Paola M. Armeni2024 AWARD WINNERS
Pro Bono Attorney of the Year: Emily Ellis
Law Firm of the Year: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
Lied Award for Most Cases by an Attorney: Marshal Willick
Lied Award for Most Cases by a Law Firm: Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
William S. Boyd Award of Excellence: Paul Padda
Justice Nancy Becker Pro Bono Award of Judicial Excellence: Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler
Vince Consul Memorial Pro Bono Award: John Fortin
Louis Wiener Pro Bono Service Award: Emily McFarling
Myrna Williams Children’s Pro Bono Award: Lynn Fulstone
Public Interest Law Student of Distinction: Boyd Immigrant Rights Coalition
Access to Justice Award: James T. Leavitt
Legal Legend Program Award: Gary Sutton
Ask-A-Lawyer Community Commitment Award: Monique Jammer
50 Hours Club 100 Hours Club 200 Hours Club
300 Hours Club 400 Hours Club 500 Hours Club
Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
Selecting the recipient for our Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award is a challenging task, and we sincerely appreciate the contributions each pro bono attorney makes to the community. This year’s recipient invites us regularly to their firm to meet new firm members. Leading by example, taking difficult matters and mentoring others to do the same. Congratulations to our 2024 honoree, Emily Ellis!
Pro Bono Firm of the Year
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
The 2024 recipient of the Law Firm of the Year Award goes to a firm with a commitment to pro bono and access to justice. They took on some of our most complicated consumer matters. They are active in several other programs, including, the Federal Pro Bono Program, Family Law Justice Project, and Children’s Attorneys Project. They host CLEs and started the Associates Challenge in 2018. This challenge has raised over $120,000. Together they improve access to justice. We are honored to present the 2024 Pro Bono Law Firm of the Year Award to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
Lied Award for Most Pro Bono Cases by an Attorney
Often in a divorce, a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) is needed to equitably split a retirement account. This year’s recipient accepts every QDRO file we sent his way. If you take a pro bono case that needs a QDRO, his firm will do the QDRO pro bono. In addition, he takes on some of our more complex family law matters. For his work, we are pleased to present the 2024 Lied Award for Most Pro Bono Cases by an Attorney to Marshal Willick.
Lied Award for Most Pro Bono Cases by a Law Firm
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
This firm encourages all of their members to take on at least one pro bono matter. This firm understands the importance of getting others involved. Together, they represent children in dependency court, assist with custody matters, landlord-tenant matters, guardianship, and consumer litigation. In light of their tremendous contribution, we are pleased to present the 2024 Lied Award for Most Cases by a Law Firm to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
William S. Boyd Award of Excellence
Five years ago, Paul Padda attended a Clark County Bar Association meeting where Legal Aid Center Executive Director Barbara Buckley spoke about gaps in our justice system. He was moved to hear about the need in the community and asked to meet with Barbara afterwards. He said that he was inspired to do something to help, and together, they brainstormed ways to help our clients and our organization. After some planning, he decided to create and sponsor a full time fellowship program where we offer a one-year fellowship to a law graduate or first year attorney. The fellow gets the opportunity to rotate through our units and help hundreds of clients who wouldn’t otherwise have an attorney. We are so grateful for his innovative giving, and proud to honor Paul Padda with the William S. Boyd Award of Excellence.
Justice Nancy Becker Pro Bono Award of Judicial Excellence
Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler
This year’s winner of the Nancy Becker award believes in access to justice. She encourages attorneys to get involved and take pro bono cases in federal court. She is grateful for every attorney who takes a case in the Federal Court Pro Bono program and the firms who do so regularly, such as Snell & Wilmer, Lagomarsino Law, and Clark Hill. She created a CLE series demystifying federal pro bono practice and increasing participation from firms across the state to take pro bono cases. She serves on the Federal Court Pro Bono Committee and meets with our Pro Bono Director often, strategizing ways to increase participation in the Federal Court Pro Bono program. She puts service above self and is always striving to improve the community. For her dedication and commitment to access to justice, we present the Justice Nancy Becker Pro Bono Award of Judicial Excellence to the Honorable Magistrate Judge Brenda Weksler.
Vince Consul Memorial Pro Bono Award
The recipient of this year’s Vince Consul Memorial Pro Bono Award worked on a pro bono case for three years after his client’s home was seized by the government because of the actions of her brother. After a long fight, the court agreed that the client was innocent and that her family home belonged to her. Sadly, after winning her court case, she discovered the home was now uninhabitable due to the government’s failure to maintain it. This pro bono attorney kept fighting until the case settled and the client received the necessary funding to rebuild her family home. The attorney never wavered, dedicating almost 700 hours to give his client the right to her home. Congratulations to the John Fortin, our recipient of the 2024 Vince Consul Memorial Pro Bono Award!
Louis Wiener Pro Bono Service Award
This award winner took her first pro bono case ten years ago and has only increased her participation since then. In addition to her own pro bono clients, this year’s recipient encouraged others to take pro bono cases. In fact, every member of this recipient’s firm took a pro bono case in 2024. She recently helped a client who tried to move out of state to get away from her abuser for her safety and wellbeing. On two occasions, her children witnessed the domestic violence perpetrated against her. She wanted a new beginning where her children would not witness any more acts of domestic violence. The opposing party admitted to the DV, but the client was not permitted to relocate. The client appealed, and this attorney advocated for the client’s right to move as it was in the best interests of her children. The client won on appeal thanks to this attorney’s advocacy. For her empathy, dedication, and poise on behalf of domestic violence survivors, the 2024 Louis Wiener Pro Bono Service Award goes to Emily McFarling.
Myrna Williams Children’s Pro Bono Award
Lynn Fulstone
For her unwavering commitment to ensuring her client’s voices are heard by all, this year’s Myrna Williams Children’s Pro Bono Award goes to Lynn Fulstone. Lynn provides a much needed voice to her clients and leaves no stone unturned to ensure her clients’ wishes are heard.
Public Interest Law Student of Distinction
Boyd Immigrant Rights Coalition
The Immigrant Rights Coalition has been hosting a Spanish Family Law Forms Clinic since 2022, which pairs volunteer students with Spanish-speaking families who need help filling out their family court forms. Without this assistance, many families would not be able to have their legal issues addressed. The clinic has grown over the years and served 73 people this past year. Austin Lipson and Cadence Ciesielski started volunteering with this effort as 1Ls and now lead it! In recognition of their extraordinary service to our community, we present the Public Interest Law Student of Distinction Award to the entire Boyd Immigrant Rights Coalition.
Access to Justice Award
The inaugural Access to Justice Award goes to an attorney who has shown consistent commitment to pro bono and goes above and beyond to promote our mission of providing access to justice. He took his first pro bono case over 12 years ago, and since then, consistently takes multiple cases every year. Over the last decade, he has taken over 60 pro bono cases. Most recently, when he learned more about the urgent need to represent abused and neglected children, he stepped up and took his first CAP case, and then another. On top of taking pro bono cases, he volunteers monthly for our Ask-A-Lawyer program, even stepping in at the last minute when there is an urgent need. He has planned events to promote pro bono and has even recruited other attorneys to take a pro bono case. For his unwavering commitment, we are so honored to present the Access to Justice Award to James T. Leavitt.
Legal Legend Program Award
Gary Sutton
Our very first winner of this award is a retired attorney who participates in our Children’s Attorneys Project, our minor guardianship program, name change cases, and even helped a family fleeing the Taliban obtain legal status. Without his work, these clients would not have a voice. For his dedication to access to justice, our inaugural Legal Legend Program Award goes to Gary Sutton.
Ask-A-Lawyer Community Commitment Award
This year’s winner committed her time nearly every week in our Landlord/Tenant, Small Claims, and Family Law Ask-A-Lawyer programs. This winner also carries a few CAP cases, and whenever we need a last-minute person to cover, she is there to help. Because of her tireless commitment to pro bono, the recipient of our Ask-A-Lawyer Community Commitment Award is Monique Jammer.
50 Hours Club
W. West Allen
Brian G. Anderson
Elliot Anderson
Chad R. Aronson
Robert Arroyo
Bradley Austin
Robert E. Blau
Gillian L. Block
Marcus J. Brouwers
Kelle Carlson
Jonathan Chung
Andrew S. Clark
Lesley E. Cohen
Lorien K. Cole
Lance T. Collins
Richard L. Crane
Joseph E. Dagher
Michelle Darquea
Dawn L. Davis
Sabrina M. Dolson
Emily Driscoll
Michael D. Falater
Jason A. Fisher
Stewart C. Fitts
Margaret G. Foley
Lynn S. Fulstone
Dirk W. Gaspar
Thomas L. Gilchrist
Marjorie A. Guymon
Ryan A. Hamilton
Larry D. Hankins
Karen L. Hanks
Brooke A. Holmes
Adam D. Hosmer-Henner
Jennifer K. Hostetler
Patrick Hunt
Brenna Irving
Collin Jayne
J. Christopher Jorgensen
Michael C. Kane
Michael Kind
Andrew L. Kynaston
Jason F. Lather
James T. Leavitt
Thomas Leeds
Kirk B. Lenhard
Bryce C. Loveland
Diane C. Lowe
Daniel Mann
Racheal H. Mastel
Alexandra J. Matloff
John McCormick-Huhn
Jennifer R. McDonald
Margaret A. McLetchie
Caitlan Joyce McMasters
M. Magali Mercera
Christian P. Ogata
Jason Onello
Cary Colt Payne
Sarah I. Perez
Troy E. Peyton
Zachary E. Redman
Michael “Rock” Rocheleau
Ebony L. Ruemmele
Jason M. Sadow
Sophia M. Salas
Bradley S. Schrager
Giacomo “Jack” Silvestri
Kim Sinatra
Bonnie Smith
Doreen Spears Hartwell
Alisa Steinhauer
Daniel H. Stewart
Kimberly Ann Stutzman
Sheri M. Thome
Mary Tran
Piers Tueller
James D. Urrutia
Carlia S. Waite
Michael R. Wendlberger
Shannon R. Wilson
Timothy A. Wiseman
Leo S. Wolpert
Andy A. Wong
Jenica Yurcic
100 Hours Club
Alyssa Aklestad
Tayler D. Bingham
Daniel Ross Brady
Ogonna M. Brown
Emily A. Buchwald
Joseph Dalia
Eric M. Dante
Janice M. DeWitt
Kelly H. Dove
Trent L. Earl
Emily A. Ellis
Richard Erlich
Lin Gan
Robert W. Hernquist
Michael T. Hua
Chelsee C. Jensen
Michael S. Kelley
Maliq I. Kendricks
John L. Krieger
Gia N. Marina
Matthew S. McLaughlin
Robert E. McPeak
Carlos A. Morales
Francisco J. Morales Sanchez
Caylye Nordling
John J. Pictum
Erika Pike Turner
Paul C. Ray
Marisa Rodriguez
Sophia A. Romero
Yadira Santana
Steven G. Shevorski
James P. C. Silvestri
Marissa R. Temple
Andrèa Vieira
Brenoch R. Wirthlin
200 Hours Club
Paola M. Armeni
Athena Christine Eliades
Monique Jammer
William D. Nobriga
Brittni Tanenbaum
Gary W. Sutton
300 Hours Club
Marina Frances Dalia-Hunt
Jamie P. Leavitt
Marian L. Massey
Caitlin Morgan Pyatt
Dan R. Waite
400 Hours Club
Emily L. Dyer
Ellie Roohani
Meng Zhong
500 Hours Club
William (Bill) P. Curran
Raelene K. Palmer
Dawn Hathaway Thoman