I became a lawyer because I enjoy working with people of diverse backgrounds and occupations. For several years I worked in the prosecution of white collar crimes. In 1997, I took the opportunity to work as a law clerk to the now retired Honorable Scott Jordan of the Family Division of the Second Judicial District Court, State of Nevada. I am now dedicated almost exclusively to the practice of family law and appellate practice.
Familial relationships, I believe, are the most emotional, complex, joyous, and frustrating associations we have. Counseling a client through the legal dynamics of a divorce or child custody litigation requires compassion, common sense, constant communication, integrity, and often a stern hand. I strive to employ each of these traits in the light of fairness and good judgment. Animosity and unnecessary aggression do not make for effective lawyering where your children and assets are concerned. I tell the truth; you may not like to hear it.
The most important part of any case is knowing the facts and the applicable law. This requires attention to the client, experience, and detailed research. We have earned our reputation for presenting cases and the law in an honest and zealous manner. I am proud to be associated with my partners, Gary Silverman and John Springgate, two outstanding lawyers who blazed the family law trail in Nevada, and our younger lawyers, Alexander C. Morey and Tamatha Schreinert.
Nevada is my home state. The Kattelman family owned the land where the Legislative Building now sits, not long after Nevada joined the Union. I am licensed to practice law in Nevada. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Pacific and received my law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. My first job was emptying the trash and sweeping the floors at Nevada Rubber Stamp Co., the business my parents purchased when I was a child.
My wife, Nicole, is a school psychologist – a very emotionally attuned and intelligent woman. We have two children, Jake and Elise. Our free time is spent in the mountains. I know what it entails to be a co-parent and the importance to children in having a loving relationship with their respective care givers.
I am included in Best Lawyers in America, 20th and 21st editions. I am a former Chair of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Nevada, and a past President of the Washoe County Bar Association. I am a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; I have the highest ethical rating and practice rating from Martindale-Hubel. I lecture, write, and edit articles for various family law journals and entities. I am committed to making the family law courts work for our community.