Pro Bono of the Month – September 2023

 James T. Leavitt of Leavitt Legal Services, P.C.

James is a native of Las Vegas and a sixth-generation Southern Nevadan. He comes from a local family comprised of many lawyers. James has a bachelor’s Degree in U.S. History from UNLV and earned his Juris Doctorate at the John Marshal Law School in Chicago. His primary practice is focused on consumer and business bankruptcy matters, including adverse proceedings and Chapter 11, Chapter 7, and Chapter 13 cases.

In his spare time, James has had the privilege of traveling to many places worldwide, including a year in Moscow, Russia.

James became involved with Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada when he formed his firm in 2016 and remains active in various pro bono projects throughout Southern Nevada. He has many friends here at Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and believes heavily in Legal Aid Center’s work for our community.

When we asked James why he does pro bono work, he stated that he firmly believes that if we as a society are going to state that the rule of law is important, then having access to the law is equally important. He said he has lived in other countries where the rule of law is only available to those who can afford it. He prefers to work in a society where differences between parties are resolved through the legal process rather than through violence. He also indicated that he believes that our system of law, while imperfect, is an important contrast to how disputes have historically been resolved. Ultimately, he firmly believes that it is his duty as an attorney and officer of the court to provide pro bono service and encourage other attorneys to do the same.

We asked James to share a story of a memorable client with us, and he responded that there have been so many, but recently, he represented an elderly, disabled gentleman who had been the victim of theft from a former friend. The fraud perpetrator attempted to declare bankruptcy to avoid paying the debt. Through Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada’s Partners in Pro Bono, James worked with a law student from Boyd Law School and ensured that the fraudster could not discharge the debt as it arose from a fraudulent act. The debt owed became non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. James continues helping this client and many others in our community pro bono.

We are proud to have James assisting and helping our community. James’s compassionate dedication to those in need makes him the great pro bono attorney he is. We are pleased to name him our Pro Bono of the month.