Representative Matters

• Business Commercial
• Arbitrated disputes regarding breach of employment contracts
• Mediated and arbitrated disputes concerning dissolution of businesses
• Mediated and arbitrated disputes involving fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement of publicly traded and private companies
• Arbitrated and mediated consumer disputes involving credit card companies, banks 
• Construction
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes among public and private owners, developers, contractors, lenders and sureties involving delay, disruption, and defective design and construction
• Mediated disputes between insurers 
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes concerning payment and performance bonds
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes between contractors and subcontractors
• Education and Civil Rights
• As General Counsel for the Clark County, Nevada School District, mediated and conducted conflict management between and among disputing parents, administrators, employees and trustees
• Mediated disputes involving public and private educational institutions
• Mediated civil rights disputes involving personal injury, excessive use of force and other Civil Rights claims
• Estate Probate Trusts
• Served as Trustee of trusts involving sale of business, real property, and competing interests among beneficiaries
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes concerning management of trust estate and breach of fiduciary duty by trustee
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes among family members 
• Mediated guardianship disputes
• Insurance
• Neutral evaluation of claims between Hurricane Sandy victims and FEMA
• Mediated claims involving OCIP policies in commercial construction disputes
• Mediated coverage issues arising from claims against general contractor for negligent construction
• Mediated coverage disputes in cases alleging professional malpractice
• Mediated coverage issues in construction defect disputes involving residential developments
• Mediated coverage issues in cases alleging officer and director malfeasance
• Personal Injury
• Mediated and arbitrated Personal injury and wrongful death cases involving vehicle accidents, including those arising from alleged negligent design and maintenance of highways
• Mediated Premises liability 
• Professional Liability
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes involving skilled nursing facilities
• Mediated and Arbitrated Medical and dental malpractice claims
• Mediated attorney malpractice claims
• Arbitrated landscape malpractice claims
• Real Property
• Mediated leasehold disputes involving commercial landlords, tenants and lenders 
• Mediated title insurance coverage and payment disputes
• Mediated claims involving abandonment of leasehold by anchor tenants 
• Mediated disputes concerning tenant improvements 
• Arbitrated and mediated disputes involving mixed-use developments 
• Arbitrated and mediated Community Association disputes 
• Mediated work-out agreements between lenders, borrowers and guarantors involving distressed properties
• Mediated disputes involving real estate brokers and agents

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
• Recognized as a “Best Lawyer in America,” The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Recognized as a “Best Lawyer in Construction Law” The Best Lawyers in America, 2023
• Recognized as a “Best Lawyer,” The Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2023
• Recognized as a “Super Lawyer,” Mountain States Super Lawyers
• Adjunct Faculty — Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Real Estate Finance
  • Negotiation
• Nevada Supreme Court Settlement Judge
• Faculty, National Institute of Trial Advocacy Seminars, Las Vegas, Nevada (Taking and Defending Depositions) 
• U.S. District Court for Nevada’s Section 1983 Inmate Early Mediation Program Mediator Panel
• Former General Counsel, Clark County School District
• Former Member and Chairman, Clark County School District Bond Oversight Committee
• Member
• State Bar of Nevada
• Utah State Bar

Recent Publications

• “Timing Is Everything: Balance Risk and Opportunity to Decide When to Mediate,” and "Timing Is Everything: When is hte Best Time to Mediate," JAMS Global Construction Solutions, Spring 2014 
• “Payment and Lien Statutes Are Potential Landmines,” Modern Contract Solutions, 2010
• “Negotiation in the Red Zone: Excelling When It’s Critical,” JAMS Global Construction Solutions, Winter 2017

Speaking Engagements

• State Bar of Nevada - April 29, 2021 - Nuts and Bolts of Negotiation 
• Pima County, Arizona, Bar Association - Zoom Mediations, Arbitrations and Hearings, 2020
• Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys - Advanced Mediation Strategies, 2017
• JAMS Global Engineering and Construction Group Biennial Conference, February 22, 2018 - Facilitative and Evaluative Styles and Strategies in Mediating Construction Disputes
• Fidelity National Law Group, October 17, 2017 - Persuasive Pre-Trial Advocacy in Litigation
• STRATEGIC MOTION PRACTICE THROUGHOUT LITIGATION: The When, Why and How of Pleading Wars, Discovery Wars, Sanctions and all Sorts of Motions (Panel)
• HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF MEDIATION: Six Things to Consider in the Process (Panel)
• State Bar of Nevada, October 6, 2017 - Negotiation Skills
• State Bar of Nevada, December 7, 2016 - Ethics in Negotiation and Settlement 
• "Mediation Advocacy," Nevada State Bar Young Lawyers (panel discussion), 2015
• "Effective Use of Experts in Arbitration," State Bar of Nevada Annual Meeting, 2014
• "Arbitration Clauses for Commercial Transactions and Disputes," Association of Corporate Counsel, 2014
• "Ethical Aspects of Building an Arbitration Practice," American Bar Association Webinar, 2013
• "Exploring the Pros and Cons of Mediation," Association of Corporate Counsel (panel discussion), July 2013
• "Legislative Update: Common Interest Community Operation, Management and Dispute Resolution," State Bar of Nevada Webinar, 2013
• Settlement Conference Training, Clark County District Court Judges, 2013
• "Strategies to Streamline Your Arbitration," Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys, 2013
• "Strategies for Managing Disputes and Claims Without Litigation," Construction Management Association of America, South Nevada Chapter, 2012
• Presentations on effective strategies for mediation and arbitration to various private law firms in Nevada and Utah

Background and Education

• L.L.M. Degree in Dispute Resolution, Straus Institute at Pepperdine University School of Law
• J.D. and B.A., University of Utah
  • Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi
• General Counsel, Clark County School District
• Partner, Duane Morris LLP
• Partner, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald LLP
• Shareholder, Lavelle & Associates, PC
• State Bar of Nevada’s First Bar Counsel