I went to something like it last year at the same place. It was pretty lame. The room was really loud, so you practically had to yell for people to hear you. It's just like any other function where people that know each other mingle together, and it is hard to "break into" a group of people you don't know if you want to say hi to a judge. Stupidly, I did not realize it was the same type of thing, and I signed up again this year.

Ugh, I have to wear a suit and tie on a Friday evening, after work, when I just want to be at home watching television Al Bundy style.

In 19 years, I've gone to two of these. Both times I was sickened.

In general, I find the Clark County judiciary undignified. In other jurisdictions you'd never see sitting judges swilling drinks with the lawyers who appear in front of them. The reason they do it here is that they need the campaign contributions to run in equally undignified judicial elections.

Relative to judges in most other jurisdictions our size, our judges are, for the most part, far less qualified by experience and intelligence. The slovenly manner in which they court campaign contributors is, frankly, disgusting. I frustrates me when I watch good lawyers make cogent arguments to these judicial imbeciles while their eyes glaze over and they check to see whether they need a manicure. It similarly frustrates me when I watch campaign contributors with weak and sometimes downright meritless cases survive summary judgment on cases which clearly should not be in court.

Until Nevada institutes some system which limits the ability of attorneys to exercise such a high level of influence on the judges before whom they appear, we will continue to have a bench where a significant number of judges are weak, unqualified, and corrupt.

Hafter has also filed a gratuitous appeal in Arizona which, for now, is still pending. Because Hafter has not cooperated with the bonding requirements in Arizona that appeal did not stay collection efforts in Nevada; therefore our lawyers in Nevada have full legal authority to collect the debt and have been making efforts for over a year and a half (after the bankruptcy stay was lifted). Again, the appeal is frivolous and was made for the sole purpose of avoiding the debt.

The collection efforts have not been successful thus far because Hafter has refused to cooperate and is otherwise evasive, including failing to produce the Hafter Family Trust documents (to date he has still failed to produce those documents, but it does not matter because we are fully aware the Trust is revocable and is a fraud).

Hafter has brazenly engaged in activities to grow the Hafter Family Trust by purchasing a significant amount of real estate through various entities. Hafter, through HafterLaw, LLC, has created at least sixteen (16) limited liability companies, including HFT Real Estate Holding, LLC, Ateret Equities, LLC, and Khatan, LLC. HafterLaw, LLC acts as the resident agent for all of these companies. HafterLaw, LLC, HFT Real Estate Holding, LLC, Ateret Equities, LLC and Khatan, LLC are the managers for these companies. Significantly, while HFT Real Estate Holding, LLC, Ateret Equities, LLC and Khatan, LLC are the managers for several of these limited liability companies, HafterLaw, LLC is the manager for HFT Real Estate Holding, LLC, Ateret Equities, LLC and Khatan, LLC. Each of these transactions was made after Hafter's judgment debtor exam.

Hafter and his wife, as individuals, pay essentially none of their or their family's living expenses,
but rather pay such expenses through HafterLaw, LLC or the Hafter Family Trust. While Hafter
refuses to pay his debts, he still has a full time housekeeper and pays for this housekeeper
through HafterLaw, LLC.

Hafter thumbs his nose at the law, notably arriving at his judgment debtor exam driving a new Jaguar and bragging about how it was a lease paid for out of the Hafter Family Trust, and yet earlier this year announced his candidacy for District Court Judge. In that vein APREA believes Hafter is also illegally funding his campaign all the while avoiding his debt. Hafter accepted $65,000.00 in campaign contributions from HafterLaw, LLC in what we believe is in contravention of Nevada State Law. Knowing the campaign contribution cap in Nevada is $5,000.00, Hafter must insist he made a personal loan, through HafterLaw, LLC to his campaign. Such a claim would be in the face of sworn testimony and warrants investigation. Specifically, Hafter has claimed in garnishment attempts and other records that HafterLaw, LLC is a legally separate entity; an entity that is in no way affiliated or obligated to Hafter, his wife or The Law Office of Jacob Hafter P.C. (a shocking claim). In making this claim, Hafter has asserted that he assigns any earnings from HafterLaw, LLC to the Hafter Family Trust.

I have a humorous, albeit pretty silly story from the mixers. Back in the day, the mixers used to be at Canyon Gate Country Club, which had execrable food but tons of little nooks and crannys in which I, as a headhunter, could speak briefly but discreetly with partners who wanted to make contact with me. Fast forward several years and the event gets moved to the Four Seasons. Now I'm all of a sudden confronted with the mixer being held in a big open box; no cover in sight. Not conducive for my business. Well a few years after it was moved to there, like a character out of a really bad Grade Z spy movie. this attorney walks right past me without giving me a glance but whispers, sotto voce, "meet me in the men's room". Well, inasmuch as the 1970's were long over, I assumed he wanted to talk shop and by George I was right. He was terrified someone from his firm would ask why he was talking to the Shark Pimp. Nothing came of it, (no appreciable book of business) but it's a great story. Still don't like the big box, but the chow is way better than it was at Canyon Gate.

The bar is requesting nominations for Young Lawyer of the Year, which will be presented to a young lawyer or lawyers whose professional and public service achievements merit special recognition. The award will be presented at the State Bar’s Annual Meeting which is being held July 10-12th at the Hyatt Regency in Newport Beach, CA. If there is someone you’d like to nominate, please submit the name and reasons for the nomination to Lori Wolk no later than Monday, June 16th.

Here is Lori's contact information:

Lori Wolk
Programs & Services Manager
State Bar of Nevada
600 E. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702-317-1436 (phone)
702-385-2878 (fax)
loriw@nvbar.org