex boyfriend and the PC guy. Poor Mr. Francis had some difficulty with his computer during the exam and we can only assume it was one of those dreadful PCs.]
  
  
• Nevada does not offer reciprocity or an easier test to those who have been licensed in other states, regardless of their legal service elsewhere. [Because otherwise, everyone would pack their bags and take North Carolina, which my law school career counselor told me was the easiest exam in the country.]
  
  
• "There were moments during the exam when he felt sure to fail." [Awww, Mr. Francis, this happens to everyone. Chin up. As I learned from Lil C on a recent episode of So You Think You Can Dance, "lack of confidence can be the heaviest anchor" in keeping us from fulfilling our dreams.]
  
  
• Nevada is one of the most difficult bar exams in the country. [Something warm and fuzzy for bar prep season.]
  
  
• Waiting for results is scary.
  

Fortunately, this tale has a happy ending; Mr. Francis passed. Upcoming bar takers, I hope you feel more confident knowing that a man who has been practicing longer than most of you have been alive was able to pass.

Note to The Sun: Perhaps you should consider focusing on one of the 20-somethings with the MacBooks trying to get a job in the current legal market. There's another bar exam in July. I bet you can find someone looking for a job that you can interview. Let's try this again and we'll review your findings in another six months.

Layoff Watch: Snell & Wilmer

Snell & Wilmer, the Phoenix-based mega-firm with a large Las Vegas presence, is starting to feel the pinch of these tough economic times and it is now overflowing into the Vegas Office. In May, Snell laid off 30 to 40 staffers, supposedly all from Phoenix.

It has been confirmed that attorneys at Snell are taking a 10% paycut. According to NALP, the Las Vegas associates were starting at $105,000, as of February 2009. Could those salaries have been saved if the Los Angeles office wasn't opened in January of this year?

Does anyone know if this impacts only associates or partners too? Have any other firms lowered salaries? Any new salary freezes?

Poll #3: The Tournament of Billboard/Television advertising Vegas firms

Ladies and gentlemen, WWL presents the reader's choice tournament of the best billboard/television advertising firm in Vegas.

Starting Monday, it will be up to you, the readers, to vote on who wins each round. The match-ups are listed below. We will post a little background information on each firm and post a match-up a day.

WESTERN DIVISION

2. Richard Harris v. 15. Michael Strange & Assoc.

3. Golightly and Assoc. v. 14. Jonathan J. Lord

4. Vannah and Vannah v. 13. Rob Graham

5. Adam Kutner v. 12. Craig Kenney

6. Randolph Goldberg v. 11. Frank Sorrentino

7. Reza Athari v. 10. Deluca & Assoc.

8. Justice Injury Lawyers v. 9. G. Dallas Horton

BYE: 1. Ed Bernstein & Assoc.

EASTERN DIVISION

BYE: 1. The Heavy Hitter

9. Ticket Busters v. 8. Christensen Law

10. Cohen Johnson Day v. 7. Jerry "Jaws" Weise

11. C. Conrad Claus v. 6. Palmer & Assoc.

12. Titolo Law Office v. 5. Robert "Top Gun" Koenig

13. Black & Lobello v. 4. Sam "The Good Guy" Harding

14. Jan Paul Koch v. 3. Manor Eglet Cottle

15. Donn M. Ianuzi, Esq. v. 2. Half-Priced Lawyers

What should you consider when voting? Anything you want. We suggest the following criteria in deciding which firm wins: litigation skill, extreme wealth, business model, most aggressive (effectively aggressive), best place to work, most embarrassing story, attorney's complete lack of shame, etc.

Not Enough Amusing Criminal Conduct in Vegas? Chris Hansen to the Rescue

If you're the type of person that can't get enough goofy criminal conduct, then you're in luck. Chris Hansen of Dateline NBC took a break from pretending to be a 14 yr old girl and filmed some shows with the Vegas Police, catching the seedier parts of Vegas. (Hansen Files)

Oh goodie, I hope they set up a prostitution sting at a Vegas strip club. I'm looking forward to Chris Hansen's emotionless voice questioning a customer about solicitation while the customer gets a lap dance.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

WWL looking for contributing writers

Interested in commenting on the legal community?

WWL is looking for a few good contributing writers to help share the secrets, whispers and other legal gossip with the legal community.

Description: work with the editors of WWL to develop one story a week. The story can be pulled from the headlines, based on whispers about town, a more substantive research-based piece or an out and out goofy idea.

You will be able to write and post stories under a pseudonym to ensure that your all-important reputation is untarnished.

If you're interested, email us at nevadalegal@gmail.com

Attorney of the Day?

We're not sure if Stacey Chapman is an attorney (NV State Bar says she's not barred in NV), but if she is, the ad she posted on craigslist offering legal services (available here) makes her WWL's attorney of the day.

Super Stacey will apparently fight for you while flying around town in a form-fitting super dress. According to the post, she will:

. . . FIX TRAFFIC TICKET, DUI'S, WARRANTS AND CRIMINAL CASES NO POINTS ON YOUR RECORD (IN MOST CASES) NO TRAFFIC SCHOOL (IN MOST CASES) NO INSURANCE INCREASE NO COURT APPEARANCE

Personally, I've always wanted a super hero on my side, especially one that writes in ALL CAPS.

To Disclose an Identity or Not to Disclose an Identity

You may have noticed that people on WWL enjoy remaining anonymous. The editors of WWL tend to believe that anonymity in the legal field can lead to increased reporting of the absurd actions of the Nevada legal industry. Need further proof of the value of anonymity, see the Nevada State Bar's anonymous phone number for reporting ethical violations.

But there are also arguments that anonymity in our society can be dangerous, leads to libel and leaves people free to write things they wouldn't if without anonymity. Case in point, this week the U.S. Attorney's office subpoenaed Review-Journal records related to anonymous comments, which allegedly threaten the attorneys and jurors in a current criminal tax trial (RJ):

Las Vegas business owner Robert Kahre and others face federal tax fraud charges
for paying contractors with gold and silver U.S. coins based on the precious metal value of the coins but using the much lower face value of the coins for tax purposes. . .
Jury members, [AUSA Gregory Damm] and Christopher Maietta, another government attorney, are the subjects of online comments that might be construed as threats . . .

The tone of the comments (RJ):

One commentator said, "The sad thing is there are 12 dummies on the jury who will convict him. They should be hung along with the feds." . . .

Readers' online feedback, mostly anonymous, is almost entirely pro-Kahre. Some comments personally attack Damm. One, for example, calls him a "socialist, fascist
Mormon" and a "Nazi moron."

The RJ and the ACLU have teamed up to resist the subpoena. (RJ) However, yesterday the RJ decided to continue to challenge the subpoena, but will release information to the U.S. Attorneys from the two most allegedly violent comments so that authorities may identify who they are and where they live. (RJ)

Hmmm . . . the side of me that posts under a pseudonym is concerned. The side of me that doesn't think attorneys and jurors should be shot for prosecuting tax evaders is a fan of the subpoena. What do you think readers?

A "Brief" Musical Break ...

While perusing one of our favorite legal blogs, we came across their post of an old YouTube clip from 1997 that, given current economic woes and our recent music poll, we thought would give our loyal readers a chuckle.

So, if you are a seasoned attorney who has left the billable hour behind, use this time to think about how happy you are to have done so. If you are a current associate still working under the thumb of the almighty hour: make a quick phone call, bill .1, and enjoy your 3 minutes of paid freedom (also, try not to cry).

Here are the lyrics, for those of you unable to play this with sound:

(To the tune of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time")

Sometimes you call me up and beg me for free advice...
You're stealing from me, and wondering why I'm not nice...
My mind and my time--are my merchandise.
Don't make me say this twice:

If you come to my office or call my phone, I'm billing time.
If you stop me at parties to whine and moan, I'm billing time.

You say you want the best but then you don't pay the fee.
Motions cost money, but you think they should be free.

You cry "Oh why, is my bill so high?" [my bill so high?]
Well let me clarify:

If you come to my office or call my phone, I'm billing time.
If you stop me at parties to whine and moan, I'm billing time.
If I think of you when I am all alone, I'm billing time.
If you're late for appointments, I will be waiting... and billing time.
Still billing time...
I'm billing time.

(Above The Law)

Quiet Kids, I'm watching the Lakers

Did you see that game last night? Derek Fisher was on fire. Kobe as usual was a champ. You'd have to be a fool to miss a game of this series and if you missed the explosive Lakers offense in last night's game, you'd be kicking yourself all day today.

Apparently, Jonathan Weaver, the winner of today's parenting award completely agrees:

A man accused of leaving two toddlers tied up in a southwest valley garage said he was upset that he had to baby-sit his girlfriend’s children and went to a bar to watch a basketball game, a Metro Police report said. He appeared in Clark County District Court this morning.

Jonathan Weaver, 20, was arrested on charges of child abuse and endangerment, kidnapping and attempted murder after police broke into the apartment complex garage in the 10000 block of South Spencer Street about 8:15 p.m. Tuesday and found the 1- and 2-year-old children tied up in their car seats, police said.

The children, who had been left in the garage for more than two hours, were also gagged with cloth and a shirt was pulled over the younger child’s face, police said. (LV Sun)

Normally, WWL doesn't support child abuse, but that was a hell of a game.

One Miiiiiiiiillion Dollars!

It's amazing what $1,200 will buy a sucker you these days. If you happen to find yourself on the winning side of a million dollar plus verdict, it can get you membership into the "exclusive" Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

What's that, you ask? Well, it's basically a brilliant scheme that California attorney Donald Costello came up with back in 1993. You send him $1,200, and he puts your name on a website (which, by the looks of it, has remained unchanged since 1993). But wait, that's not all! According the site, membership entitles you to the following "perks" as well:

• CERTIFICATION
• PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING & REFERRAL
• MEMBER LIST
• MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE
• PRESS RELEASE
• USE OF LOGOS AND OTHER TRADEMARKS
• MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM (available to qualified members)

Who the HELL would pay for such a thing, you ask? The answer, unfortunately, is approximately 95 members of our great Nevada Bar (including former District Court Judge Stuart Bell). Also, 17 members of the Nevada bar paid the additional $700 to be included on the list of "Multi-Million Dollar Advocates" (which, strangely, is less expensive to join than the normal Million Dollar list, go figure). The names are too numerous to list, but we recognized almost every one of them, and were quite surprised by a few. You can check it out for yourselves on the site.

We imagine that getting a million dollar verdict is a lot like hitting the jackpot at a local casino: you unexpectedly come into a ton of money, so you spring for the steak dinner and tip the valet $500 on your way out ... only to wake up the next morning wishing you hadn't. Thus, we (sort of) understand wanting to advertise such a triumph and, in the process, falling victim to this nonsense.

The WSJ Law Blog has a good piece about the club, correctly noting that just because you settled a million dollar case does not (necessarily) mean you are a good attorney.

Doing some quick math, the MDAF has managed to pull approximately $125,000 out of the pockets of Nevada plaintiff's attorneys. Thus, in an effort to save our attorney friends some money, we are officially starting the "WWL Advocates Club."

Please send us your money orders, payable to "WWL," in the amount of $500 - a relative steal! In return, we promise to mock you mercilessly for being such a gullible chump. Oh, and for an additional $200, LE will draw you a picture of something that you can tack to your wall (for another $100, said something will be some sort of seal or phallic symbol, her choice). Hurry, supplies are limited!

(MDAF; WSJ Law Blog; Thanks CC!)

Poll #3: Billboard Firm Battle Royale

For Poll#3, WWL is going in a different direction. Given that it's playoff season and my beloved Lakers are soon to be champions, I thought we'd do the next poll bracket-style in several pieces. Firms will go head to head with another firm in each round, leading to an eventual winner.

The question:

What's the best billboard/television advertising firm in town?

Criteria (you choose what's important and argue for it): litigation skill, extreme wealth, business model, most aggressive (effectively aggressive), best place to work, most embarrassing story, attorney's complete lack of shame, etc.

The door is open for nominations until Saturday at 9 a.m. (add your nominations to the comment section of this post).

The current nominees are:

Ed Bernstein

The 4 ft 10" Heavy Hitter

Golightly and Associates

Adam Kutner

The "Good Guy" Sam Harding

Jaws Jerry Wiese

Update: after some feedback, the nominations are open to firms on billboards and television--Plaintiff's firm or defense firm.

Is Justice to the Highest Bidder an Endagered Species?

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its judicial ethics decision in Caperton, et. al. v. A.T. Massey Coal Co., Inc. (opinion available here), putting a smack down on justice to the highest bidder West Virginia-style. The majority issued the common sense holding that due process is violated when the "probability of actual bias . . . is too high to be constitutionally tolerable." Say, like when a Justice does not recuse himself from a $50 million lawsuit involving a defendant/appellant who has donated $3.1 million in direct and indirect contributions to the elected Justice's campaign in an election yea (for background on the absurd W. Wa. case, read WSJ blog here). Seems pretty reasonable: when a litigant makes massive contributions to a judicial official, the judge should recuse himself from that case.

But Chief Justice Roberts' minority opinion offers the most questions for the issue of "justice for sale" in Nevada. And by questions, we literally mean questions. Chief Justice Roberts included a list of 40 questions in his dissent (starts p. 28), which he claims the majority's opinion leaves unanswered, including the question of whether a judge must recuse herself from hearing a case litigated by an attorney who made a significant donation to the judge's campaign.

Seems particularly relevant for Nevada's judiciary, which has [at least in the recent past] turned a blind eye to questions of conflict of interest (see prior post here) and where attorneys/litigants can contribute up to $10,000 to a judge's campaign. Reached for comment on how the case would impact Nevada, State Bar President Bruce Beesley said "Judges here typically are very aware of bias . . . and try to avoid it." (RJ) Hmmm . . . what do you think readers? Do we have the squeaky-clean Silver State judiciary Mr. Beesley imagines?

In related Nevada news, this issue may soon be moot as the Nevada legislature just passed a bill calling for appointment of judicial candidates. (LV Sun)

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

We've been getting a lot of emails from nervous job seekers, who we assume are studying for the bar exam, asking if anyone is hiring.

The following job-seeking advice editorial comes from WWL's professional etiquette editor:
1) if you're studying for the bar, focus on the bar exam and drinking and/or praying your way through it;
2) check out the Boyd School career services postings, craigslist legal jobs and the billboard Plaintiff's firms for work [may not lead to the best job in Vegas, but it's better than working at Denny's];
3) open up a solo practice and develop a niche area of practice (family law might work--people won't stop getting divorced in Nevada);
4) Alverson Taylor will be hiring in 3-6 months when it's current crop of new associates have escaped;
5) look to smaller construction defect and bankruptcy firms. They seem to still have a solid book of business;
6) network every day and night and inform everyone you know that you're still looking for work;
7) maybe Denny's is hiring. It beats being unemployed.

Best Defense Firms to Work for in Vegas (Editors' picks)

WWL presents its inaugural list of the best defense firms to work for in Vegas.

These rankings are based on the most pristine, untouchable scientific polling methods, a number of beers at a weekend BBQ, and reader input. It is worth noting that while many young associates will follow the magic number (salary/billable hour requirement) to figure out what firms to lust after, the firms in town with the highest magic number did not top our list. The reason? The list takes firm culture, firm reputation and associate perks into consideration. Enjoy!

Best Defense Firms to Work for in Vegas
1. Marquis & Aurbach

Marquis & Aurbach (“M&A”) takes first in the inaugural WWL Best Defense firm to work for in Vegas based on a combination of its firm culture, perks for employees and professional reputation. The firm starts associates off at $102,500 before lucrative bonuses, contributes to employee 401k accounts and pays 100% of health insurance for its employees. WWL received several emails from associates praising the firm culture, the sense of camaraderie and the willingness of the firm’s well-known litigators to mentor younger attorneys. Seems that the partners take turns regularly treating for a round or two at Friday happy hour. Additionally, the firm has a private chef prepare a free lunch for the attorneys Monday through Friday and has catered to attorney caffeine addiction by installing a soda fountain. In terms of billable hours, M&A requires 2000 hours, but the associates swear that 2000 really does mean 2000 even if you want to be on the partnership track.

2. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
WWL ranks Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (“BHFS”) second in the Vegas Valley based on its impressive and rising reputation. The firm currently has 36 attorneys in Las Vegas and has a starting salary of $110,000. The firm has highly ranked Corporate/Commercial law, Gaming law, General Litigation, Construction Litigation, Labor & Employment, ERISA, Real Estate and Zoning/Land Use departments (Chambers and Partners). Additionally, the litigation partners are well-respected and there has been little to no trash talked about the firm on WWL. The firm also knows how to celebrate associate work, hosting its Christmas party at the Wynn casino with an open bar. Finally, the firm inspired one of our favorite comments to the blog, “I would get about a $15,000 raise if I got an offer at Lionel Sawyer, but I wouldn't consider moving to that firm. On the other hand, I would move over to Browstein Hyatt [] even if I took a $5,000 pay cut.”

3. Lionel Sawyer
The old school firm of Vegas, Lionel Sawyer (“LSC”), places third on the list based on its perks for associates and its outstanding reputation. The firm starts off associates at $110,000, but lists the very reasonable billable requirement of 1,800 hours. Reports are that many LSC partners were crowned with partnership simply by billing the minimum amount of 1,800. Associates suggest there is no pressure to broach 1,800, but bonuses await those attorneys to who do. One frequent criticism of the firm has been its low level raises for associates who stay with the firm. However, LSC consistently ranks in the top Nevada firms for Corporate/Commercial law, Gaming law, Labor & Employment law, Litigation and Real Estate. (Chambers and Partners) Associates also wrote in to say that partners at the firm take time to work with them and are frequently assigned real responsibilities in cases, rather than being stuck in document review.One knock on LSC is that firm culture can be curmudgeonly, with no elaborate parties and associates are expected to be in a suit and tie every day. However, partners are known to go out of their way to host open bars, provide snacks, cake or ice-cream on a fairly regular basis.

4. Jones Vargas
Jones Vargas (“JV”) comes in fifth based on a rock solid reputation and reasonable billable requirement. Associates start at $102,000 and are expected to make 1850 billable hours. Like LSC, JV consistently ranks as a top Nevada firm in the areas of Corporate/Commercial law, Gaming law, Labor & Employment law, Litigation, and Real Estate. (Chambers and Partners)Associates report that they interact with the firm’s partners on a regular basis. They also report that there’s no pressure for associates to exceed the minimum billable requirement.

5. McDonald Carano Wilson
McDonald Carano comes in fifth based on its solid legal reputation and quick opportunities for associates to gain experience. Associates start at $100,000 and have the reasonable billable requirement of 1850. Like LSC and JV, McDonald Carano consistently ranks as a top Nevada firm in the areas of Corporate/Commercial law, Gaming law, Labor & Employment law, Litigation, and Real Estate. (Chambers and Partners) Associates similarly report that they interact with the firm’s partners on a regular basis.

6. Hutchison & Steffen
Coming in at number six is the lesser-known Hutchison & Steffen (“H&S”) based on its employee perks and the genuine associate love for the firm’s culture. Associates start off at $86,000 and are expected to make 1900 billable hours. Every Friday, the attorneys at H&S dine out together on the firm’s dime. The firm is also incredibly family-friendly, paying for an annual firm vacation for attorneys, support staff and their immediate families in Disneyland (including lodging). The firm also offers casual Fridays and free breakfast on Fridays (bagels and donuts). Associates also report that the attorneys and staff genuinely like each other, have frequent firm-wide potlucks and a friendly atmosphere. And the icing on the cake that won H&S the spot at no. 6? If associates bill over 200 hours a month, they get an extra check called “combat pay” to compensate for the loss of free time.

Firms to Watch:
Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker
Until recently, Wilson Elser had not really been a player in the Vegas market. It was previously just a satellite office of a national firm, but with the addition of new managing partner and Vegas rainmaker Michael M. Edwards, we think it’s a firm to look into for next year’s list.

Holland & Hart
This last year Holland & Hart ("H&H") gobbled up Nevada firm Hale Lane. We haven’t heard if the Vegas office has the same perks and culture of the H&H Colorado offices, but if skiing, hiking and party life is now a regular part of firm life (WSJ Blog), expect to see them on the list next year.

Howard and Howard
Say what you want about the voting process that led a firm with only 14 attorneys in Vegas to come in second in the poll of best places to work in Vegas. The fact that Howard and Howard employees like the firm enough to put together 118 votes says this firm may soon join the list of best defense firms to work for in Vegas.