You have an avid interest in environmental law work. Tell our readers about some of the great experience you've gained in the field.

That is true! In the last (almost) two years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with the Conservation Lands Foundation in southwest Colorado, a non-profit focused on protection of public lands following the legal guidelines of the Antiquities Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. I also assisted former Deputy Solicitor of the Department of the Interior and Professor Bret Birdsong on a Nevada Supreme Court

As you complete your time as a Boyd Public Interest Fellow, what are your reflections on the experience?

It feels unusual to be rewarded for public interest work, but it really put me in a position where I could comfortably dedicate my time to helping others without worrying about my ability to afford it. I also had an amazing support system in other fellows and administrators to whom I could go with ideas and share my passion.

Which law school course was your most memorable?  

Definitely Employment Discrimination with Professor Ruben Garcia. I was the only first-year student in the class

Tell us about your transition from the sandwich business to law school.

It has been a different kind of challenge for sure. At Capriotti’s, every day had multiple goals: marketing, sales, purchasing, etc. Yes, even a humble sandwich shop has a lot going on behind the scenes. So many classes in law school require us to be self-motivated and keep up on our own so that we aren’t scrambling to teach ourselves a subject come finals. That is the part that is most different from Capriotti’s; it is a pace that we create ourselves. Oh…and I miss the free sandwiches!

How goes your tenure as president

How goes your first semester of law school?
I’m having so much fun! It’s a bit disconcerting because there aren’t very many benchmarks as to how well I’m actually doing, but I’m trying to measure myself off how well I can mentally respond to professors’ answers in class and taking a few practice exams (with variable success). My professors and classmates are incredible.

You and others are working to create a new student organization at Boyd. Tell us about that enterprise.

Our organization is the Organization of Psychology and Law (OPAL). Our goals are to highlight gaps between current

Tell our readers about your position here at UNLV.

In my current position in the President’s Office at UNLV, I assist in managing a multitude of daily requests and providing responses to a diverse range of issues that are directed to the President’s Office from various campus and community constituents. One of my top responsibilities is coordinating, drafting, and tracking all the time-sensitive Board of Regents’ agenda item submissions for UNLV. It’s been fun and, at times, very stressful.

How has working full-time on campus meshed with studying law at Boyd on a part-time basis?

Between my

It's quite a trek from your native Rhode Island to Nevada. Why did you make it?

I came to Las Vegas for economic opportunities and a change of scenery. The weather in New England is notoriously rough and years later I am still thankful to be living in such a beautiful desert. As for economic opportunities, I cannot imagine having lived the interesting life or experiencing the crazy career I have if I stayed in "The Ocean State."

You've been a dealer at the World Series of Poker. Is it just another gig, or is there something special about it?

Dealing at the world series is definitely an

On one hand, home is Rome, yes?
 
Yes! R(h)ome is where I was born and where I recently lived for the past four years. It is truly an eternal city that has helped me not only grow, but also learn to love and appreciate the little things in life.
 
But on the other hand, home is Las Vegas. Tell us about the contrast.
 
I moved to Las Vegas with my parents as a child and stayed here until I was 17. It has definitely been interesting to experience not only culture shock upon my initial move back to Rome, but counterculture shock upon returning to Las Vegas. I think I’m still adjusting to the

You were a competitive debater as an undergrad at UNLV. How has that experience helped you in law school?

My experience with debate helped me with many different parts of law school. It helped me get over most anxiety when speaking in public. It taught me how to research and write fully formed arguments. Finally, it taught me how to think on my feet.

What class that you've taken at Boyd has most influenced your career outlook?

Thus far, the class that has most influenced my career outlook has been Trial Advocacy with [Adjunct] Professor David Schwartz. The practical knowledge I have gained

In your career as a newspaper reporter, what's been the best story you got to tell? 

The best story in recent memory was about a free little league created and run by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Bolden Area Command, which polices Las Vegas’s Historic Westside. It was refreshing to hear officers talk about the importance of community building in their patrol area, and I was moved as I watched the kids bond with their officer-coaches.
 
How did you enjoy your work with the ACLU last summer?

I had an incredible experience working at the ACLU of Nevada. I was able to hone and

Teacher by day, student by evening – how’s that daily role reversal been working for you?

Excellent. Effective instructors never stop learning, so it feels natural. My students benefit from it as well as I am able to bring what I am learning in my classes to them. The time commitment can be a challenge for my wife and me, but we find a way to make it work.

And you were able to bring the law school to your classroom last spring, right?

Yes. I had the Street Law program in my classroom for about six weeks. Judge Sullivan came to Chaparral (High School) and presided over a mock trial