Kummer Kaempfer Names Robert Gronauer Managing Partner; John Griffin, Brandon Roos, Steve Tackes and Jason Woodbury Elected to the Firm’s Board of Directors

 LAS VEGAS – The statewide law firm of Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw & Ferrario (Kummer Kaempfer) has elected four attorneys to become members of the firm’s Board of Directors, commonly referred to in the profession as “partners” and also named a new managing partner effective April 1, 2009. 

 Michael J. Bonner, the firm’s managing partner, announced that John W. Griffin, Brandon E. Roos, Steve E. Tackes and Jason D. Woodbury have been elected as new directors.  He also announced that longtime partner Robert J. Gronauer will assume the position of managing partner and president of the law firm.  Gronauer replaces Bonner, who will become chairman of the firm’s executive committee.  The firm currently has 18 other directors.

 “Bob is an excellent choice to succeed me and one that I enthusiastically support,” said Bonner. “He has tremendous talents as one of the best lawyers in Nevada and is a clear leader with a strong legal background in land use and government relations. We also look forward to the contributions of John, Brandon, Steve and Jason as they assume their new roles in guiding our firm’s future.”

 Gronauer joined Kummer Kaempfer in 1996. He is an experienced land use and government affairs attorney representing local and national developers, individuals, hotels and casinos before the various city and county boards and commissions in Southern Nevada. He has negotiated development agreements for several master-planned communities and large scale developments in the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, City of North Las Vegas and Nye County.  Gronauer is a regular speaker before homeowner associations and trade and industrial groups and has been a guest speaker at the Boyd School of Law School. The Best Lawyers in America® selected Gronauer as best in his field for land use and zoning law for 2009, and he was recognized as a leading lawyer in real estate, zoning and land use law by Chambers USA – 2008 America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.   He is a 2009 recipient of In Business Las Vegas’ prestigious 40 Under 40 award.  Gronauer is based in the Las Vegas office.

 Griffin has been an associate with the firm since June 2006. A native Nevadan, he practices in the areas of governmental relations and lobbying, administrative and regulatory matters, strategic planning, gaming, and land use planning.  He has appeared before every level of state and local government on behalf of numerous clients in the transportation, development and gaming industries.  Griffin is past president of the 110-member Carson City Rotary Club and president of Carson City Little League, Capitol Chapter of the University of Nevada Alumni Association, and the Carson Taxi Squad Booster Club. Griffin completed a summer internship in the Washington D.C. Offices of U.S. Senators Harry Reid and Richard Bryan and served as an extern for the Hon. Howard D. McKibben, United State’s District Court Judge for the District of Nevada.  The Best Lawyers in America® named Griffin as best in his field for government relations law.  Griffin is located in the Reno office.

Roos has been an associate in the Litigation Department focusing his practice on civil, commercial and general business litigation. He joined the firm in 2005. Roos is an experienced litigator and has received favorable judgments and decisions in both federal district court and state court. He has successfully resolved numerous business disputes and obtained judgments for clients in complex civil litigation involving fraud, breach of contract and negligence. Roos was co-lead counsel on behalf of numerous plaintiffs defrauded in the collapse of Southwest Exchange, Inc., a case in which he helped recover in excess of $91 million on behalf of the victims.  Roos also has experience in intellectual property law, primarily on obtaining trademark and service mark protection for his clients.  Roos has been named a Rising Star by Mountain States Super Lawyers.  He is a member of the Board of Directors for Boys Hope Girls Hope, a charitable organization in Southern Nevada.  Roos is based in Las Vegas.

Tackes has been Of Counsel to the firm and practices in the areas of business law, technology, aviation, and administrative agency law. He joined the firm in June 2006 when Crowell, Susich, Tackes & Griffin, Ltd. combined forces with Kummer Kaempfer.  A specialist in complex utility litigation, he routinely represents key developers at state Public Utility Commission hearings. Tackes is recognized as one of Nevada’s leading attorneys in telecommunication law and holds an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Having first served as a criminal prosecutor, Tackes has significant high-level trial experience. He is a past chairman of the Carson City Airport Authority and currently serves as counsel to the Nevada Airport Managers Association. Tackes is a founding director of the Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare Foundation Board.  He is a member of the Navy League of the United States Carson City Chapter.  The Best Lawyers in America® named him as best in his field for Energy Law for 2009. Tackes resides in Carson City.

Woodbury has been an associate in the Litigation Department since 2006.  He represents numerous clients as both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation and in the areas of election law, property law, administrative law, and general business law. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a deputy district attorney in the Carson City District Attorney’s office for four years where he worked as a prosecutor and later as legal advisor in the civil division. Woodbury handled all levels and types of criminal offenses, and in the civil division, he represented Carson City in civil litigation and provided advice for various Carson City departments, including the primary legal advisor to the Carson City Planning Commission. Woodbury served as law clerk to the Hon. Michael R. Griffin, District Judge in the First Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada. Woodbury is president of the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada.  Woodbury is based in the Reno office.

Kummer Kaempfer is a prominent force in Nevada, serving local, regional, national and international clients in the real estate development, hospitality, gaming, manufacturing, service, high-technology, and energy and utilities industries.  Founded in 1994, Kummer Kaempfer is one of Nevada’s largest law firms, specializing in complex corporate transactions, federal and state securities matters, commercial litigation, zoning and land use and regulatory law. 

 With offices in Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City, Kummer Kaempfer’s lawyers provide counsel to top corporations, business owners, corporate executives and individuals. Kummer Kaempfer is the Las Vegas member of Meritas, an affiliation of outstanding business law firms that serve international customers worldwide.  The firm’s attorneys are routinely rated among the best corporate, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and litigation lawyers in Nevada, including high-ranking recognition by the prestigious Chambers USA – America’s Leading Business Lawyers since its inception in 2003; The Best Lawyers in America®; and Mountain States Super Lawyers.  For more information about Kummer Kaempfer, call (702) 792-7000 or visit www.kkbrf.com.  Kummer Kaempfer Bonner Renshaw & Ferrario, Ltd., is a Nevada professional corporation.