James Dean Leavitt

James Dean Leavitt has been practicing law in Las Vegas since 1991. He earned his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University in 1985, majoring in Speech Communication Rhetoric. He earned his law degree from the University of Idaho in 1991 and was a member of the National Moot Court Team. During law school he clerked at the United States Attorneys office. He earned his L.L.M. degree in Gaming Law and Regulation from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2016. He has taught public speaking for the Calgary Board of Education, the University of Idaho and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Mr. Leavitt began his legal career in 1991 with the law firm of Galatz, Earl, Catalano and Smith. Neil Galatz, before his death, was universally recognized as one of the premier personal injury attorneys in Las Vegas. In 1993, he had the privilege of working with Goodman and Chesnoff, one of the top rated criminal defense firms in the nation. Mr. Goodman later served 12 years as Mayor of Las Vegas.

In 1994, Mr. Leavitt formed the Law Office of James Dean Leavitt and has practiced primarily criminal defense law since that time. As an attorney, he is best known for his ability to negotiate favorable settlements, which avoids the stress and costly expense of trial and to argue passionately for his clients. His specialized training in speech communication gives his clients a competitive advantage in court.

In 2004 and 2010, Mr. Leavitt was elected to the prestigious Nevada Board of Regents. The Board of Regents govern all universities and colleges throughout Nevada. They approve budgets and set poicy for the entire Nevada System of Higher Education. In 2009 and 2010, Mr. Leavitt was unanimously elected by his fellow regents to serve two successive one year terms as Chairman of the Board. As a Regent, Mr. Leavitt is best known for his passionate advocacy for increased higher education funding and leading the effort to create the new UNLV School of Medicine. Mr. Leavitt's  state-wide public service has cemented his reputation as one of Nevada's most important higher education leaders. Because of mandatory term limits, Mr. Leavitt completes his 12 years on the Board of Regents at the end of 2016.