Q&A with Greg Giordano, partner with Lewis & Roca

Gaming attorney Greg Giordano sees himself as a facilitator between his clients and state regulators.

“Gaming law is somewhat complex and very specialized,” he said. “I try to help clients understand the law, because the words in the statutes and regulations often don’t give you a clear picture of how things actually work and how policies are applied. I also facilitate the work of the regulatory staff. Helping them work quickly and efficiently creates a win-win situation.”

Giordano didn’t intend to go into gaming law. As the son of a college professor living on the Monterrey Peninsula, he didn’t have any built-in connections to land him a job after graduating from Santa Clara University School of Law. Through a college friend who lived in Elko, he discovered the opportunities in Nevada were “wide open” compared with California, so he accepted a clerkship in Reno, and has been a Nevadan ever since. He has been a partner in the law firm of Lewis & Roca since 2009.

What made you decide to go into gaming law?

Early in my career, I worked in the Nevada attorney general’s civil division, but I knew I didn’t want to be a career government employee. I thought I had the best chance for a successful career path in the state’s largest industry — gaming — so I switched to the AG’s gaming division for two years. This background gave me a chance to head up the Corporate Securities Division of the Gaming Control Board when the division was established in 1989. I stayed there until 1998, when I left to join a law firm.

How did your position at the Gaming Control Board influence your career?

It gave me insights that have proved valuable to my clients. I have an inside view of how regulators perceive things, how they interpret and apply the law, and what’s important to them. I can address those issues and help my clients get through the process as swiftly and painlessly as possible.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Helping someone realize their dream of getting involved in the gaming industry. This not only benefits them, but also helps the community by providing jobs and tax dollars. A good gaming lawyer should also help the industry by weeding out people who shouldn’t get a gaming license. Sometimes I have to say, “Getting a gaming license is not for you.”

What’s your biggest challenge?

The economy. Most of my clients are public companies dealing with acquisitions and mergers that require financing. Not everyone has millions of dollars in cash, but I haven’t seen banks open up their coffers to finance casino acquisitions.

Do you do any pro bono or charity work?

My pro bono work currently involves service to the bar. I am the vice chairman of the gaming law section of the Nevada State Bar, and vice chairman of the gaming law committee for the solo, small firm and general practice division of the American Bar Association. I’m also a member and former chairman of the gaming law committee of the ABA’s business law section. I’d like to become involved in the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, because my mother and sister both died from Huntington’s disease.