Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Law Quarterly:

LAWYER PROVES RELIABLE RESOURCE FOR THE POOR

probono

Justin M. Bowen

At home helping out: Christian Hale of Lionel Sawyer & Collins began volunteering at Nevada Legal Services two years ago, and he can be seen at the tenant rights center most Mondays.

Christian Hale came to the United States for a career in casino management, but the English native traded it for the law and is quickly making a mark by helping those in need.

The 41-year-old Hale, an associate at Lionel Sawyer & Collins, has been named pro bono attorney of the year for the second consecutive year by Nevada Legal Services, a nonprofit organization that serves low-income residents.

Helping the poor with tenants’ rights issues is a long way from where Hale began when he moved to the United States 13 years ago. He started a gaming career in England at 19 by working as a roulette dealer, and came to America in 1996 to follow that path. He worked as a dealer at the Holiday Inn Boardwalk and switched to surveillance at the Orleans when it opened.

Eyeing a career in casino management, Hale obtained his master’s degree from the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.

Hale worked in lower-to-middle management for Station Casinos before becoming a senior internal auditor while attending the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV.

“I wanted to be an attorney since I was young, and when the law school was accredited, I decided to go,” Hale says. “I worked a great deal with regulations and some of the statutes governing casinos, and thought it was an excellent way to learn more.”

That interest in gaming prompted Hale, who graduated in 2007, to apply for an internship at Lionel Sawyer & Collins with the hope he would someday work as a gaming attorney. But Hale’s exposure to the business department made him change his focus to a legal career where he could use his background in accounting and auditing. His practice includes debtor/creditor issues, common-interest community real estate matters, and guardianship and trust litigation.

Hale’s entry into pro bono work began two years ago when Nevada Legal Services urged attorneys to volunteer. That’s all Hale needed.

Nearly every Monday morning, Hale can be seen at the tenant rights center providing legal advice and easing people’s fears in disputes with landlords, including dealing with eviction proceedings. The firm lets him do the pro bono work on its time and has donated more than 110 hours so far this year.

“He won (the pro bono honor) because he has been extraordinarily helpful,” said Anna Marie Johnson, Nevada Legal Services executive director. “He has come over every single Monday he can to help people the past two years. He is a wonderful attorney to work with. Our staff enjoys having him here. He is here so often people are always asking for him. We have to explain he doesn’t work here.”

Hale said much of his work is tenants seeking clarification of their rights under rental agreements and helping them understand the eviction process or even contesting a wrongful eviction. Some cases are disputes over late fees owed and not getting back security deposits after moving out. In addition, tenants have had to face eviction because they didn’t know the home they were renting was being foreclosed, he said.

“People have a right to tell their side of the story and make sure their grievances are heard,” Hale said in explaining why he chose to work with tenant rights. “This is a fairly advanced society. It’s not an impoverished country as a whole, and people should have a roof over their heads as long as they have a legal right to it.”

Hale acknowledges not everyone can be helped, especially if they aren’t able to afford their rent. Those people are referred to shelters and organizations for help.

Hale said his experience as a transactional attorney and dealing with contracts has made it easier to handle the tenant cases.

He said he doesn’t plan on stopping pro bono work and is learning more about elder law and what he can do to help seniors.

“It feels good to give back to the local community,” Hale said. “I think attorneys are obligated to give something back.”

Hale credits the firm’s commitment to pro bono work for his involvement. Other attorneys at Lionel Sawyer & Collins have also been recognized by different groups in recent years. The firm was recognized from 2004 to 2008 for working the most pro bono hours for a law firm in Southern Nevada.

Other honors

Other attorneys and law firms in Southern Nevada were honored Dec. 11 in the annual pro bono awards by the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.

The fundraiser honored local attorneys who over the past year have provided a record-breaking 14,000 hours of free legal services.

The award for the most hours for a firm went to Lewis & Roca with nearly 2,000 hours. The firm also handled the most cases at 52.

Shelley Krohn, an attorney with Goldsmith & Guymon, was given the honor for most cases by an attorney with 12.

Elizabeth Ashley, an attorney with Ashley Law Group, contributed the most hours in excess of 400.

Dan Waite, a partner with Lewis and Roca, was honored at the 2009 pro bono attorney of the year for his leadership in the firm’s pledge to accept one new case a week through 2009.

Chris Albright won the Judge Sally Loehrer Pro Bono Service Award for helping a couple who lost $21,000 from a real estate investment scam. Albright also won a judgment against the scammer for $277,000.

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