Boyd Law Magazine 2025

Nevada’s rolling out a new bar exam, and the rest of the country isn’t far behind with the NextGen Bar coming in 2026. At Boyd, we’re not sitting around waiting for change to arrive, we’re already building around it. That means more chances for students to develop practical skills, tighter integration between doctrine and real-world application, and an approach to legal education that keeps pace with what the profession actually demands.

Boyd Law grew in a big way this year, welcoming ten new faculty whose expertise stretches across criminal law, dispute resolution, environmental law, legal writing, legal tech (and yes, AI), and more. And in May 2025, Lori Johnson, our Terry Pollman Professor of Law, was recognized by the Clark County Law Foundation with its Liberty Bell Award, a well-earned nod to her impact in the community and in the classroom.

Students are the reason any of this matters.

This section highlights the people and programs pushing them forward like the Career Development Office, sharpening résumés, running mock interviews, and keeping the Career Closet ready so students walk into opportunities with confidence. And the annual PILA Auction? It’s generous and wildly effective, raising money so students can take public interest jobs that actually change lives.

The Saltman Center for Conflict Resolution is where problem-solvers learn to actually solve problems.

This section looks at what’s new and what’s returning like the revival of the Dispute Resolution Society, giving students a real space to learn about alternative dispute resolution outside the classroom. And the Family Mediation Practicum, where students step into real-world conflicts and help clients find a path forward.

Experiential Education is where everything gets real.

This section follows students out of the classroom and into the work — whether they’re in Carson City for Boyd Law Day, serving as legislative externs, or testifying for tenants’ rights. It highlights hands-on advocacy in the Economic Justice & Small Business Clinic, the UNLV Immigration Clinic, and the Survivor Representation & Advocacy Clinic, plus a look at the Tribal Law Practicum, where students learn directly from tribal leaders and practitioners.

During the 2024–2025 academic cycle, Boyd Law hosted and competed in an impressive lineup of local and national events — from the Native American Law Student Association Moot Court Competition and the Frank A. Schreck Gaming Law Moot Court Competition to the ABA Client Counseling and Negotiation competitions. Students also went head-to-head in the Nevada Justice Association 1L Competition, the Clark County Bar Association Moot Court Competition, and the We the People Competition. And our Society of Advocates? They were all over the map, competing in more than a dozen tournaments across the country.

Alumni & Giving is where the impact keeps growing long after graduation.

This section celebrates Shane Young, our 2025 Alumnus of the Year, and spotlights transformational gifts that are shaping the future of Boyd Law, including GGRM’s $1 million pledge and the Sykes family’s creation of the Justice Michael L. Douglas PreLaw Endowment. It also recognizes Sondra Brower, honored with the Emilie Wanderer Scholarship, and the many alumni whose generosity strengthens scholarships, supports students, and expands the spaces where they learn.

Boyd Law was buzzing with big ideas this year, hosting a lineup of conferences and symposia that pulled in scholars, advocates, and practitioners from across the country. Highlights included the Policing Commercial Sex Work Symposium, WIPIP 2025 welcoming intellectual property scholars from around the world, the Legal Writing Faculty of Color Workshop, the Nevada Law Journal Symposium on public health care in prisons, and the INGG Symposium celebrating five years of groundbreaking work.