Henderson city attorney reflects on tenure

By Jeremy Twitchell

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.

In 1983, Henderson had a population of a little more than 30,000, a new housing development named Green Valley was just getting underway and a young lawyer named Shauna Hughes was appointed as Henderson City Attorney.

Now, 26 years later, the city has grown to more than 270,000 residents and Hughes, who has been the city's point person for the legal agreements that brought forth additional master-planned communities such as Seven Hills and Anthem, is stepping down.

Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Quillin has been named her successor.

Hughes elected to take the buyout offer that the city made to veteran employees earlier this year in an effort to cut costs; she is set to retire in May and will enter private practice.

Though convinced that the time was right for her to strike out on her own, Hughes said it was nonetheless a difficult decision to make.

"It would be hard for me to leave no matter when I leave," Hughes said. "I love this place; it has been my life and these people have been my family."

Hughes said the part of the job she has appreciated the most has been working on development agreements for major projects in Henderson, including Lake Las Vegas and Nevada State College.

"I look back with great pride on Lake Las Vegas," she said. "Even though they're having a difficult time right now, I have a lot of confidence in that development and I believe it will come back."

As for Nevada State, Hughes called it a large joint effort that brought a valuable asset to the city.

"I think it is a really remarkable accomplishment — not just my accomplishment — but I was honored to be involved in the planning process for that wonderful facility that we now have in Henderson," she said.

Hughes has maintained active memberships in several professional legal societies and been frequently honored in those circles, including the James M. Bartley Distinguished Public Lawyer Award from the State Bar of Nevada Public Lawyers Section and the Liberty Bell Award from the Clark County Bar Association. She received both awards last year.

She has been involved with several non-profits, serving on the boards of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson and the Nathan Adelson Hospice. She is also a founding member of the SAFE House domestic violence shelter.

Hughes said she hopes to be remembered as someone who got things done.

"I hope that my legacy is that I worked proactively for all the years I was here to get things done for the city," she said. "Sometimes people tend to think that attorneys are obstructionist and always trying to stop things from getting done, but I think there's a way to do the job and still be proactive. I'd like to think that's how I'll be remembered."

Quillin, Hughes' successor, said Hughes will be a tough act to follow.

"I have huge shoes to fill," Quillin said. "(Hughes) has done such a phenomenal job and she's been a mentor to me. I'm humbled — incredibly humbled — excited and looking forward to the transition."

Hughes said she is confident in Quillin and the rest of the city's attorneys, but said she will still be around if anyone needs to pick her brain.

"I'm not leaving town; I'm not going anywhere," she said.