Selected Work Experience

Co-founder, co-owner, and partner at Widdis & White, PLLC | 2019 – Present

  – Local small business owner.

  – Law firm practices exclusively in the area of family law.

  – Responsible for one half of our active cases, daily administration of the firm, and regulatory requirements for the firm.

Full-Time Court Master at the Second Judicial District Court, Family Division | 2011 – 2018

  – Heard over 18,000 family law cases.

  – Highly rated by attorneys in Washoe County Bar Association Judicial Officer Surveys.
   – 2018: 4.48 out of 5 Performance Rating ( Survey PDF)
     – Highest score of Family Court Masters
   – 2016: 97.2% Retention Score and 4.5 out of 5 Performance Rating ( Survey PDF)
     – Highest scores of Family Court Masters
   – 2014: 96.8% Retention Score, 4.3 Performance Rating ( Survey PDF)

  – Handled complex legal cases, including:
   – Child Support enforcement
  – Domestic violence and protection orders
  – Juvenile guardianships
  – Juvenile dependency cases
  – Divorce
  – Custody
  – Visitation
  – Adoption

  – Decided motions and issued several thousand written “Findings and Recommendations.”

Deputy Attorney General at the Nevada Attorney General’s Office | 2011

  – Provided legal defense for Nevada Department of Corrections in state and federal court.

Legal Instructor at the Career College of Northern Nevada | 2011

  – Taught pre-law courses in the paralegal studies program.

Deputy Alternate Public Defender at the Alternate Public Defender’s Office | 2008 – 2011

  – Represented parents in termination of parental rights cases, involuntary commitment, drug court cases, and guardianship issues.

  – Lead counsel for family drug court and family mental health court.

Judicial Law Clerk at the Second Judicial District Court, Family Division | 2004 – 2006

  – Judicial Law Clerk for Judge Deborah Schumacher

  – Judicial Law Clerk for Judge Charles Weller

  – Judicial Law Clerk for Judge Scott Jordan (ret.)

  – Reviewed motions, conducted legal research, and prepared draft orders and opinions.

Youth Worker Grade 17, Salt Lake County Boy’s Group Home | 1998-2000

 – Prior to attending law school, I was a counselor in a group emergency care shelter for teenage boys.

Education

Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Cleveland, Ohio

 – Juris Doctorate | 2003
 – Nurenberg, Plevin, Heller & McCarthy Academic Tuition Scholarship

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

 – Bachelor of Science, Philosophy | 1998
 – Bachelor of Science, Political Science | 1998

Certifications

  – Certified Mediator, National Judicial College in Reno | 2017

 – Certified Trial Advocate: Rocky Mountain Child Advocacy Training Institute Program | 2010

Bar Admissions

 – Nevada State Bar | 2006 – present

 – Nevada Supreme Court | 2006

 – United States District Court, District of Nevada | 2007

 – United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | 2011

Professional and Community Organizations

 – Bruce R. Thompson Chapter of American Inns of Court | 2011 – present
     – President | 2018 – 2019

 – Presented Judicial Program to Galena High School A.P. Class | 2018.

 – Presented Judicial Program to O’Brien Middle School | 2018

 – Presented Judicial Program to Lincoln Park Elementary School | 2018

 – Judge for Damonte Ranch Invitational Debate Tournament | 2018

 – Judge for We the People Congressional District 2 Competition | 2017-2018

 – Nevada State Bar Disciplinary Board | 2010-2011

 – West Truckee Meadows Citizen Advisory Board
   – Vice Chairman, 2010

 – West Truckee Meadows / Verdi Citizen Advisory Board, 2009-2010

Courses Taught

 – Enhancing Judicial Skills in Elder Abuse Cases. Served as faculty. National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, Minneapolis, Minnesota| 8/13-16/2017

 – Enhancing Judicial Skills in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop. Served as faculty. National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, Providence, Rhode Island | 6/23-27/2018

 – Civil Rights – Civil Gideon. Bruce R. Thompson Chapter American Inns of Court | 1/12/2016

 – Lawyers Gone Wild – What the State Bar Mandates about Drug and Alcohol Abuse. Winner of Phillip W. Bartlett Trophy. Bruce R. Thompson Chapter American Inns of Court | 5/13/14

 – Domestic Relations and Bankruptcy. Bruce R. Thompson Chapter, American Inns of Court | 2/13/2013

 – Weddings and Funerals: Evidence Presentation in UIFSA Cases. Ely Family Law Conference | 3/5/2012

Other Work Experience

Associate Attorney, Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard, and Smith | 2007 – 2008

 – In civil cases, participated in pre-trial discovery, conducted legal research, drafted briefs and pleadings, and appeared in court.

Associate Attorney, Alverson Taylor | 2006 – 2007

 – In civil cases, participated in pre-trial discovery, conducted legal research, drafted briefs and pleadings, and appeared in court.

Law Clerk, Zimmerman & Associates | 2003 – 2004

 – In civil cases, prepared cases for trial, conducted legal research, and wrote legal memos.