Pro Bono Volunteer of the Month November 2014

Tyler Andrews of Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Tyler Andrews moved to Las Vegas in 2005 following graduation from law school.  He is a shareholder with Greenburg Traurig, and practices predominantly in commercial litigation, intellectual property enforcement, entertainment law, business disputes, and legislative affairs.

He became actively involved in providing pro bono services when Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada visited his law firm in 2013 to emphasize the need for attorneys to take on pro bono cases.  Since then, Tyler has accepted four complex pro bono cases. Two of these cases involve representing children in the foster care system through the Children’s Attorneys Project.  The other two cases involve pro bono appeals through the Nevada Supreme Court’s new Pro Bono Appeals Project.  As Tyler is a new member of his firm’s appellate group, he now gets additional experience with appellate work and appellate briefing and is guaranteed oral argument before the Nevada Supreme Court for the pro bono appeals cases he handles.

Most recently, Tyler signed up for the Partners in Pro Bono Program in which he mentors a law student on a pro bono case. His Boyd law student is working closely with him on both of  his appeals cases.

The most fulfilling case Tyler has worked on involved a CAP case. Tyler represented two kids whose mother was addicted to drugs.  In that case, there was a dispute between the natural mother, the grandparents and children’s aunt and uncle over the children’s future permanency.  The aunt and uncle were most involved in playing the parent role and wished to adopt the children. Fortunately, the grandparents later acknowledged this, and Tyler was able to represent his clients through the final adoption hearing. He was proud to see his clients come to court all dressed up, with balloons – making it a happy occasion.  He said it was nice to see the process come full circle; he helped protect the children and gave them a voice during the many proceedings which impacted the kids’ future permanency. Thus, he ensured his clients’ wishes were heard and represented.

We are honored to name Tyler Andrews our November Pro Bono of the Month.