Erica Adler JD '20, LL.M. '21
Can you provide an overview of your name, state/home country, educational background, professional background and current role?
At twelve years old my family moved to Nevada, and I’ve been a proud Nevadan since. I majored in Japanese in High School at the downtown magnet school Las Vegas Academy of the Arts. My curiosity for global culture continued in undergrad at UNLV, where I majored in International Business. Right after, I found myself traveling quite a bit while working in the International Trade Division at the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. It was in my role there that I learned how important and interesting the gaming sector was, and where the idea of law school really sparked. I was accepted into Boyd, and in my second year explored gaming law classes. I realized quickly that gaming law touched on a lot of what I found fascinating, and I could see how valuable it was to live in Vegas while studying it. I decided to do the LL.M. in Gaming Law and Regulation, and immediately after was happy to be hired as Associate General Counsel at Aruze Gaming America, Inc., a company with Japanese ties that manufactures and distributes gaming machines across the U.S. and internationally.
How has your experience in the LLM helped you in your career? Are there any takeaways from your LLM experience that you still apply to your professional career or in your professional relationships?
The LL.M. taught me the nuances of a heavily regulated, internationally connected, yet largely local industry. This program has shown me that even though Vegas has been the epicenter of modern gaming, its reach is much more than what you find in Nevada. After this program, I understood the perspective of gaming regulators as well as regulated gaming businesses. There is a tension between the two, and this program gave me the tools I needed to understand how to manage that dynamic in gaming strategically. Learning the general motivations for regulated gaming and how that drives much of the decision making process for regulators makes understanding gaming law easier. Even though I’m Nevada-based, this knowledge has been transferable to understanding other gaming jurisdictions, which is incredibly valuable for a lawyer in such a quickly growing industry.
What did you most enjoy about your LLM experience?
What I enjoyed about the LL.M. was how involved the program allowed me to be. I was able to take on experiences that moved me in the direction I wanted my career to go. It was easy to access the right resources and people to make that happen.
One highlight was testifying before the legislature on a class gaming bill. We heard from the legislators themselves, had detailed class debriefs, and experienced the lifecycle of a gaming bill from beginning to end. Another two highlights were my externships with the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Circa. I saw real examples of both sides of gaming regulation, which deepened my appreciation for the regulators and lawyers involved. They taught me the high level of integrity and thoughtfulness required in balancing business and regulation, in situations where there was often no clear answer.
And for an overall enjoyable highlight, there was the generosity of the LL.M. program’s professors. They have a wealth of gaming knowledge, are incredibly supportive and great at giving guidance. I truly felt in the right place with this program.