McDonald Carano

McDonald Carano congratulates John Fortin on being one of only 12 recipients of a Veteran Leadership Award from Profiles in Diversity Journal magazine. Prior to law school, John served 10 years as a Cryptologist, Information Warfare Specialist, and intelligence analyst in the U.S. Navy. Upon matriculation to law school, John transitioned to Naval Reserves where he continues to serve today. “This award salutes the achievements of honorees in their civilian lives where they have displayed an unmatched dedication to their work, community, and fellow veterans. Service is the most frequent word for these extraordinary leaders – service to their country, their companies, and their families.” The Veteran Leadership Award includes a Q&A with John available at https://lnkd.in/gAyC2KX2.

McDonald Carano proudly announces that Zachary Besso, J.D., M.A. has joined our Reno office after serving for two years as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Larry R. Hicks in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada in Reno. During that time, Zach also served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Miranda M. Du, Chief District Court Judge for the District of Nevada. Zach received his undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from the University of Nevada, Reno; master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco; and juris doctor cum laude from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. More information about Zach and his background is available at https://lnkd.in/gwYxwWQh. 

McDonald Carano congratulates John Galvin on receiving his second Lawyer of the Year award from The Best Lawyers in America. In the 2025 edition, John received the Lawyer of the Year award in Non-Profit/Charities Law and in the 2022 edition he received the Lawyer of the Year award in Tax Law for the greater Reno region. Only one lawyer receives the Lawyer of the Year award for achieving the highest peer review rating in a specific area of law and geographic region. John is recognized in Best Lawyers in Tax Law, Trust & Estates Law, Real Estate Law, Nonprofit/Charities Law, and Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law. More information about John’s awards and recognitions is available at https://lnkd.in/gr643328.   

McDonald Carano proudly announces Amanda Yen has been appointed to the U.S. Leadership Committee for Meritas, the premier global alliance of independent law firms. The Committee is responsible for strategic planning and member recruitment, retention, and development for the U.S. region. Amanda has served in several leadership capacities over the past 10 years. She recently concluded a one-year term as an Honorary Director on the Board of Directors and her previous positions include serving as a member of the Board of Directors and Board Nominating Committee, and Chair, Chair-Elect and member of the Emerging Leaders Advisory Board. McDonald Carano joined Meritas Law Firms Worldwide in 1990 as a founding member firm and we are the only Nevada firm in the network. More information about Amanda’s service to Meritas is available at https://lnkd.in/gGTzbJ25.

McDonald Carano greatly appreciates being included in EDAWN’s #MajorInvestorMonday series on LinkedIn. McDonald Carano has been investing in the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) since 1991 because we value the organization’s successful private-public partnership that is helping to secure the economic vitality of the Greater Reno-Sparks region. EDAWN’s LinkedIn post, provided below and at https://lnkd.in/g_hTevmx, features Matt Addison, the Managing Partner of our Reno office and the representative of McDonald Carano’s relations with EDAWN. Matt is pictured with Taylor Adams, EDAWN’s President and CEO.

McDonald Carano congratulates Dennis Gutwald on receiving the Lawyer of the Year award in Administrative & Regulatory Law for the Las Vegas metropolitan region from The Best Lawyers in America. Lawyer of the Year honors are awarded to one lawyer per practice area in a specific region who achieves “extremely high overall feedback from peers, making it an exceptional distinction.” 2024 is the fourth consecutive year Dennis has been recognized in Best Lawyers in both Gaming Law and Administrative & Regulatory Law. 2024 is also the fourth consecutive year Dennis has been recognized in Gaming Law in Las Vegas Weekly’s list of Top Lawyers. More information about Dennis’ awards and recognitions is available at https://lnkd.in/gw9VcXAW.

Please join Karyna Armstrong, Esq., MPA and Kenadie Cobbin-Richardson for a CLE on the topic of Bystander Intervention: Promoting a Safer and More Inclusive Environment. The course provides an in-depth exploration of bystander intervention strategies for the workplace. The CLE is hosted by Clark County Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Equity. Karyna is a litigation attorney in our Las Vegas office and Vice Chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee at McDonald Carano. Kenadie is a certified DEI & ESG Consultant for Kengen Consulting. McDonald Carano proudly sponsors CCBA’s DICE CLE Series. Please register a https://lnkd.in/e_XAysCD.

McDonald Carano congratulates Eric Duhon on receiving Ones to Watch recognition in The Best Lawyers in America. The Ones to Watch award “highlights the legal talent of up-and-comers.” Eric received the award in Real Estate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions Law for the northern Nevada region. Only one lawyer receives the award for achieving the highest peer review rating in specific areas of practice in a geographic region. We also congratulate Eric on his fifth year of being selected to Nevada Business Magazine’s list of Top Ranked Attorneys, following three years of being ranked among Best Up & Coming Attorneys. More information about Eric’s awards and recognitions is available at https://lnkd.in/gbuf7Hys. 

Artificial Intelligence is poised to transform gambling games and gambling environments, both online and in-person on casino floors. Gaming Law attorney Kelci Binau and Summer Associate Alexandra Dominguez published an article in Nevada Gaming Lawyer exploring the good uses of AI, such as creating personalized player experiences and detecting cheating, and evil uses such as exacerbating gaming addictions. Their article also addresses factors operators and regulators should consider when evaluating AI in gaming. The article is available at https://lnkd.in/gD5a3q4f. For more insights on AI and gaming, Kelci will be speaking on a panel discussing “Technology’s Impact on Gaming Compliance Programs” at the Global Gaming Expo on October 7 at The Venetian in Las Vegas. Conference registration is available at www.globalgamingexpo.com.

McDonald Carano congratulates Pat Lundvall, Chair of our Commercial & Complex Litigation Practice, on being selected to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Litigators in America. The list “honors the nation’s most elite courtroom litigators whose sustained excellence in trials is nothing short of remarkable.” Pat is the only lawyer in Nevada included in this guide to “the best litigators the U.S. has to offer.” Lawdragon describes 500 Leading Litigators as “America’s top talent who represent corporations and wealthy entities in epic battles. These are the advisors you want to send into battle.” Lawdragon selects “all-star trial lawyers and litigators” through submissions, independent research, and vetting with the nation’s leading trial lawyers. More information about Pat’s award is available at https://lnkd.in/g-URQksR.