Las Vegas attorney Hendrick to chair Gaming Control Board

Las Vegas attorney Kirk Hendrick, longtime general counsel for Ultimate Fighting Championship in Las Vegas, has been named a member and chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

He replaces Brittnie Watkins, who was named interim chairwoman in November after the resignation of former Chairman Brin Gibson. Watkins has two years remaining in her current term on the board.

“I’m delighted to announce that I’ve selected Kirk Hendrick as a member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and designated him as the board’s next chair,” Gov. Joe Lombardo said in an emailed statement Wednesday. “With his sharp business acumen, outstanding legal background, and passion for Nevada gaming, I know that Kirk will excel in this critical leadership role.”

Hendrick is expected to take office by the end of January.

Lombardo, who made the announcement of the appointment just after noon Wednesday, will have one other Gaming Control Board appointment to make after member Phil Katsaros announced at Wednesday’s board meeting that he would leave the board at the end of his term this month.

Hendrick began his career in 1991 in private practice, before transitioning to work for Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa. Hendrick worked in the attorney general’s Gaming Division, which provides legal counsel to the Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission. He went on to serve as the senior deputy attorney general for the Gaming Division’s Las Vegas office, before being tapped to serve as the chief deputy for the statewide Gaming Division. Hendrick also served as the legal counsel for the Nevada Athletic Commission.

After his public legal work, Hendrick returned to private practice in 2001 and served with the law firm of Jones Vargas, focusing on gaming and sports law, primarily boxing and mixed martial arts.

He then went on to join Zuffa LLC, doing business as UFC, as general counsel, later becoming chief operating officer for the company. In November 2012, Hendrick was named executive vice president and chief legal officer for Zuffa. Following his work for Zuffa, Hendrick founded Hendrick Sports & Entertainment in March 2019.

Hendrick is a 1983 graduate of Chaparral High School in Las Vegas and a 1988 graduate of the UNLV. Hendrick received his Juris Doctor in 1991 from the California Western School of Law in San Diego, California.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.