New Reports Expose Trial Lawyers’ Grip on Nevada Politics and Legal Advertising Trends
In-depth analysis unveils trial lawyers’ staggering advertising and political spending, exposing tactics used to shape public opinion and legal outcomes.
The American Tort Reform Association unveiled two groundbreaking reports today that shine a revealing light on the pervasive influence of trial lawyers on Nevada’s political landscape and public perceptions.
The reports analyze both political donations and legal services advertising by top lawyers and law firms across the state.
The first report delves into the staggering sums of money spent by top plaintiffs’ firms on political campaigns in Nevada. Since 2017, ATRA estimates these firms contributed more than $4.56 million to the political campaigns of those candidates they found favorable.
Meanwhile, the second report provides a comprehensive analysis of legal services advertisingtrends in 2023, comparing the data with figures from 2019 through 2022. This detailed examination reveals the extent to which trial lawyers and their affiliated firms flood the airwaves and digital platforms with ads designed to solicit clients, often with dubious claims and aggressive tactics.
“These reports provide keen insight into the operation of the “trial lawyer playbook,” Tiger Joyce, ATRA president said. “They spend obscene amounts of money on ads that scare consumers to solicit more clients, then they financially prop up the campaigns of judges across the state.”
Key Findings:
Top plaintiffs’ firms poured more than $4.56 million into Nevada’s political campaigns since 2017. Richard Harris Law and Claggett & Sykes were the two largest donors, contributing more than $860,000 and $650,000 respectively.
The top recipients of these contributions are often trial lawyers themselves and are candidates for judicial positions, suggesting a concerted effort to influence the composition of the judiciary.
Some of the top recipients of political contributions from top plaintiffs’ firms in Nevada include: Steve Sisolak for Governor (entrepreneur); Adam Ganz for 8th Judicial District Court, Department 17 (trial lawyer); Aaron Darnell Ford for Attorney General (trial lawyer); and, Lidia Stiglich for Supreme Court (trial lawyer/judge).
Adam Ganz, a Las Vegas trial lawyer, received more than $133,000 from plaintiffs’ firms included in the analysis toward his two failed campaigns for a judgeship in Department 17 of Nevada’s 8th Judicial District Court. However, Ganz applied for and was named the 8th Judicial District Court’s Alternative Dispute Resolution/Discovery Commissioner in July 2023. The court cited his “25 years of civil litigation experience as a trial attorney” in its announcement.
- In 2023 alone, trial lawyers spent more than $137.2 million on more than 1.6 million local legal services advertisements in Nevada.
- Personal injury firms dominated the advertising space, with more than 63% of ads focusing on auto, motorcycle, and truck accident claims.
Crossover of Top Political Donors and Top Advertisers
- The crossover between top political contributorsand legal services advertisers sheds light on the interplay between financial influence and public perception.
- Notable law firms such as Richard Harris Law Firm; Henness & Haight Attorneys; Naqvi Injury Law Attorney; De Castroverde Law Attorney; Steve Dimopoulos Injury Law Center; Benson Bertoldo Baker Carter & Smith Attorneys; and, Bradley Drendel & Jeanney feature prominently in both categories, illustrating their multifaceted approach to shaping the legal landscape and public opinion.
Every Nevada resident pays a “tort tax” of more than $1,100 every year due to excessive tort costs. These excessive tort costs further result in a loss of more than 31,000 Nevada jobs every year.
“The proliferation of legal services ads can mislead consumers and undermine public trust in the healthcare system,” Joyce said. “These ads often prey on fears and uncertainties, leading patients to stop taking prescribed medications without consulting their doctors, with potentially fatal consequences.”
The reports provide valuable insights into the inner workings of the legal industry and its impact on public perceptions, consumer behaviors, and the integrity of the judicial system.
“Trial lawyers continue to pump significant money into these ad buys because, armed with more clients, they can boost settlements and payouts when they go after large corporations, ultimately raking in larger contingency fees for themselves,” Joyce said. “Then, their strategic campaign investments serve to sway the outcomes of these legal battles.”
By shedding light on these practices, ATRA aims to empower citizens with the knowledge to demand accountability and transparency from trial lawyers and their allies.
For a comprehensive overview of the reports, including detailed methodology and additional insights, visit ATRA.org.
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New Reports Expose Trial Lawyers’ Grip on Nevada Politics and Legal Advertising Trends
In-depth analysis unveils trial lawyers’ staggering advertising and political spending, exposing tactics used to shape public opinion and legal outcomes.