The Good Guy v. Ticket Busters (end of Round 3)--voting ends 8/1 at 5 pm

The final match of Round Three of the best billboard/television law firm tournament is Sam "The Good Guy" Harding v. Ticket Busters.

Mr. Harding's white hat has remained unblemished through two rounds, taking 61% of the vote in the first round (results and bio found here) and 59% of the second round (results available here). Meanwhile, Ticket Busters keeps stomping through the competition with 83% of the vote in round one (results available here) and a major upset over the Heavy Hitter in round two (results available here). Voting ends on August 1 at 5 p.m.

Congratulations July Examinees!

Phew! It's over, finally over!

Well, kind of ... you have to wait until October to find out if it is really over. Congratulations to those of you who made it through the exam, best of luck to all of you!

So, how did it go? Did anything interesting happen during the exam? What subjects were tested? If you took the exam this week, please leave us a comment. We want to hear all about it!

Try to restrain yourselves from just typing a string of expletives, we know it sucked.

Holding Out for a Hero: Prive Looks to Attorney Jay Brown for Salvation

If you haven't heard , Prive nightclub at Planet Hollywood lost its liquor license last week. The LV Sun reports that "the Gaming Control Board slapped Planet Hollywood with a $500,000 fine to settle claims the casino knew or should have known about illegal acts — drug use, underage drinking and assault — at Prive."

Desperately looking to save itself from extinction, Prive turned to attorney Jay Brown [on the right in picture] of Singer & Brown, LLC for it's liquor license salvation. (LV Sun) So who is Jay Brown?

The LV Sun describes him as an attorney with "juice" in Las Vegas who "over three decades has earned a reputation as an influential advocate in local government circles". During the 70s and early 80s (i.e. Vegas mob years), Jay Brown was counsel for the Tropicana casino/hotel. Later, he was counsel for some of the more notorious Vegas mobsters (along with our current mayor, Oscar Goodman). Three decades of influence of Vegas usually comes with a certain ethical or moral stain, but we still haven't found anyone stating that Mr. Brown is anything other than an attorney plugged in to the heart of Vegas politics and casinos. Either way, he is definitely old school Vegas and very politically plugged in. (See campaign donations here)

Professionally, Mr. Brown has a rather low profile on the web. Lawyers.com has a fairly sparse profile, listing him as admitted in 1970 to the Nevada Bar, practicing in the areas of zoning, corporate and business law. Martindale.com gives Mr. Brown a BV peer review rating. Beyond that, his firm has no web presence.

But when you google "Jay Brown Las Vegas," a massive number of links tying Jay Brown to alleged payoffs, alleged mafia connections and alleged corruption in government. In 2006, RJ columnist Jane Ann Morrison's reported on the mystery surrounding who paid former Clark County Commissioner, later felon, Dario Herrera's legal fees in his corruption trial. (RJ) Mr. Brown's name came up in testimony in Herrera's trial from strip club owner Michael Galardi, who stated he didn't know how the money he paid Mr. Brown for lobbying was used. (RJ). In 2007, he represented Crazy Horse Too in its attempts to get an extension on its liquor license after former owner with mob-ties, Rick Rizzolo pled guilty on federal charges. (RJ)

Then there's the conspiracy websites. According to the theories, Mr. Brown is the man that made Senator Harry Reid rich (Canada Free Press), a business partner to Harry Reid (LasVegasVegas.com) and funnelled mob money to Harry Reid (Free Republic).

What do you think, readers? Is Jay Brown simply good corporate counsel at the heart of Vegas politics or old school Vegas corruption with a bar number?

Jaws v. Claus (Round 3)--voting ends 7/31 at 5pm

Through history, there have been many battles of man v. the creatures of the wild, but it's rare that man is armed with a broad sword. Today, we will witness that battle. Its the Vegas criminal defense swordsman (C. Conrad Claus) v. the terror of the seas, Jaws (Jerry Wiese).

In the first round, CCC struck quick taking the legs out from under the Vegas law guard dog firm with 61% of the vote (background on CCC and first round results found here). In the second round, he stormed to victory with 63% of the vote (results found here). Meanwhile, Jaws has chewed through the competition in both rounds, taking 81% of the vote in the first round (background on Mr. Wiese and first round results found here) and 78% of the vote in round two (results found here). Voting ends on July 31 at 5 p.m.

Sorry boys: Prostitution Arrests Shut Down the Daylight Ogling of Topless Strippers

Since the beginning of time, it has been the dream of men everywhere to ogle trashy women in the open sunlight and not have to hide in the darkened lairs of strip clubs. Thanks to the Rio and Sapphire Strip Club, this dream became a reality at the Sapphire Pool . . . until yesterday.

According to the RJ:
The Rio has indefinitely closed its adult-themed Sapphire Pool after it failed an "integrity check" by Las Vegas police on Saturday, the property's owner confirmed late Tuesday.

The Rio wouldn't explain to the RJ what "failed an integrity check" means. Las Vegas Metro was not as reluctant to comment:

Several women were arrested by undercover officers on charges of prostitution at
Sapphire Pool this weekend, according to Metro. The activity over the weekend caused the strip club-branded pool to close for two days and and the subsequent suspension of European-style sunbathing for the remainder of the season, said Rio spokeswoman Deanna Pettit.

“There were several arrests for prostitution,” officer Bill Cassell of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department said. “We do this all over the valley every day. It was just their day.” (Daily Fiasco)

Let's take a second and bow our heads for the men who's dreams are now dashed. [hat tip to WD on finding the story]

Chad GoLightly v. Richard Harris (3rd Round)--voting ends 7/30 at 5pm

Today: Chad Golightly v. . 444-4444 (Richard Harris)

In his first round match, Golightly stared down the competition, taking in 61% of the vote (background on G&A and first round results found here). Then, in the second round, he took down Mr. Sorrentino with 56% of the vote (second round results found here)

Meanwhile, Richard Harris dialed in a victory in the first round with 68% of the vote (background on the Harris firm and first round results found here). In the second round he took out immigration specialist Reza Athari (results found here)

Voting ends on July 30 at 5 p.m.

What Do You Get for a $25,512 Lap Dance?

Some visitors really know how to live it up in Vegas. While most tourists come to the desert and go drinking, gambling, maybe take in a show before getting a little raunchy and visiting the strip clubs. Then there are those travelers who really know how to do up Vegas: like blacking out drunk and allegedly spending $29k at a strip club.

The LV Sun reports:

A conventioneer from Massachusetts is challenging a $29,512 bill for a night of entertainment and drinks at [Club Paradise strip club] . . . James Hackett of Andover, Mass., filed a lawsuit [James Hackett v. C P Food & Beverage, Inc. (A-09-595953-C)] Friday in Las Vegas against the owner of the Club Paradise Gentlemen's Club and American Express Co., disputing the amount that was billed to his American Express card last Oct. 12.

According to the Complaint, Mr. Hackett checked into Hilton and went drinking in the hotel bar (he apparently likes vodka martinis). (LV Sun). What happened next:

While watching the [Red Sox] game, someone handed him his wallet and said Hackett had dropped it, Hackett's suit says. Nothing was missing from the wallet, but Hackett noticed his driver's license and American Express card had been switched from their usual positions . . . [Mr. Hackett then] left for the hotel lobby and apparently blacked out there and can't remember anything else that may have happened that night.

He called his wife the next morning and told her about the dropped wallet incident and had her check with his credit card companies to ensure there were no unauthorized charges, the lawsuit says.

No problems with his credit cards were immediately detected. But after returning
to Massachusetts, Hackett said he learned of a series of charges to his American
Express card by Club Paradise between 2:55 a.m. and 8:54 a.m. on Oct. 12.

These totaled $29,512 -- about $4,000 for a bar tab and more than
$25,000 for "unexplained services" involving six entertainers at the club . . . Hackett said in his lawsuit he has no recollection of visiting Club Paradise . . .

Nice! Way to cover with the wife. He "lost" his wallet, "doesn't remember" visiting a strip club and doesn't know why services with six strippers would have been purchased. Either this guy really knows how to party or people should be wary of using a credit card at Club Paradise.

So how did Club Paradise respond? According to the Complaint "after he challenged the charges, Club Paradise provided him with documents purportedly signed by Hackett in connection with the charges."

What do you think readers? I want to believe in Club Paradise. Not because I'm rooting for the bilking of a tourist (that's pretty much guaranteed everywhere in this town), but because that would mean Mr. Hackett is the man to party with in Vegas and is desperately trying to keep that fact from his wife. [Thanks to CB for the tip]

It's Get a Job Tuesday

With the down economy and the amount of people emailing us for work, WWL will be posting job openings from time to time. We won't post every job that comes across Craigslist, but will allow employers to send us their job opening announcements if they include salary, benefits and billable hours requirements (if a billable firm). With that preamble, here's our first offering sent in by our old friend Mr. Ross:

LITIGATION - INSURANCE DEFENSE

Ross Legal Search is seeking a candidate 3-6 years out. High Volume litigation experience only. This is a law firm Associate opportunity in Las Vegas. Law firm experience and NV Admission is required. Salary is 90K. Benefits include health insurance coverage for the associate beginning on the 1st of the month following 30 days of employment, productivity bonus starting at 1750 hours of up to 20K per year and entry into a 401K plan after one year. Must have a minimum of 2 years of Nevada Insurance Defense experience. Position includes work in First- and Third-Party Insurance Defense, Construction Defect, Insurance Coverage, Fraud and Bad Faith. Construction Defect experience as well as experience in trial, court appearances and depositions is desirable but not required as the client is willing to train in these areas.

If you wish to send us your resume, please e-mail it, as an attachment, to info@rosslegal.com, in Microsoft Word or Word Perfect format. We ask that resumes not be submitted in PDF format or in the body of an e-mail message.

Ed Bernstein v. Craig Kenny (3rd Round)--poll ends 7/29 at 5 pm

Things are heating up in the Third Round. Our first match pits the virile Uncle Ed against Mr. Nice Guy: Ed Bernstein v. Craig Kenny.

In the last round, Mr. Kenny continued his amazing run through this tournament, showing that cordiality and kindness still matter in this profession with a win over the powerful Vannah & Vannah firm with 59% of the vote (background on Kenny found here and second round results found here). Meanwhile, Mr. Bernstein stormed into the tournament after his first round bye, showing the popularity of "ask Ed," by earning 78% of the vote over G. Dallas (background on Bernstein and second round results found here). Voting ends on July 29 at 5 p.m.

Good Luck July Examinees!

Nothing we could possibly say will make those of you starting the bar exam on Tuesday feel any better.

So, on the heels of Elle's post, let's use this thread to impart wisdom onto our fellow attorney hopefuls.

How about it, readers? Any advice for our friends on how to tackle what is likely the most difficult bar exam in the nation? Funny bar stories are also welcome.

Coming Soon: Sexy Blackjack in a Gas Mask

Caesars Palace may be the first casino to debut the newest in sexy dealer fads: the Pussycat Dolls blackjack table staffed by by the hottest gas mask wearing women on the strip! Maybe not, but there's a good chance casinos will be developing a non-smoking option for gamblers and employees.

According to the RJ:

A Caesars dealer who spent two decades at Caesars Palace has sued the Strip resort and parent company Harrah's Entertainment in federal court claiming that exposure to secondhand smoke forced her to quit her casino job.

In a lawsuit that attorneys are seeking to have certified as a class action case, former blackjack dealer Tomo Stephens claimed Caesars Palace isn't doing enough to protect its workers from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, contends Caesars Palace, since being acquired by Harrah's in 2005, has removed nonsmoking gaming areas from the casino floor, forbids employees from designating certain gaming tables as smoke-free and encourages smoking among its customers . . .

According to the story, a National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health that assessed the levels of second-hand smoke in three casinos "found that chemicals associated with second-hand smoke exist both on casino floors and in the bloodstreams of casino employees." Yikes.

The best part of the story for me is that the plaintiff quit her job when Caesars wouldn't let her work in a nonsmoking area of the casino. Nice call management. Cost of moving dealers around to different tables: negligible. Cost of defending a federal lawsuit: somewhere in the thousands or millions. Oh well, at least someone's finally standing up for smokers, I guess. [Thanks to WD for the tip]

Here's a copy of the Complaint in Tomo Stephens, et. al. v. Harrah's Entertainment Inc., et. al.:

Tomo Stephens Etal v Harrah's Entertainment Inc Etal Complaint

Judge Voy Hits the Big Time

WWL wants to say congratulations to William O. Voy. We tend to cover a lot of negative news here on the blog, but we're impressed with and happy to cover Judge Voy's crusade against underage prostitution. Turns out CBS Evening News is impressed as well.

Judge Voy appeared (first seen on the video at 2:54) on the national news program to discuss his proposed lockdown safe house for underage prostitutes arrested in Vegas:

Watch CBS Videos Online

Note to Counsel and "Medical Consultants": You Might Want to Pay Your Taxes

Update: while we were busy lecturing counsel about how simple it is to pay your taxes, the Feds brought a tax evasion case against [alleged] crook "medical consultant" Howard Awand and his wife for failure to pay several years worth of taxes. (RJ) Just goes to show you: if you manage to wiggle your way out from under a federal indictment that alleges that you are the central lynch pin in a cadre of corrupt doctors and plaintiff's attorneys, you might wanna pay those taxes. As one commentator suggested, if you can't take down Capone Awand for criminal conspiracy, you go after the taxes.

Prior Post:
It's been a bad first-half of the year for non-tax paying attorneys. In February, old school Nevada attorneys Edmund C. Botha and Mark A. Lobello were found to have failed to pay their taxes. (NV Lawyer).

So, the Nevada Supreme Court made one of its usual Nevada ethics judgment calls: suspension for Botha and Lobello, but only temporary suspension. I mean, cah'maaaaan . . . they're only the fiduciaries and trustees of their clients' funds. So what if they aren't trustworthy enough to satisfy their annual requirement as U.S. citizens to pay taxes? Yup, the Nevada Supreme Court continued its tradition of letting almost anyone continue to practice in this state, no matter what they've done.

But wait, apparently, the Feds apparently weren't satisfied with the Nevada Supreme Court's brand of frontier justice (LV Sun):

A Las Vegas personal injury attorney, [Edmund C. Botha], who was convicted last year of tax evasion and owes almost $4 million to the IRS was sentenced today to five years in federal prison [by U.S. District Judge Dawson] . . .

Botha was convicted by a federal grand jury on Sept. 25, 2008, for willful evasion of payment of income tax for the tax years 1998 through 2001.

How'd Botha do it? Well:

Botha avoided paying taxes by purchasing luxury vehicles in his ex-girlfriend's name, doing all of his business in cash and cashier's checks and entering into a sham child support agreement requiring him to pay about $20,000 per month for two children, court records and evidence presented at his trial indicated . . . Evidence further showed that Botha purchased more than 10 vehicles worth more than $400,000 over a six-year period in his ex-girlfriend's name, while at the same time owning only a 15-year-old car with more than 100,000 miles on it in his name.

How dare Judge Dawson go to such extremes? Cah'maaaaan, Judge, this is Nevada. Follow the Nevada Supremes lead: pretend to care about ethics, but make sure everyone gets to keep practicing law. I mean, you could have just given Botha community service. It's the Nevada way.

[on a side note, I'm single right now Mr. Botha, if you want to put some $400k cars in my name]

Welcome back Mr. Posin: the Bar lowers itself

WWL would like to welcome Mitchell Posin [on the left in picture] back to the practice of law in Nevada. We expect big scandals things from you in the future, mister. Last time you had your license, you embezzled or stole or covered up or conspired with your father to take or misplaced the $191,500 from the Posin & Posin client trust fund.

What exactly happened to make the money go missing? Well, the Nevada Supremes did not specify Mr. Posin's involvement in the "disappearance" of client funds from the firm's client trust fund. (Disciplinary opinion available here). Instead, the opinion just states that the money left the account, was not returned and Mr. Posin violated 51 unspecified professional conduct rules.

How did the money disappear and stay missing? Turns out the firm just wasn't very good at keeping track of those pesky client funds:

Deputy Bar Counsel David Clark, who presented Mitchell Posin's case to the disciplinary board, said at the time that the firm's financial practices were marred by "years of sloppy accounting and years of dereliction."

He also said the problems were exacerbated by Mitchell Posin's lack of cooperation with Bar inquiries into client grievances. (RJ)

Mr. Posin spent 17 months on suspension and has repaid much of the clients' money according to the RJ report. Nice job Supremes. Wouldn't want to go too hard on a fiduciary who can't handle his clients' funds without taking or assisting or covering up the theft the misplacing of the money.

Here's an idea, Supremes: why not make Mr. Posin hand out information to every potential client explaining his history of client fund mismanagement? At least then the general public could decide whether or not to hire Mr. Posin, or at least ask for a discounted rate. Oh well. Why bother cleaning up the bar and protecting the public?

Website Hall of Shame: How to Not Lay Out Your Bio

In this tough economy, the quality of a law firm's website can mean the difference between being hired by the corporate client and being passed over. For our older readers [ahem, partners stuck in 1960s marketing methods], yes, the website is a tool that clients use to evaluate your firm's quality and professionalism. And, while we have your attention partners, we just want to clear up that the internet is not "a series of tubes" as suggested by former Senator Stevens. (background available here)

With the marketing importance of a website in mind, WWL revisits the Website Hall of Shame.

Today's entry is How not to lay out your biography online (courtesy of Matthew L. Johnson & Associates). The following layout mirrors the firm's website layout of counsel's bio:

Title: Matthew L. Johnson (Senior Shareholder) Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Weber State University in 1991, a Master of Arts degree in Languages and Literature with an emphasis in Spanish from the University of Utah in 1993, and a Juris Doctorate degree (cum laude) from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1996. During law school Mr. Johnson served on the Scholastic Review Board, a board that was responsible for determining whether students were able to appeal grades that they disputed. While serving on the Board, he received the Earl Dayton Award for Excellence and Dedicated Service. He also served as a member of the Moot Court Board, and as an Assistant Editor on the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review in 1995-96. Mr. Johnson received American Jurisprudence/Book Awards for the highest grades in his class in Bankruptcy, Moot Court, Professional Responsibility, Research and Writing, Scholarly Writing, and Torts. Following law school, Mr. Johnson began practicing law in the areas of insurance defense, insurance law, personal injury, construction defects, bankruptcy, and business and commercial litigation with the law firm of Vannah Costello Canepa Wiese & Riedy. Mr. Johnson was a partner for several years at the law firm of Hutchison & Steffen, where he served as one of the firm’s primary business litigation attorneys and was the head of the firm’s bankruptcy and insolvency practice. Mr. Johnson later became a named partner in the law firm of Lavelle & Johnson, P.C., before forming the law firm of Matthew L. Johnson & Associates, P.C. Mr. Johnson is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, where he sits on the committees for Business Reorganization and Real Estate. He is also one of the very few attorneys in Nevada who is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification. Mr. Johnson has been the chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Las Vegas Chapter since 2002. He has a “BV” rating from the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, which “indicates high to very high legal ability and very high ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar.” Mr. Johnson is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Nevada, Colorado and Utah. He is fluent in Spanish and has taught Spanish on a college level at the University of Utah and at Lansing Community College. He has also taught classes and written materials for lawyers in the areas of bankruptcy and insolvency law, arbitration, and real estate. Mr. Johnson is an avid outdoorsman. When not practicing law, Mr. Johnson enjoys camping, hiking, backpacking, riding four wheelers, skiing, and spending time with his wife and four children. He has been an active boy scout leader for many years and enjoys working with various youth in the community. For several years he has volunteered his time assisting children in Clark County who are in need of legal services. REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE: Mr. Johnson practices primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation, bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, real estate, corporate law, and personal injury. Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights. Mr. Johnson devotes his bankruptcy practice primarily to the representation of business debtors under Chapter 11 as well as creditors under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Mr. Johnson has successfully reorganized or assisted in the successful liquidation of a variety of businesses, including In re Zigfields of Nevada, Case No. 98-10725 (RCJ), a case in which all creditors were paid in full; In re Go For It, USA, Case No. 99-19709 (LBR), a struggling gymnastics company that was successfully reorganized and went on to produce gymnasts who participated on the United States’ Olympic Team; In re Plan B, LLC, Case No. 00-11762, a real estate investment company that was able to sell its assets to shareholders and in which all creditors were paid in full; In re Developers Maintenance, 01-66687 (LBR) a reorganization of a construction clean up company; In re Levitz Plaza, LLC, Case No. 01-16649 (LBR), a real estate holding company with over $15 million in assets that were successfully preserved; acted as special litigation counsel in In re Saxton Incorporated, et al. Case Nos.01-23232-LBR, 02-14420-LBR, in which he was required to litigate a number of issues, including turnover actions, adversary proceedings, cash collateral issues, financing issues, and other matters on behalf of the Debtors; In re Associated Airline Services, Inc. 00-10667 (RCJ), an airline service company that was successfully liquidated; In re Odyssey Transportation, Inc., Case No. 00- 11300 (RCJ), an air-courier business case that was converted from an involuntary Chapter 7 to an operating Chapter 11 entity; In re Development Services of Nevada, Case No. 00-12570 (LBR), a liquidation of an engineering firm; In re Nevada Housing Opportunities, Case No. 01-02335 (RCJ), a real estate holding company specializing in the development/ownership of apartment complexes held by tax credit partnerships; and Lawrence Moving & Storage Co., Case No. 02-13492, a Chapter 11 reorganization of a moving and storage company. Mr. Johnson has also represented numerous clients in business disputes in bankruptcy court, including In re Bel Holdings Corp., Case No. 92-29112 (RCJ), (a dispute involving ownership of equipment in a construction case); In re Hawg Heaven, Inc., Case No. 97-29665 (RCJ), (a case where Mr. Johnson represented Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company in bankruptcy court regarding a dispute over counterfeit Harley Davidson motorcycles); In re Dague, Case No. 92- 02055 (RCJ), (a case in which Mr. Johnson successfully tried to conclusion a case objecting to the debtor’s discharge for fraudulent conduct by the debtor); Forello v. Valle, Case No. 92-02210 (RCJ) (same); Hinden v. Bray, Case No. 92-02218 (LBR) (objection to discharge); Fisher v. Wizemann, Case No. 92-02280 (LBR) (objection to discharge); In re Ty-De Development, Case No. 92-10742 (LBR) (objection to disclosure statement and plan of reorganization); In re Branson Signature Resorts, Case No. 98-27619 (RCJ) (litigation regarding patent infringement in bankruptcy court); In re Red’s Market, LLC, Case No. 01- 18920 (LBR) (litigation concerning fuel delivery in bankruptcy court); Pygmallion Investments, et al v. Rust, Case No. 96-24660 (LBR) (objection to discharge); In re Lambda Holdings, Inc., Case No. 01-21385 (RCJ) (litigation regarding fraudulent transfer of real property to avoid deed of trust); Universal Bank v. Stephen, Case No. 99-2265 (LBR) (objection to discharge): First USA Bank v. Tatarek, Case No. 99-2267 (LBR) (same); In re Thrower, Case No. 99-19115 (RCJ) (lift stay litigation regarding deed of trust encumbering real property); Fleet Credit Card Services, LP v. Reeter, Case No. 00- 02028 (LBR) (lift of co-debtor stay in Chapter 13 case), In re Classic Building, Case No. 00-15962 (RCJ) (litigation regarding payment of general contractor through construction control account); In re Thomas Lodi, M.D., Case No. 00-2357 (LBR) (dismissal of attorney malpractice action and many others); and Resurgent Capital Services v. Burnett, 306 B.R. 313 (9th Cir. BAP 2003) (published opinion in client’s favor regarding claims trading in bankruptcy). Mr. Johnson has also represented the Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee in the Chapter 11 case of a real estate developer, In re E.A. Collins Development Co., Case No.01-02148 (RCJ), a case in which Mr. Johnson is assisting the Unsecured Creditor’s Committee monitor and liquidate over $50 million in assets. Mr. Johnson has represented creditors, business debtors, and unsecured creditor’s committees in Bankruptcy Courts in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Wyoming, Delaware, and California. Business Litigation and Other Litigation: Other than bankruptcy, Mr. Johnson also represents clients in the areas of business and commercial litigation, real estate, personal injury, and insurance defense. Some of his non-bankruptcy related cases include Systems and Services Technologies, Inc. adv. Olson, Case No. A454971 (Dept. 12, Las Vegas, Nev. 2004), a two day jury trial in which he obtained a defense verdict for his client as well as recovery on a counterclaim and an award of attorney’s fees in an action for alleged wrongful repossession of an automobile; A two-day trial resulting in a defense judgment for the client in a product liability case where plaintiffs demanded $1,500,000 in damages in Sears, Roebuck and Co. adv. Sponder, Case No. A418744 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 2003); Kasparec adv. Poe, Case No. A358460 (Dept. 4, Las Vegas, Nev. 1996), containing damages for the client in an automobile negligence case; Gaines adv. Gettis., Case No. A367556 (Dept. 5, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997), in which he obtained dismissal of case in the client’s favor in a buy/sell business dispute; Prudential Property & Casualty Ins. Co., et al. adv. Fine, Case No. A359084 (Dept. 9 , Las Vegas, Nev. 1997), completely absolving the client of liability in an automobile negligence case; successfully obtaining appointment of a special master in a derivative shareholder action involving a publicly-traded European pharmaceutical company in Gaylor v. Euromed, Inc., et al., Case No. A373888 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997); an arbitration resulting in a defense judgment for the client in Sears, Roebuck and Co. adv. DiSalvo, Case No. A427492 (Dept. 8, Las Vegas, Nev. 2001); a bench trial involving breach of contract where damages were contained for the client in K-G Communications, Inc. adv. Alsum, Case No. A310709 (Dept. 4, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997); a defense judgment for his client in a breach of contract case in which the Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $500,000.00 in Dullye adv. The Mirage, Case No. A363069 (Dept. 10, Las Vegas, Nev. 1998); obtaining an order after a four- day trial quieting title to real estate in favor of the client in Fisher adv. Harris, Case No. A371914 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 1999); a two- week jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District, Clark County, Nevada, where plaintiff requested $7.5 million in closing arguments in a negligence action and the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the client in Sears Roebuck & Co. adv. Alan Chenin, Case No. A353747 (Dept. 3, Las Vegas, Nev. 1999); a one-week jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada, where the jury awarded the plaintiff half of the client’s offer of judgment in a negligence case in Sears Roebuck & Co. adv. Richard Jergis, Case No. A389161 ( Dept. 9, Las Vegas, Nev. 2000); a four-day jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada, where the jury limited damages to $7,500.00 in a business dispute where the claimant sought over $100,000.00 in Goldberg v. Fox, Case No. A365680.( Dept. 2, Las Vegas, Nev. 2000); and Chrome Masters, Inc. adv. Barno, Case No. A377656 (Dept. 12, Las Vegas, Nev. 2001), a three-day bench trial in which the Court entered a judgment in favor of the client in a $150,000.00 dispute over the purchase of a chrome-plating business. Mr. Johnson has drafted briefs and other documents in cases before all state and federal courts in Nevada and Michigan, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Johnson has also drafted various commercial real estate and loan agreements in connection with the purchase/sale of real property.

[thanks to Anon for this tip]

Round 2 of the Billboard/Television Advertising Law Firms Ends

We're in the home stretch for the tournament, folks. This is when the competition really heats up. With the limited number of games, going forward next week, WWL will only have tournament polls Mon-Thurs.

The Tournament as it stands right now:
7-23-Tourn

New Twists and Turns for Dr. Needles & Co.: Bankruptcy as Strategy?

The attorneys representing Endoscopy Center in the civil suit over Dr. "Needles" Desai's [alleged] policy of reusing needles in his clinic, which led to the Hep-C infection of patients, have unveiled a new strategy: empty out those deep pockets.

Last Friday, the three clinics at the heart of the Hep-C scandal, Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, Gastroenterology Center of Nevada, and Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center, all filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which calls for liquidation of any corporate assets. (RJ)

Bruce Thomas Beesley of Lewis and Roca is representing the crooked, infectious doctors medical centers in the bankruptcy case. And on Monday, the new strategy seemed brilliant because opening a bankruptcy case should stay any other lawsuits involving the clinics. Seems like a brilliant litigation strategy, right?

Well, right up until the bankruptcy trustee obtained a court order that compels Dr. Needles to appear for the trustee’s detailed questioning into the financial affairs of the clinics. (RJ) You better know what you're doing, Mr. Beesley. Because it can be hard to hide all the assets (like Dr. Needles [allegedly] tried to do when he tried to ship his Mercedes to Dubai; post available here) when you have to open the books to the trustee. Luckily, Dr. Needles had a stroke and may not be able to testify.

Is the fact that Dr. Needles and his wife get to relax in their golf course home while the victims of Endoscopy has to crawl through the mud to find a dime to treat their Hepatitis making you want to stick Dr. Needles with several hundred HIV and Hep-C infected needles? Well, it gets better. Apparently, Endoscopy Center prevented the Southern Nevada Health District ("SNHD") from locating more than 15% of Endoscopy's patients (Las Vegas Now), which means it remains unknown how many people are walking around with HIV or Hep-C as a result of the alleged policies and procedures set in place by Dr. Needles & Co. The SNHD is expected to release its final findings based on limited records this week. (Las Vegas Now).

Salary Cut Watch: Fennemore Craig

Attorneys have been worried that salary cuts may be coming to the big firms in the Valley.

Well, according to the gossip boards, they just reportedly arrived for regional law firm Fennemore Craig. (Judged) Word is that FC just reduced attorney salaries by 8% for associates across the board.

[Editor's note: no comment from FC yet. We're looking for confirmation]

Sidebar: Lessons for Law Students

After all of the publicity regarding Prof. Henderson and Boyd over the past week, I started reflecting on my time in law school. I remember when a P/F would have seemed like a crisis and I would have been concerned about whether it might impact my scholarship. Now, when I look back, there are so many things I wish I knew when I was in law school, which leads us to today's sidebar:

For the lawyers: What have you learned since you started practicing that you want to tell law students?

For the students: Got any questions? Knowing this bunch, I'm pretty sure we've got answers and opinions.

To reiterate, the purpose of the Sidebars is to start discussion in the comments. If you aren't into this type of post, please feel free to skip and we'll let you know as soon as we hear the next dirty rumor.

My own advice will be in the comments.

Jan Paul Koch v. C. Conrad Claus (2nd Round ends)--voting ends 7/23 at 5 pm

Today, it's the man who came out of nowhere to take down Manor Eglet Cottle (Jan Paul Koch) v. the closest thing Vegas lawyers have to a UFC champion (C. Conrad Claus).

In his first round match, Jan Paul Koch chased Manor Eglet Cottle out of the tournament with 53% of the vote (background on J.P. Koch and first round results found here). Meanwhile, CCC went to war and took out the Vegas law guard dog, chopping out 61% of the vote (background on CCC and first round results found here). Voting ends on July 23 at 5 p.m.

Prof Henderson comments to Above the Law [our feelings are hurt]

Coverage of the case of the disappearing ill Boyd School professor went national over the weekend with national legal gossip blog Above the Law and the Wall Street Journal's law blog reporting on the students' outrage in our overheated corner of the country.

Originally, we reported on the disappearance of an unnamed Boyd School professor who failed to grade her Con Law class' exams. Later, we confirmed that the professor was Professor Lynne Henderson who did not in fact completely disappear when Professor Henderson emailed her congratulations to the new Boyd School law review members. Well, Professor Henderson has come further out of hiding and offered this comment to ATL:

I can confirm that I was in very poor physical health. I can confirm that I was
working on the exams. I can confirm that I endeavored to tell the proper persons
at the law school that I would not have the grades in in timely fashion, but
apparently there were breakdowns in communication. I can confirm that I did not
just "disappear."

As ATL reports, Prof. Henderson's comment puts the weight back on Boyd School's administration, led by Dean John White. WWL's previous requests for comment from Dean White have gone unanswered. We expect the commentators vitriol will be appropriately redirected.

On a more important note: really Professor Henderson? Giving the exclusive to ATL over Nevada's leading legal publication, Wild Wild Law? Our feelings are hurt.

Sometimes Even The State Hires Outside Counsel

When a normal law firm has a conflict, they should refer the case out.

What happens, however, when the State of Nevada is the "firm" with the conflict? Looks like they do the same (only with us taxpayers footing the bill).

After the indictment issued in December, District Judge Elissa Cadish disqualified the attorney general's office from prosecuting Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki because it would create an "appearance of impropriety." Indeed.

Some may argue, however, that the state's choice of "special prosecutor" creates quite another "appearance." The state apparently made their choice based on great hair: Dominic Gentile.

We're not discrediting Gentile's ability, he has to be a great attorney to be billing out at $610/hr over at Gordon Silver. We do, however, question the choice of such a high profile criminal defense attorney for the job. Maybe the state will put him through some sort of prosecutor boot camp where he kicks puppies and takes ice cream from children. That ought to toughen him up.

To help save the taxpayers a little scratch, Dom agreed to cap his hourly rate at $345 an hour. Also, the firm agreed that its total bill wouldn't exceed $415,000. We're guessing that they will come coincidentally close to that number.

Dom doesn't quite have the job yet. The AG's recommendation will be forwarded to the state Board of Examiners, which will consider the proposal in mid-August.

Congratulations, Dom! If you get the job, don't let that Namby Pamby "compassion" you picked up from all those years of criminal defense get in the way of nailing Krolicki to the wall.

(LVRJ)

The Donn v. Jaws (2nd Round)--voting ends 7/22 at 5 pm

Sure, sharks have sharp teeth and are generally considered to be killing machines, but can they take down a "made man"?

Today, it's Jaws (Jerry Wiese) v. The Donn of Las Vegas (Donn M. Ianuzi).

In his first round match, Jaws showed some sharp marketing skills, stealthily swimming to victory with 81% of the vote (background on Mr. Wiese and first round results found here). Meanwhile, the Donn gave his opponent an offer he couldn't refuse, stealing 66% of the vote (background on Mr. Ianuzi and first round results found here). Voting ends on July 22 at 5 p.m.

The Case of the Missing Professor

Update: the missing professor, who has been identified as Professor Henderson, has emailed to congratulate the students who made it onto law review. We have a request out to the Dean asking for comment on whether the changing of grades to Pass/Fail has disadvantaged the 1L students chances to get onto law review.

Sally Student is a "rising 2L" at Boyd School of Law, a state-run facility located in the state of Nevada. Sally studied for 10 hours a day, 7 days a week during her 1L year, and put up with a variety of pointless hypotheticals posed to her by various professors.

Sally had good grades and was hopeful that she would obtain a position on Boyd's "law review" so that she could obtain her dream job - corporate document review monkey at a large insurance defense firm.

Sally did well her first semester, and felt good about her second semester exams as well. During the summer, four out of Sally's five classes reported her grades, but more than a month after grades were due her Constitutional Law grade had not yet been posted. Sally heard rumors that her Constitutional Law professor, Annie Absentee, had "disappeared." Sally's fears were confirmed when she was sent the following email from the Dean:

From: John.White@unlv.edu
Date: July 9, 2009 11:28:54 AM PDT
Subject: Constitutional Law I grades

Dear Rising 2L's,

It is possible you have heard a rumor that some first year grades are not yet available and that those classes missing the grades may be graded on a pass/fail basis. I write to confirm the basics of this rumor and clarify what has occurred.

The BSL Registrar has received all grades except grades in two sections of Constitutional Law I. Despite efforts, we have been unable to determine the status of the grades for those two sections. We understand that this is a serious inconvenience to you and potentially disruptive to your plans. Consequently, we have taken the interim step of asking another Constitutional Law Professor to grade the papers on a pass/fail basis so that we may create rankings. We expect to have those grades by early next week at the latest.

It is our hope that the professor who has not turned in grades has in fact graded them or is nearing completion of grading them. However, we have no way to know at this time what the status of those grades is. Should we receive grades by Monday (when we expect to receive the pass/fail grades) we will use them. If we do not receive them by Monday, we will utilize the pass/fail grades, calculate rankings, and move forward.

Please accept my sincere apology for this most unfortunate situation. Please trust that we are taking all appropriate steps to see that grades for the missing classes are submitted in short order. I believe that grading exams in a timely fashion is among the faculty's most significant obligations; consequently, I am extremely troubled by this situation and am taking every step possible to remedy it and will be taking additional steps to ensure something like this does not happen in the future.

Regretfully,

Dean White

Sally reasonably expected to receive an "A" in Con Law. Now that she will be graded on a pass/fail basis, however, her class ranking, journal status, scholarship and job prospects are all likely to be affected. Sally has come to you seeking advice as to her rights and the possibility of filing suit against Boyd for losing her law professor.

Prepare a short comment discussing any and all possible legal implications for Sally, Boyd, Annie, White or any other prospective parties you can think of.

(Thanks Tipster!)

Say it ain't so, Wayne

Like everyone else in this country, we've been reading about the horrific state of the country's economy, the 12.3% unemployment in Las Vegas and the increasing squeeze on the legal economy. But since most of our friends have held onto their legal jobs, the bad news hasn't personally affected us . . . until now.

A tipster reports that two lawsuits have been filed against Wayne Newton:

Austin Eide v. Wayne Newton, individually, et. al. (Case No. A595223)

Contract action. Wayne Newton and/or his foundation has failed to pay the plaintiff an outstanding balance of $32,384 for over 4,000 bales of hay he ordered. (filed by Gregory S. Mills on behalf of Plaintiff)

GMAC LLC v. Erin Meil Inc.; Wayne Newton (Case No. A595266)

Contract action. Wayne Newton, the famous Las Vegas Entertainer, has defaulted on the lease for a 2005 Cadillac Escalade. (filed by Brian E. Holthus of Jolley Urga)

Not sure about you other readers, but we here at WWL fell in love with Mr. Newton while watching Dancing with the Stars. Say it ain't so Wayne! We want you to stay on top of the Vegas world. As for Mr. Mills and Mr. Holthus, how dare you gentlemen!?! I know you have clients to represent, but this is the Wayne Newton, "Mr. Las Vegas," you're going after.



On a side note: gentlemen, there's a reason we ladies love Dancing with the Stars so much. If you're smart, you'll learn how to dance.

Editorial: the Value of Anonymous Posting/Comments

Our post on the issues with one professor's failure to timely turn in grades at Boyd School has led to numerous back and forth discussions about the value of and dangers of anonymous posting and comments. In light of that fact, as one of the editors of WWL, I submit this editorial statement to the readers in order to provide a place to debate the question of anonymous posting/comments:

As you may have guessed, the editors of WWL post behind pseudonyms. Personally, I post as Legal Eagle out of concerns that discussing the more embarrassing elements of the Nevada legal community could easily end up in my being fired from my position as a legal secretary. It might be for a story that offended my bosses or insulted their friends. And the postings and comments allowed might prevent me from being hired by future bosses who value the Vegas legal community's ability to sweep its worst aspects under a rug. There has been a huge value to anonymous posting, however. Anonymous posting and comments have made sure that WWL can report on any stories in the Nevada legal community without fear of retibution and allowed the editors/writers to secure sources for stories who would otherwise not comment. But beyond my personal issues with anonymous posting, I believe there is an inherent value for the general public in allowing anonymous posting.

Behind a shrouded identity, posters can reveal information that they would otherwise not share due to fears about the revelation's impact on career and interpersonal relationships. The legal community is notoriously protective of itself. The legal business is a self-regulated industry, relying on its members to protect the general public from the worst aspects of legal practice. However, many attorneys in Las Vegas refrain from criticism or ethical reporting of their colleagues believing that some of the most unethical practitioners of law in Nevada are also the most powerful.

For this reason, attorneys, judges and other members of the legal community rarely share information about the worst practitioners and unethical community members. They choose not to inform on their colleagues, bosses, professors and judges for fear that speaking out about the darker aspects of legal practice will bring retribution. For this reason, the need for anonymous comment has been recognized by the Nevada Bar Association, which provides a telephone number for members to anonymously report unethical conduct by Nevada attorneys.

Some commentators have suggested that this retribution is not "real" as it will not likely take the form of imprisonment or violence. However, there are very real consequences for whistleblowers and industry critics who choose to speak out about unethical practices. Outside of the legal community, there are numerous examples of professional retribution for those who speak out against the worst aspects of their community. In the so-called "Medical Mafia" case, the Nevada doctors who have testified against the alleged corrupt practices of Nevada Plaintiff's attorneys and medical consultants like Noel Gage have suffered financially and professionally for their attempt to clean up the Las Vegas medical and legal communities.

There are allegations from commentators as well that some of the anonymous posters on this website as law students and that their choice to post anonymously makes them cowards. I couldn't disagree more. Law students have much to fear in an academic system that is based on fierce competition, faculty judgment and professional recommendations. This week, several anonymous posters criticized the Boyd law school administration for protecting a professor against the outrages of first year students who have been placed at a competitive disadvantage to their colleagues due to a professor’s failure to turn in grades. If those posters are indeed Boyd students and were to openly criticize members of the faculty, it is likely the faculty and administration would develop a bias against the commenting students. This bias would lead the professors and administration to be less likely to choose the students for classes, teams, projects or recommendations that can make or break a student's career in the legal community (at least during the crucial first few years when grades and law journal membership determine which students many law firms will and won't hire). Law schools already value anonymous interaction between faculty and students as a way of protecting students from bias. It comes in the form of anonymous exam grading.

In law school, the students stand in awe of their professors as keepers of the law. Faced with the problem of whether to publicly criticize the gatekeepers to their professional career on a particular issue, many law students would remain silent. Whether a professor’s failure to timely turn in grades is as important an issue as some commentators have made is a debatable (The editors of WWL have no opinion other than the story is newsworthy when a gatekeeper to a profession based on timely filing of documents can’t fulfill his or her professional grading responsibilities and reportedly faces no consequence for that failure). However, we think that the detractors of anonymous posting sell the free speech value of anonymous posting and anonymous blogs short when they refer to anonymous posters as nothing but “cowards”.

Some topics and discussions are so controversial that mere discussion of them can bring ruin down upon the author. Many of the founding fathers knew this and engaged in anonymous debate of the principles that would make up the U.S. Constitution in their publishing of the Federalist Papers. Anonymous posting and commenting in the blog age may have taken on a more juvenile tone, but the value of anonymous comment has been proven time and time again. The power of remaining behind the curtain can lead some to act upon their worst instincts—name calling and unsupported attacks [we are a tabloid blog after all]—however, the possibility of sharing powerful secrets with the world without destroying one's self can also appeal to a profession’s better angels and shine a spotlight on aspects of an self-regulated industry that should be rooted out for the sake of the general public.

I started blogging on the Vegas legal community based on the belief that the scars and bruises of the Vegas legal profession should be visible; so that clients can better choose an attorney to represent them; so that law students, new attorneys and support staff can better choose who to work for and which offices to avoid; and so that the unspoken, but widely-known ethical concerns about certain practices could be debated in a jurisdiction that many attorneys have referred to as the Wild Wild West of law.

As always, WWL encourages comment, rants and raves, thoughts, feelings and outright criticism of the ideas expressed here (anonymously or not).

The Heavy Hitter v. Ticket Busters (2nd Round)--voting ends 7/21 at 5 pm

If we could have Blogger do it, we'd have Sprach Zarathustra (the theme from 2001) piping in from the speakers while you read this poll post. Why? Because the undisputed heavyweight champion of billboard/television advertising is making his way towards the ring. That's right, this Monday it is the 4ft 10" Heavy Hitter v. that cute cop on the Ticket Busters ads.

Glen Lerner, The Heavy Hitter
Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Lerner has entered the ring. Say what you want about him (and we've said plenty on this blog; see all prior posts here), the Boston accented, shorter than short Heavy Hitter is the king of Vegas legal billboards, radio ads (Glen Lerner Traffic Center, anyone) and television advertising (Heavy Hitter ads and spoofs available here).

According to his website, Mr. Lerner "has been practicing personal injury law in Las Vegas since 1991" . . . and he "deals with attorneys all over America fighting for the 'little guy' against the big insurance companies and corporations." As goofy as the ads are, Mr. Lerner is a prime example of Plaintiff's attorneys laughing all the way to the bank. It is generally accepted that Lerner is a multi-millionaire and now that he's spreading his practice down to Phoenix as well, we're pretty sure that he showers in money every day.

Like it or not, Lerner is in many ways the face of the Nevada legal community to the general public. That's makes him tough competition in this poll.

Finally, he potentially has the most iconic personal injury commercial out there, "The Big Game":




Ticket Busters
Sure, everyone knows that Ticket Busters is just Richard Harris' firm in disguise. But the firm's billboard presence is so huge that Ticket Busters got its own slot in the tournament.

Ticket Busters may be the best example of the comedy and success of Vegas billboard/television firms. Everyone in town makes fun of TB because its public face is a cartoon police officer. At the same time, the owners of the firm have plenty of cash to roll in to deal with public derision. The biggest complaint clients seem to have with TB is that clients "could have done it themselves". (RJ Eforums). But what firm hasn't had to listen to an ungrateful client claim he could have represented himself? Plus, how many other firms have a Facebook page so people can become a fan?

They even have ridiculous cartoon commercials:

The Tournament as it Stands (7/18)

2009 Tournament of Billboard_Television Vegas Law Firms (2)

Why do lawyers always announce they're attorneys in personal ads?

We spend a lot of time reading Craigslist personal ads. There are few things more entertaining than people's descriptions of themselves and their desires when they really want to hook up with someone in Vegas.

But, Why? Why? Why do attorneys always have to mention that they're attorneys when trying to pick someone up:

Visiting Professional seeking BBW - m4w (Wynn) 37yr

from CL-Vegas-Cas Encoutners ("lawyer")
Hi there. My name is Allen. I’m 37years old, form LA and a lawyer, but otherwise a nice person. I’m in Vegas for a few days for work, and would love to share some very kinky play with a very nasty girl. Please be reasonably clever and totally uninhibited. Age and appearance are not important, (but I do prefer bigger girls). Attitude is.

On a side note, God, I love Vegas.

What to do when there are "no estoppels" and "no help"

You lawyers may not want to discuss it, may just want to sweep it all under the rug and not deal with it, but there are "sex issues" in the Courts. What are the "sex issues"? I have no idea. But the conspiracy theorist who runs thetruthaboutsexissues.com does. If only she'd actually tell us what those issues are.

Readers, meet Joan Baumeister. Ms. Baumeister is leading her own personal crusade to defeat Judge Ann Zimmerman and District Attorney David Roger in the 2010 election. Why? After watching several of her videos on youtube (Baumeister page available here), we still have no idea.

Ms. Baumeister has posted several videos in which she has a "Conversation with America" and discusses "what they do to girls". What do they do to girls? We're not quite sure, but it has something to do with Ms. Baumeister's displeasure with her experience in Las Vegas Justice Court, where she states there is "no process, no plaintiff, no evidence" and that she "was brought to the Court to suffer abuse". She claims to have been "the victim of three secret hearings and two false imprisonments".

Specifically, Baumeister complains that she had no way out, "no estoppels and no help" against Judge Zimmerman's alleged crimes. What crimes? After watching the videos, we have no idea, but Baumeister explains that "no one believed me because she is a judge" and the U.S. District Court dismissed her civil rights complaint (2:05-cv-00578-KJD-GWF) without hearing its merits. As for David Roger, Baumeister claims that he "terrifies women" and that the "Prosecutor has become a persecutor" (her case against D.A. Roger, A523434, was dismissed by then Judge Siatta).

Feeling left out because you're not a judge or a D.A. and you want to know what you do to girls? Don't worry, she also has a message for you, Nevada Legal Community:

Ed Bernstein v. G. Dallas Horton (2nd Round)--vote ends 7/18 at 5 pm

Something special for you in the tournament for this completely overheated Friday: the Man Known as "Ed" v. the Notorious B.I.G.

"Call Ed" Bernstein
Ed Bernstein certainly earned his top seed in the tournament. Bernstein is a media master with his face pasted in serious black and white billboards all around town, never ending "call Ed" commercials and hosting of Nevada's longest running television show, The Ed Bernstein Show. Doubt Ed's fame? Name another attorney in this tournament who's interviewed Bill Clinton, Al Gore, George Foreman, Randy "Macho Man" Savage and many other celebrities.

But media presence aside, we just love Bernstein's commercials. He's like that goofy uncle that just doesn't get how absurd he comes across. But while goofy as hell, you weirdly trust him. Okay, the voters may not have agreed with us when they voted to elect John "Slept with my Aide's Wife and Then Had the Husband Paid Off Not to Talk" Ensign to the U.S. Senate over uncle Ed (RJ), but we still can't help but find the guy trustworthy. Add that to the fact that Bernstein is one of the attorneys trying to find justice for the Hep-C infected [alleged] victims of Dr. "Needles" Desai (LV Sun), and he's definitely earned his top seed as a master marketer and tough litigator. Let's see if he's as tough as the flowerbed that once beat GDH.



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.] [Update: Peoplefinder suggests the "G" is for "Gregory"]