Dean Dan Hamilton Featured on News 3's Jim Rogers' Nevada - Part 1

Dan Hamilton is the Dean and Richard J. Morgan Professor of Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law.

On Nov. 11, he was featured on News 3's Jim Rogers' Nevada program.

"We are the law school for the whole state. That puts us in a very special and privileged position. So we need to make sure that we reach out to the whole state, and we need to make sure that we continue that trajectory that Dick (Morgan), John (White) and Nancy (Rapoport) were able to put us on," he said during the interview.

Dean Hamilton researches and writes primarily on American property ideology and the legal and constitutional issues raised by the Civil War. He has written numerous articles and reviews on American legal history.

Nov. 8 Boyd Briefs Now Available

The Nov. 8 edition of Boyd Briefs is now available.

This week's edition features Professor Bret Birdsong, student Melissa Corral, and alumna Kristina Holmstrom '04.

Since joining the Boyd School of Law in 2000, Professor Birdsong has served as a role model for countless students. This year, Boyd was proud to announce that Professor Birdsong would take his expertise in areas of federal land and resources to Washington D.C. to work as the Deputy Solicitor for Land Resources for the U.S. Department of the Interior.  

As a part-time evening student at Boyd, Corral has faced many moments of frustration while juggling law school and a full-time job. Propelled by opportunities for personal and professional growth, she is on track to graduate next May with a number of accomplishments under her belt. Corral currently is active in SBA as a 4L part-time representative and represents clients in the law school’s Immigration Clinic.

After graduating from Boyd in 2004, Holmstrom moved to Phoenix to begin her legal career at Meyer Hendricks and Bivens, a boutique commercial litigation firm. She currently works as a litigation partner at Lewis Roca Rothgerber, where she focuses on all aspects of insurance litigation, including ERISA and coverage work.  

To subscribe to Boyd Briefs, visit http://law.unlv.edu/BoydBriefs.

Boyd Students Stephen Davis and Gil Kahn Win In-house Client Counseling Competition

2013 in-house client counseling competition
winners Stephen Davis and Gil Kahn

UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law students Stephen Davis and Gil Kahn will represent the school at the American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division’s regional Client Counseling Competition in spring 2015.

Davis and Kahn received first place during the 15th annual in-house client counseling competition that was held at the Boyd School of Law on Nov. 1 and 2. The competition was hosted by the law school's Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution and the Clark County Bar Association.

The pair competed against fellow Boyd students, including second place winners Cameron Busby and Brian Terrell as well as third place winners Dawn Nielsen and Brandi Loffer.

Busby and Terrell’s success will allow them the opportunity to represent Boyd at the ABA regional competition in February 2014 in Santa Clara, Calif. The competition’s topic will be the First Amendment.

“The competition is a terrific opportunity for our students,” said Boyd School of Law Dean Daniel Hamilton, “and it would not be possible without the work of Boyd’s dedicated and generous alumni and our student leaders.”

The in-house competition required student teams to conduct simulated initial lawyer-client interviews while being critiqued by a panel of judges. Boyd alumni, faculty and staff as well as members of the local legal community played clients and judges.

“While I did not watch all of every session, I think I watched at least part of every team’s interviews. I was extremely impressed by the quality of the interviews and very proud to be a professor at Boyd,” said Jean Sternlight, Director of the Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution and Michael and Sonja Saltman Professor of Law.

Earlier this year, Boyd students (now alumni) Cathy Kama and Jeanette Barrick placed third in the ABA Client Counseling Competition for Region 9, which involved students from Nevada, Arizona, California and Hawaii.

Heather Procter Selected as 2013 Boyd Alumna of the Year

Heather Procter ’03 has been named the 2013 William S. Boyd School of Law Alumna of the Year, the highest and most prestigious alumni award given by the school.

“I am very honored to receive this award,” said Procter. “I have truly enjoyed serving the Boyd community and continuing my involvement with this wonderful school.”

Procter graduated cum laude from the Boyd School of Law in 2003. Since, she has practiced law in several capacities. Recently, she has worked as the Deputy Attorney General in both the Bureau of Public Affairs’ Public Safety Division and the Bureau of Litigation’s Appellate Division at the Office of the Attorney General in Carson City. Since 2011, she has served as the Senior Deputy Attorney General in the Bureau of Litigation’s Appellate Division. During her tenure in the Appellate Division, she has researched and responded to numerous state and federal habeas corpus petitions filed by Nevada inmates, presented arguments before federal courts, and prosecuted defendants accused of committing crimes against the state of Nevada.

Procter is an active member in a number of organizations, including the William S. Boyd School of Law Alumni Association Board, Nevada Bar Association, Northern Nevada Women Lawyers Association, California Bar Association, and First Judicial District Court Bar Association.

While attending Boyd, Procter participated in the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, American Bar Association, Faculty Selection Committee, Graduation Committee, Federalist Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and Organization of Women Lawyers Society. She was also the recipient of a number of awards, including the 2003 Dean’s Award and the 2002 CALI Award for administrative law.

As a student, Procter taught free legal education classes regarding landlord-tenant law. Additionally, she contributed to the Nevada Law Journal as an Executive Board Member and Lead Special Projects Editor.

In addition to a Juris Doctor degree, Procter holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, both from the University of Nevada, Reno.

The Alumna of the Year Award was presented at the annual UNLV Alumni Association Homecoming Dinner on Nov. 1 in the Grand Hall at the Richard Tam Alumni Center.

Nov. 1 Boyd Briefs Now Available

The Nov. 1 edition of Boyd Briefs is now available.

This week’s edition features Professor Linda Edwards, student Katelyn Cantu, and alumnus M. Daron Dorsey ’01.

Professor Edwards currently teaches Briefs That Changed the World, a class at the Boyd School of Law that combines theory and practice. The course draws from Professor Edwards' 2012 book with the same title, which explores the importance of narrative in effective advocacy.

While attending the Boyd School of Law, Cantu has sought to broaden her foundation in international affairs by participating in the Inter-American Human Rights Law Moot Court Competition and two study abroad programs. She now encourages fellow Boyd students to share her zeal in the area as the president of the International Law Society.

Dorsey currently practices law at the firm Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. In addition to supporting a variety of UNLV programs, Dorsey currently serves on the William S. Boyd School of Law's Alumni Board of Directors. 

To subscribe to Boyd Briefs, visit http://law.unlv.edu/BoydBriefs. 

Boyd Alumnus Terry Johnson '11 Named 2013 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year

Terry Johnson '11

William S. Boyd School of Law alumnus Terry Johnson '11 on Oct. 23 was named 2013 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by Nevada Legal Services.

He was recognized at the annual Champions of Justice Luncheon, honoring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"Despite Terry’s important role as member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, Terry continues to take the cause of equal justice to heart, continuously maintaining a pro bono case load of three or more cases at a time," said AnnaMarie Johnson, Executive Director of Nevada Legal Services, during her presentation of the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award. "Terry has made a tremendous difference in the lives of numerous pro bono clients and is an outstanding role model for all attorneys."

In addition to Johnson, several Boyd alumni were recognized for their pro bono work in the community.

The following alumni accepted pro bono cases through Nevada Legal Services in 2013:
Craig Bourke '01
Hai Ling Chu '11
Tera Hodge '09
Terry Johnson '11
Leighton Koehler '12
Chan Lengsavath '11
Joseph Maridon '03
Morgan Shah '11

The follow alumni served as Clinic Attorney Volunteers in 2013:
Millie Barfield '08
Kristy Black '12
Brian Blaylock '12
Rebecca Blood '10
Chris Cannon '05
Hai Ling Chu '11
Kim Cooper '05
Courtney Dolan '03
Nichole Duru '11
John George '04
Lorrie Haug '02
Terry Johnson '11
Carol Kingman '02
Chan Lengsavath '11
Sue Martinelli '03
Dave Rhamy '05
Linda Williams '10