Thursday, July 29, 2021
State Bar of Nevada eNews
Nevada Appellate Court,
Las Vegas Municipal Court Restore Mask Requirements
The Nevada Supreme Court issued an order amending Administrative Order 0020. The order states that all court employees and visitors entering the Carson City or Las Vegas appellate court buildings must wear masks that cover their noses and mouths, regardless of the person’s vaccination status. This requirement includes all offices and meeting rooms where a person is not alone. All other social distancing guidelines remain in effect.

Also, the Las Vegas Municipal Court issued Judicial/Administrative Order JO-2.58, which requires attorneys and members of the public to wear face coverings that cover their noses and mouths at all times while in the Las Vegas Municipal Court and while in any security screening line to enter the City of Las Vegas Municipal Courthouse.
 
For more information on mask requirements in Nevada, see the Nevada Health Response’s press release from July 27.
 
In other court-related news:
 


For the latest information on court procedures – including COVID-19 protocols – visit the state bar’s news feed on its website.
What's Happened This Week at the State Bar
On July 21 a near-unanimous Nevada Supreme Court reversed a panel’s recommendation to readmit Michael Pandullo, a suspended lawyer who offered only his testimony in his reinstatement hearing. The court held a petitioner should consider producing documentation or other evidence to demonstrate that they satisfy their burden of clear and convincing evidence of meeting reinstatement criteria. [Case No. 82733].
 
Via a writ of prohibition, the Nevada Supreme Court directed the dismissal of disciplinary complaints against out-of-state lawyers that charged violation of RPC 1.4 (Communication) because the lawyers, named partners of a large firm, did not personally engage with the grievant. The concurring opinion highlighted that similarly situated lawyers could still be found to have violated RPC 5.1 (Responsibilities of Partner, Managers, and Supervisory Lawyers) or RPC 5.3 (Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants) in the future. [Case No. 81730]
 
The Nevada Lawyer Editorial Board met on July 21 to review board applicants, discussed plans for its editorial calendar meeting in Reno on August 13, and discussed the status of articles scheduled for upcoming issues of the magazine.
 
The Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility met to discuss the status of opinion requests and suggestions on topics such as the practice of attorneys admitted in Nevada but not maintaining Nevada offices, prospective conflict waivers, and avoiding conflicts of interest/duties to clients.
 
The Mock Trial Committee is still taking applications for members. Online applications will be accepted through July 30.
Nevada Bar Study Seeks Participants for Exam Survey
The Nevada Bar Study was suspended shortly after the February 2020 launch as another casualty of the COVID-19 lockdown. The exam itself was modified to allow a remote format.
 
The primary change to the August 2020 and February 2021 exams was the omission of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). Now, via the Nevada Bar Study, examiners seek to learn whether the MBE is a valid measure of minimum competence, and they seek to determine the validity of the exam.
 
The Nevada Bar Study seeks participation from those Nevada lawyers who passed the bar exam within the last five years, including attorneys who took the traditional exam and those who took the remote bar exam in August 2020. Each lawyer will receive a general explanation of the study, including the security measures in place to ensure confidentiality. All participants will receive CLE credits.
 
Examiners need 30 to 50 percent of lawyers from the potential pool of 500 lawyers who are targets for the study. A “soft launch” of the survey is anticipated for September 9 with a full launch planned for September 23, and completion of the study December 22.
 
The data generated from the surveys will be validated and analyzed. The examiners anticipate that the initial draft report should be completed in mid-April 2022. The final report will be made available to each participant, the court, and the bar at large.
 
If you have questions or wish to participate, please email research@accesslex.org. 
Gaming Law Section Publishes Latest eNewsletter
The State Bar of Nevada’s Gaming Law Section has published the Q2 2021 edition of the GLS eNewsletter.

This issue looks at the Nevada Legislature’s recent consideration of esports event regulation through Senate Bill 165 and what it means to be a gaming lawyer.
 
This publication was authored by Gaming Law Section executive committee members A.C. Ansani and Jennifer Roberts, with Erica L. Okerberg serving as the editor.
Featured CLE: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury and Relevant Evidence for Litigation
Dianna Anderson aims to provide a foundation of information needed to represent a traumatic brain injury client. She will present on:

  • the basics of traumatic brain injury;
  • types of injury;
  • severity of injury;
  • difference between primary and secondary injury;
  • relevant evidence for severity of injury;
  • neuropsychological testing and bias;
  • the role and limitation of imaging;
  • stages of recovery;
  • physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms of brain injury; and
  • long-term complication of traumatic brain injury. 
Date:
September 9
 
Time:
2-4 p.m.
 
Location:
Las Vegas and Reno bar offices, Webcast
 
CLE Hours:
2 CLE Hours

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