Las Vegas, NV (February 1, 2018) – M. Magali Mercera has been honored as one of 2018’s Women to Watch from the Las Vegas publication, Vegas Inc. Ms. Mercera is an attorney within the prestigious Nevada commercial litigation firm, Pisanelli Bice, where she is focused on commercial disputes ranging from breach of contract and fiduciary duty claims to property and construction disputes.
“Magali is an attorney focused on excellence. She has set herself apart through her outstanding work ethic, her exceptional organizational skills and her passion for the litigation process,” says James Pisanelli, founding partner of Pisanelli Bice.
Since joining the law firm in February of 2011, Mercera has represented high-profile clients in a variety of complex business cases. She quickly earned the trust and respect of founding partners James Pisanelli and Todd Bice, becoming a go-to colleague for research, electronic-discovery know-how, and trial preparation for the firm’s matters.
She has experience with all aspects of litigation from discovery through motion practice and trial. She applies a tenacious work ethic in building upon the firm’s achievements working on a wide variety of prominent business litigation cases.
Additionally, Ms. Mercera is committed to her pro bono work with the Children’s Attorney Project (CAP). Through this project with the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, attorneys provide counsel, advice and representation to abused and neglected children who have never before had representation. Ms. Mercera began working with this program in 2010 and plans to continue her work with them in 2018. Her involvement in this program gives children a voice in the legal system and influence over their future.
LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2017) – Founding partners James J. Pisanelli and Todd L. Bice, of the litigation firm Pisanelli Bice PLLC, announced today the firm earned six Tier 1 rankings in Las Vegas by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2018.
The firm’s top-level designations are in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Appellate Practice, Construction Law, Construction Litigation, First Amendment Litigation, and Real Estate Litigation.
Pisanelli Bice has a long history in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® rankings, having earned consecutive recognition for Tier 1 awards in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Pisanelli Bice was named to the top tier based on a comprehensive evaluation process that includes client and peer evaluations of the firm’s responsiveness, client needs assessment, integrity, competitiveness, civility, and cost-effectiveness, as well as a review of additional information provided by law firms themselves as part of the submission and application process. To be eligible, firms must have at least one attorney in the current edition of Best Lawyers in America©, which is one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession.
“We’re honored by this recognition from Best Lawyers,” Pisanelli said. “It’s great to have our firm’s approach and commitment as a full-service litigation firm recognized by the nation’s leading ranking service.”
Pisanelli Bice’s Tier 1 rankings will be featured in U.S. News & World Report’s Legal Issue this month. The rankings also are available online here.
LAS VEGAS (August 15, 2017) – James J. Pisanelli and Todd L. Bice, founding partners of the litigation firm Pisanelli Bice PLLC, were recently selected by their legal peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America© 2018, a prestigious nationwide peer-review publication. Managing Partner Debra L. Spinelli was also selected for the fifth consecutive year by her peers for inclusion in the publication.
Best Lawyers© listed Pisanelli in the category for bet-the-company litigation, a primary focus of the law firm. The publication also listed him in four additional legal categories, including: commercial litigation, construction law, litigation – construction, and litigation – real estate.
The publication listed Bice for the fourth consecutive year in the appellate practice category, recognizing Bice’s expertise and success in the appellate arena. The publication also listed Bice in four other legal categories, including: commercial litigation, litigation – first amendment, litigation – land use and zoning, and litigation – mergers and acquisitions.
Bice was also named Best Lawyers© Las Vegas “Lawyer of the Year” in the Litigation – First Amendment category. The publication recognizes a single lawyer as the “Lawyer of the Year” in each practice area and designated metropolitan area.
The law firm received additional recognition in the publication with Spinelli listed in the commercial litigation category; Deborah Drooz was listed in the litigation – first amendment category and Barry Langberg listed in the categories of entertainment law – motion pictures and television and litigation – first amendment.
Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers© has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. It is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey. Over 50,000 leading attorneys cast more than 7 million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their practice areas. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers© “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
The lawyers listed in Best Lawyers in America© do not have a say in deciding which practice areas they are included in. They are voted into practice areas entirely as a result of the votes they receive from their peers. The subspecialties listed after their names are based on information from a variety of sources.
LAS VEGAS (June 12, 2017) – Five attorneys from the Las Vegas litigation firm Pisanelli Bice, PLLC, have been named to the esteemed Mountain States Super Lawyers list, as was announced today by the firm’s founding partners.
Founding partners of the firm, James J. Pisanelli and Todd L. Bice, and managing partner Debra L. Spinelli were chosen for the Super Lawyers “Top” lists, which is a rating service that recognizes outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas.
Pisanelli, Bice, and Spinelli were honored once again as three of the elite Top 100 lawyers in the mountain region that includes Nevada, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. Pisanelli has earned Top 100 Super Lawyers distinction every year since 2013. The 2017 listing marks Bice’s fourth year in a row on the Top 100 list. Spinelli earned Top 50 Women Super Lawyers distinction.
Both Pisanelli and Bice have been designated Super Lawyers for 11 consecutive years. Spinelli is a Super Lawyer for the fifth consecutive year.
In addition, Ava Schaefer and Dustun Holmes were selected to the 2017 Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list. Schaefer was named for the second consecutive year.
Fewer than five percent of Nevada’s attorneys receive Super Lawyers recognition after undergoing a comprehensive, multi-step nomination and evaluation process. This multifaceted process includes a statewide survey of colleagues in the state’s legal profession, peer reviews, consideration of professional achievements, and independent research conducted by Super Lawyers’ parent company, Thomson Reuters, the world’s most respected source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.
LAS VEGAS (April 28, 2017) – James J. Pisanelli and Todd L. Bice, founding partners of Pisanelli Bice PLLC, are proud to announce renowned attorneys – and longtime mentors – Barry B. Langberg and Deborah Drooz have joined the firm.
“It’s an honor to call these respected attorneys friends, but we’re especially honored to have them joining us in practice,” Pisanelli said. “We have worked together on several cases over the years, and have shared many victories in the courtroom. Both my partner and I have learned so much from Debbie and Barry throughout our careers, so this is a natural fit.”
Both Mr. Langberg and Ms. Drooz bring impressive experience to Pisanelli Bice, and to Las Vegas. Both Mr. Langberg and Ms. Drooz have represented some of the world’s most recognized celebrities in libel and defamation proceedings, securing landmark victories for their clients.
Barry B. Langberg is one of the nation’s preeminent trial attorneys. Over his 45 year career, he has won numerous jury verdicts in defamation, entertainment, real estate and commercial cases. Hailed as “one of the nation’s premier libel attorneys,” by the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Langberg won a landmark victory in the libel case of Carol Burnett vs. National Enquirer. Mr. Langberg has represented several well-known public figures and companies in several high-profile defamation matters, including Martha Stewart, Kevin Costner, Rodney Dangerfield, Berry Gordy, Aretha Franklin, Steve Wynn, Sears Corp., Fluor Daniel, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts.
Deborah Drooz brings a strong record on appeal to the firm, having a number of published and precedent-setting appellate victories in state and federal courts including Gordy v. New York Daily News, Steam Press Holdings. Inc. v. Hawaii Teamsters and Allied Workers Union Local 996, and Star Editorial v. Dangerfield. Ms. Drooz also has a number of notable unpublished appellate victories which include Alexander Haagen III v. Saks & Company, and Meyers v. Tempesta, et al. In addition, Ms. Drooz advises public figures and corporations on First Amendment issues. She also counsels clients in intellectual property, appellate, and entertainment transaction matters.
Ms. Drooz earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California Los Angeles, and a J.D. from the Southwestern University School of Law. Ms. Drooz was recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America (2013-2014) and is currently an adjunct professor of defamation and privacy law at Southwestern University School of Law where she also has lectured for the LL.M. program on Entertainment Law.
“This addition is an illustration of our ongoing commitment to provide our clients with the unrivaled level of service they expect from us,” Pisanelli said. “Barry and Debbie are incredibly well-respected by their clients and peers. They are assets to the firm and we’re so proud to have them onboard.”
