Sisolak names Las Vegas attorney to the Nevada Gaming Commission, filling out panel

May 20, 2019 4:02 AM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports
May 20, 2019 4:02 AM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports

The Nevada Gaming Commission has full contingent of five members for the first time this year.

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Governor Steve Sisolak, late Friday, named Las Vegas lawyer Steve Cohen to the regulatory agency, replacing Philip Pro, a former federal judge who did not seek a new four-year term.

Cohen, a founding partner of Las Vegas law firm Cohen Johnson, will serve on the panel until April 2023.

The part-time Gaming Commission make the final determination on licensing and other matters based on recommendations from the three-person Nevada Gaming Control Board, the full-time agency that monitors the state’s multi-billion-dollar gaming industry.

Sisolak, who become governor in January, has now appointed two of the three Control Board members – Chairwoman Sandra Douglass Morgan and Board Member Phil Katsaros – and two members to the commission – Cohen and Las Vegas attorney Rosa Solis-Rainey.

“I’m thrilled to appoint Steve to the Nevada Gaming Commission,” Sisolak said in a statement. “Steve brings a wealth of experience in gaming law and I know he’ll make an excellent addition to the commission.”

Cohen co-founded his law firm in 1986. According to the statement, his core practice includes civil litigation, corporate and commercial real estate, gaming and casino litigation, and corporate start-up companies. Cohen has also served as counsel to national and international corporations and casinos has extensive experience in both jury and court trials.

Cohen is a member of the National Association of Trial Lawyers and has served on numerous political, humanitarian, and charity boards assisting with their events and fundraisers. Steve earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona.

Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.