Thursday, July 10, 2003 | 8:49 a.m.
Assistant District Attorney Mike Davidson plans to return to private practice as a litigator for the Las Vegas law firm of Kolesar & Leatham on Aug. 4.
Earlier this week the district attorney's office confirmed that Davidson, who lost to criminal prosecutor David Roger in the November election for district attorney, would leave his administrative post that oversees the Family Support and Civil divisions at the end of the work day on Aug. 1, a Friday.
Davidson, 49, was in private practice for 20 years prior to coming to the district attorney's office in 1998. He said he plans to bring "a broad spectrum" of experience to his new job, which will include civil litigation such as plaintiff representation in catastrophic injury cases.
Kolesar & Leatham primarily handles business and commercial law.
"Dave could have fired me the day after the election, but he was gracious enough to allow me to stay long enough for my retirement benefits," Davidson, a Democrat, said Wednesday, referring to his Republican boss.
"Still, I wish things could have worked out differently. I would have been happy to stay in public service the rest of my career. And one day I may again work in public service."
Davidson says that while he has no aspirations to run against a sitting judge, he would consider appointments to such the bench or would reprise his past public positions, including juvenile court referee, small claims court referee or state Supreme Court settlement judge.
Roger, who in the November runoff collected 53 percent of the vote to Davidson's 41 percent, said that Davidson becomes eligible for minimum five-year retirement benefits on July 31.
Davidson said he came to the district attorney's office at the request of former District Attorney Stewart Bell, a one-time law partner, at a time when the workload was so great that two assistant DAs were needed.
Fellow Assistant District Attorney Chuck Thompson, who is in charge of the Criminal and Juvenile divisions, temporarily will oversee the Family Support and Civil divisions along with human relations director Leonard Cash until a replacement can be named.
Family Support includes among its duties collecting child support. The Civil Division, among its duties, provides legal advice to the Clark County Commission and county government agencies.
Davidson said that after the November election it was made clear to him that he would not be allowed to stay at his post longer than it took for him to accrue his retirement benefit.
"Dave has every right to choose his own management team," Davidson said, noting he has informed human resources of his pending departure. Davidson has not tendered a letter of resignation and says, given the circumstances, he does not believe one is necessary.
Davidson earns between $140,000 and $150,000 in his current post. He says he will not start receiving county retirement benefits for a while, and that he hopes they will be only a small portion of what he eventually will receive.
Davidson said he is proud of his work for the county, noting that Family Support brings in between $75 million and $85 million a year in child support funds that benefit about 150,000 children.
Coercive administrative tools such as the threat of confiscation of driver's licenses and tax returns and legal remedies that allow authorities to reach into bank accounts have made a dent in money owed by delinquent parents, Davidson said.
Davidson also said he is proud of the work he has done in the civil end, helping the Clark County Assessors Office and County Treasurer streamline the bureaucracy.
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