Verdi Lawyers

Why did you become an attorney? From a young age the thought of becoming an advocate always appealed to me. The mere idea of having a profession, the education, and the ability to appear in court to present an argument lured me in. Upon turning 16 and obtaining a drivers license, I obtained employment as a runner at a law office. I maintained the same employment until the end of my college days at UNLV. Gaining experience from the attorneys and familiarizing myself with the court house. The influences I received throughout that opportunity sealed the deal. After college it was...

In 1999, Leah graduated summa cum laude from UNLV with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and Political Science. In law school, she was Editor-in-Chief of the Nevada Law Journal and judicial extern to United States District Court Judge Phillip Pro. She graduated summa cum laude from UNLV's law school in 2002. At graduation, she was recognized as the William S. Boyd Outstanding Graduate. Following her graduation from law school, she immediately began employment at Lionel Sawyer & Collins, at the time the largest law firm in the state, which specializes in a variety of business matters. While at...

Tim Mott, Partner at Valiente Mott, left his position at Nevada’s preeminent insurance defense trial law firm where he represented corporations, including Fortune 500 companies and the largest insurance companies in the world, to create Valiente Mott. Tim, along with Mike, created Valiente Mott to help people, not insurance companies. He has extensive experience representing victims of car accidents, defective products, and catastrophic injury.

Tim was born and raised in Las Vegas and comes from a long-line of Las Vegas natives: his father was born and raised in Las Vegas in 1950 and his grandfather was born and raised in...

Dane Watson is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Dane graduated Cum Laude in 2015 and passed the Nevada State Bar in 2015 on his first attempt. Subsequently, Dane also passed the California State Bar in February of 2019 to give himself more flexibility practicing law in the Western States. Dane is also licensed to practice in Nevada Federal District Court and in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. During Law School, Dane was a board member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team and attended and competed in several negotiation competitions across the west coast. Prior...

Todd was born in Petaluma, California on October 31, 1975, and was raised in Sparks, Nevada. He served in the United States Navy from 1995 – 1999, after which he attended the University of Nevada. In 2004, Todd graduated from the University of Nevada with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Todd then attended the University of Oregon School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 2007. While in law school, Todd served in an externship for the Honorable Robert A. McQuaid of the United States District Court in Reno. He then served as a summer law clerk...

Attorney Matthew W. Hoffmann is an experienced personal injury attorney who is currently employed by Battle Born Injury Lawyers, a distinguished law firm helping personal injury victims throughout Nevada, including Las Vegas, Reno, Henderson, and the vicinity. Born and raised in rural North Dakota, Matthew went on to attend the University of North Dakota School of Law. A scholarship student, as well as the President of the Moot Court Board, Attorney Hoffmann, earned his Juris Doctorate With Distinction. After graduation, Matthew moved to Las Vegas to begin his legal career. His first position was with an insurance defense firm, one of the...

I have practiced law primarily in the chapter 11 business-bankruptcy arena for over 40 years in Northern Nevada.  My ‘extreme’ motivation to help debtors solve their business issues originated in my teenage years while living in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the mid-60's.  At age fifteen I worked for James E. Rogers, Esq. as his law- firm-runner and general all-around maintenance person.  Being in the presence of Jim Rogers on a nearly daily basis for over 3 years motivated me to go to college and then attend law school.  Jim Rogers was my mentor, constantly encouraging me. I was able to...

Jeremy Krenek was born and raised in Central Texas. Initially, he grew up on approximately 200 acres that was located 13 miles from the nearest gas station. When he was 8 years old, his family moved to north Austin. However, the family ranch was still active usually averaging around 50-head of cattle as well as many other animals including horses, guineas, goats, chickens, and hogs. Jeremy went back often, particularly as his grandpa got older to help maintain the ranch. This is the basis for his strong work ethic. In high school, Jeremy quit playing his high school sports (basketball and...

Kristen Spees is a Nevada, California and Hawaii Estate Planning Attorney. She focuses on Estate Planning such as Wills and Trusts, Deeds, Charitable Giving, Corporate Social Responsibility and Foundations.

She works with her parents, Frank and Judy Spees, who have worked as estate and financial planning attorneys since 1984. Between the two, they are licensed in HI, NV, CA and FL. www.Spees.com. Their son, Justin Spees, began his career as an investment advisor in 2007 and started managing accounts for clients, trusts, foundations, and businesses. He formed Just Advisors in 2008 and has continued to manage the firm which offers...

Jim Burau’s practice focuses primarily on wealth preservation planning for higher net worth clients. The firm employs a counseling-oriented approach to ascertain the client's estate and business planning goals, and then design a plan which integrates the client's tax- and non-tax related goals with their hopes and concerns for their loved ones. To this end, the firm incorporates a team approach by involving the client's financial advisors in the development and implementation of the plan, where appropriate. The firm's process also includes a high commitment to the funding and follow-through elements to ensure that the client's plan will work...

Aaron discovered his passion for tax law while interning at the Internal Revenue Service, Office of Chief Counsel. He has continued this passion by helping clients resolving their tax disputes and advising individual and business clients on their tax planning. Additionally, he served as a Volunteer Attorney at the University of Washington Federal Tax Clinic providing pro bono work to low-income individuals and business. Aaron has successfully represented clients before the IRS and state tax departments. He represents clients in IRS and state tax audits, resolving tax debts, and the in U.S. Tax Court. In his free time,...

An attorney licensed in Maryland and DC, Ms. Ontaneda-Bernales has also been admitted to the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She has founded the Law Offices of Sylvia Ontaneda-Bernales (Maryland), Ontaneda-Bernales Law (Nevada), and Ontaneda-Bernales LLC (New Mexico). Her Immigration practice includes Relative Petitions, Fiance Visas, Naturalizations, Green Card Applications, Business and Investor Visas, and DACA, among other Immigration-related services. As a mediator, she has worked for the District Court of Maryland ADR Program. She is also a Spanish language consultant, translator, and interpreter listed in the Maryland Court Interpreter...

Tyson Cross is an attorney in Reno, NV and helps clients in the areas of estate planning, probate, and tax law. You'll find that Tyson's approach to the practice of law is very personal. As a solo practitioner, he is free to interact directly with his clients and remove the formality that is common in most law firms. Tyson is proud to count many of his clients as friends and maintain relationships long after the legal issue has been resolved.

I have been working in the legal field since 1974 in the States of California, Nevada and in Washington, D.C., the latter during President Reagan's first term. Before law school, as a paralegal I spent years assisting medical malpractice defense trial attorneys, mining and gaming attorneys. Since obtaining my license in 1994, my passion in International Law remained constant, assisting with wildlife issues, conservation. I assist in technical insurance coverage issues from all perspectives. I continued to represent the medical, veterinary, pharmaceutical field and other professionals in litigation and in forming business entities, the trucking industry...

I offer legal representation in matters involving real estate, estate planning & probate, personal injury, small business law and more: * Real Estate – I apply my knowledge of real estate law to offer effective legal services for your real estate transactions and disputes, including all legal issues regarding residential homes and commercial property. * Estate Planning & Probate – I help clients secure the future of their families in matters of estate planning & probate, including wills, trusts, and guiding successor trustees, executors and beneficiaries through the complex probate process. * ...

Jim has practiced in the area of workers compensation law for thirty years, representing injured workers, insurers, employers and third-party administrators. He is one of few attorneys who has represented clients from all sides of a workers compensation issue.

Dan’s diverse law practice includes business and contractual disputes, personal injury and wrongful death matters, product liability matters, and disputes between policyholders and their insurers. Dan also serves as personal counsel for businesses and individuals to assist them in dealing with their insurers in both pre-litigation and litigation matters. His broad legal background also includes defending attorneys, real estate agents, and design professionals, as well as individuals and corporations in automobile liability, product liability and general liability matters. Dan has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2012 and is the former President of the Reno...

Laurie A. Yott is a partner in the law firm of Beckett, Yott & McCarty, Chtd. She has been an attorney for more than twenty-five years and has successfully handled thousands of workers' compensation, personal injury and subrogation cases. She and Riley Beckett are unquestionably Nevada's leading experts in the subrogation field. Mrs. Yott has also frequently been retained to handle workers' compensation cases at the upper appellate levels. She is currently handling numerous cases before the Nevada Supreme Court and was successful in defending a Nevada workers' compensation decision at the United States Supreme Court in 2002. Mrs. Yott is a...

Born in Reno, Nevada, September 5, 1959; Gayle Kern was admitted to bar 1984, Nevada and U.S. District Court, District of Nevada; 1987, California. Gayle Kern’s Education: University of Oregon (B.A., 1981); University of Oregon School of Law (J.D., 1984). Law Clerk, Chief Judge Edward C. Reed, Jr., U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, 1984-1986. Gayle Kern’s Positions: Past President, Washoe County Bar Association; State Bar of Nevada; State Bar of California; Northern Nevada Women Lawyer’s Association; Northern Nevada Bankruptcy Bar Association; Bruce R. Thompson Inns of Court, Barrister, 1994-1997; Nevada Trial Lawyer’s Association;...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Law Office of Cliff Young, 1987 to present
650 S. Rock Blvd., Ste. 21A
Reno, NV 89502

I have run a private practice that focused on providing affordable help, mostly regarding Family Law and Criminal Defense. I have handled cases all around Northern Nevada, U.S. District Court, the Nevada Supreme Court and the Ninth Circuit. I have taught C.L.E. seminars in the areas of foreclosure defense, defending DUIs and criminal law. My career has involved investigating many complex questions, often fighting to protect the Constitutional rights of citizens. I draft pleadings and correspondence and uses e-filing in Washoe...

Mark Goodman received his Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkley in 2001 and his law degree in 2005 from the University of San Francisco. He is licensed to practice law in both Nevada, California, and nationally in proceedings before the United States Patent Office. In order to achieve this designation, he was required to demonstrate a high level of understanding of United States patent law and regulations and hold a degree in a scientific or technical discipline. Mark opened the Goodman Law Center in 2007, motivated to provide a unique approach to law practice. Mark strives be friendly, approachable, thoughtful, creative, and cost-effective....