Admitted Students Day - 2020

Welcome again to the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law! Here, you will find opportunities to interact with members of our law school community. Feel free to email the professors listed to the right. They’d be happy to chat with you about our law school. The faculty videos are also a great way for you to get to know us. Their videos link to our YouTube page. Our student admissions ambassadors and alumni, listed below, welcome your emails so you can get to know more about our campus culture and life as a law student. Please be sure to return here frequently as we add more content for admitted students.

Welcome from Dean Dan Hamilton

Dear Future Boydians,
 
I am so glad that you are considering joining us at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV, and I welcome you to our online Admitted Students Day. I very much appreciate your flexibility with this remote setup, and I hope that you will enjoy our showcase of what makes UNLV such a special place to go to law school.
 
We have many achievements that distinguish us as a law school: our top-ranked Legal Writing program, a Career Development office that I would put up against any law school in the country, one of the best judicial clerkship placement rates in the nation, a nationally recognized faculty that not only is widely respected, but is also engaged and invested in student success, and – the best part of the law school in my opinion – students who are friendly, intelligent, engaged, and dedicated to giving back to their communities, and who you will love having as classmates in the years to come. 

We are also the only law school in Nevada, giving our students unparalleled access and opportunity: students are in regular contact with governors past and present, members of Congress, state Supreme Court justices, federal judges, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, Legal Aid ... and the list goes on. These connections and networks give students exceptional opportunities for both internships and externships in law school and for careers after graduation.

As you hear from our wonderful faculty members and students today, I hope that you will see the energy and shared commitment that has built a culture where we take care of each other; whether your goal is to remain in Nevada or build a legal career elsewhere, you will never be just a number at Boyd – we will get to know you and work with you to achieve your goals.
 
Please enjoy all of the videos and live sessions listed below, as well as your contact with the faculty members and students who are standing by to hear from you. Also, please do not hesitate to email me at daniel.hamilton@unlv.edu if I can answer any questions for you while you are making your decision. We very much look forward to your joining Boyd Nation.
 
Best,
Dean Dan

Faculty Videos

  • Strengths of Nevada's law school

    Prof. Frank Rudy Cooper

  • Welcome to UNLV Boyd Law!

    Prof. Michael Kagan

  • So, you think you might want to come to Boyd Law...

    Prof. Nancy Rapoport

  • Intellectual Property Law

    Prof. Marketa Trimble

  • International, Transnational, and Comparative Law

    Prof. Marketa Trimble

Faculty Live Sessions

Broadcast live on Saturday, March 28, 2020. To watch the sessions that were recorded, click the professor's name below.

Career Development Office

Question and Answer Student Panel

Broadcast live through Zoom on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at 10 a.m. PDT. If you were unable to watch the live session, click here to view it.

The following students will be taking questions:

  • Dallas Anselmo, 2L
  • Elva Castañeda, 3L
  • Jazmine Thompson, 2L
  • Skylar Arakawa-Pamphilon, 2L
  • Anna Guida, 3L

Summer Zoomcasts

Join us for Zoom sessions throughout the summer to learn more about 1L life at Boyd. Check your email inbox for invitations.

  • Fall Logistics

  • Relocating to the Las Vegas Area

Our Admissions Ambassadors and Alumni

Our admissions ambassadors, who are current students, and our alumni welcome your questions about UNLV Boyd Law or life as a law student. Feel free to connect with them.

  • Sam Bruketta, 2L
    Email: bruketta@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Carson City, NV
    College: University of Nevada, Reno, Philosophy
    Areas of Interest: Environmental Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution

    Congrats on being accepted to Boyd! My favorite thing about Boyd is the support you receive not only from the school’s terrific faculty but also the Southern Nevada legal community. Las Vegas is a great place to study, but the best part is the four National Parks all within 3 hours of the city. I am happy to answer any questions whether it’s about attending Boyd or finding the best hiking trails in the Las Vegas Valley!

  • Gabrielle Nellis, 1L
    Email: nellis@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Henderson/Las Vegas, NV
    College: Utah State University, Psychology, minor in Women and Gender Studies
    Areas of Interest: Family Law, Disability Law, Education Law

    As a native Nevadan, it has been a pleasure to attend Boyd for my legal education. The law school is deeply ingrained in the community and it is inspiring to be on the front lines of the law in this crazy world. My favorite thing about Boyd is that the professors are rigorous in providing students with a solid, top tier legal education, yet compassionate and understanding to the struggles of life in law school. In my free time I like to practice yoga, swim, volunteer, dream up new tattoo ideas, and hang out with friends. My favorite restaurant in town is Thailicious, but I am also a sucker for a Café Rio salad.

  • Haley Beza, 3L
    Email: haleyjar@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
    College: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Political Science, minor in Psychology
    Areas of Interest: Criminal Prosecution

    I'm a first-year law student and a public interest fellow here at UNLV. I decided to attend UNLV because I knew I wanted to live and work in Nevada and no school prepares future attorneys better for that than UNLV. I value our law school for its collegiality and close ties with every area of the Nevada legal community.

  • Josh Nelson, 1L
    Email: nelsoj17@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Alexandria, VA
    College: University of Nevada, Reno, Philosophy
    Areas of Interest: Intellectual Property, Consumer Protection

    I'm a first-year law student and a public interest fellow here at UNLV. I decided to attend UNLV because I knew I wanted to live and work in Nevada and no school prepares future attorneys better for that than UNLV. I value our law school for its collegiality and close ties with every area of the Nevada legal community.

  • Victoria Nguyen, 1L
    Email: nguyet51@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown:  Toronto, ON
    College:  Ryerson University (Toronto), Journalism
    Areas of Interest:  Sports Law (IP, patents, contracts), Gaming Law

    My favorite thing about Boyd is the people. From the moment I was admitted, I felt welcomed and supported by the Boyd community. That feeling has only grown stronger with each passing day as the faculty, staff, and the lifelong friends I have made continue to encourage me, empower me, and remind me that I belong here.

  • Karyna Armstrong, 1L
    Email: armstk6@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Reno, NV
    College: Boise State University, Political Science and Criminal Justice
    Graduate School: University of Miami, Public Administration
    Areas of Interest: Corporate Law, Sports Law

    I picked Boyd because when I came to visit the school, it was the perfect fit. Everyone at the school wants you to succeed. They all provide guidance, resources, and encouragement that you need as you go through this crazy journey of law school and beyond! Next year, I will be the Executive Secretary for the Student Bar Association, so you will be hearing from me a lot! School aside though, I was an athlete in college for the Track & Field team at both Boise State and University of Miami. I threw the hammer (no, not like Thor lol). I love hiking, exploring new coffee places, and board games! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would love to answer them, chat with you, grab coffee (as soon as this lock down is over), and hopefully see you become part of the Boyd family next school year!

  • Greer Sullilvan, 1L
    Email: sullig3@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Reno, NV
    College: University of California, Berkeley, Linguistics
    Areas of Interest: Public Interest Law, Criminal Law

    As a native of Reno, I was worried that I would absolutely hate living in Vegas. But I couldn’t have been more wrong! Law school was a really big and scary step, but the Boyd community has supported me every step of the way. I feel like I have found a second family. Aside from all of the law school stuff, Vegas is so close to so many national parks and amazing outdoor spots. Everytime I find some free time, I get outside and enjoy the great things this area has to offer. Zion, Red Rocks and the Valley of Fire are just a couple of the wonderful places. Boyd has been a great choice for me and I would love to talk with any of you if you have any questions or concerns.

  • Dylan Lawter, 2L
    Email: lawted1@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
    College: Brigham Young University
    Areas of Interest: Employee Benefits Law

    I taught elementary school before coming to Boyd. I love to go to Red Rock Canyon, the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, and I consider myself a french fry connoisseur, so hit me up for the best places to get them!

  • Gabrielle Boliou, 2L
    Email: boliou@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Boise, ID
    College: Boise State University, Political Science and Spanish
    Graduate School: Boise State University, Spanish
    Areas of Interest: Criminal Law, fighting human trafficking

    The professors here are fantastic. They're dedicated to student success and I highly recommend visiting office hours at least once per professor per class.

  • Alexis Taitel, 2L
    Email: taitel@unlv.nevada.edu
    Hometown: Reno, NV
    College: University of Oklahoma, International Studies
    Graduate School: University of Oklahoma, International Studies
    Areas of Interest: Commercial Litigation, Public Interest/pro bono, Appellate Advocacy

    My favorite thing about Boyd is the opportunities it offers. As the only law school in the state, Boyd is uniquely positioned to set students up with incredible externships and jobs with federal judges, great firms, legal aid providers, and others, based on the strong ties Boyd has to the Nevada legal community. I moved to Las Vegas (technically, Henderson) from Washington, D.C. and had never lived in Las Vegas before, but I already feel very connected to and part of the community here.

  • Caleb Green, '19 JD
    Email: cgreen@dickinson-wright.com
    College: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Computer Science
    Employer: Associate at Dickinson Wright PLLC

Student Organizations

Boyd Law has more than 30 student organizations, all led by Boyd law students. Visit our YouTube playlist to hear from some of our organizations.