I’ve made it no secret since I started as executive director earlier this year that I think our organization needs a more aggressive legal department to help advance civil liberties in our state. Nevada has been through so much in the last year alone, including serious inequities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing issues related to racial injustice.
It is critical for our legal department to have the capacity to meet the needs of these extraordinary times, and I'm excited to announce the hiring of two new senior staff attorneys, Christopher Peterson and Jennifer Shomshor. Jen and Chris, together with our staff attorney, Nikki Levy, are going to pursue an aggressive litigation docket to address numerous civil rights issues affecting the state of Nevada. This marks a major turning point for the ACLU of Nevada.
Both of our new attorneys have extensive litigation experience. They will both work from our Las Vegas office with a focus on high-impact civil rights cases statewide.
Christopher Peterson is joining our team after an extensive stint with the Clark County Public Defender’s Office, where he has litigated a wide range of constitutional issues including illegal searches and seizures, due process violations, and more. Before joining the ACLUNV, Jennifer Shomshor worked as a litigator in both the private and public sector.
The ACLUNV legal department has won important victories for the state of Nevada in recent years. The nonprofit has shut down a discriminatory anti-immigrant ballot measure, fought for transparency around a planned execution and held the state accountable for its failure to provide appropriate representation to criminal defendants in rural counties who cannot afford an attorney.
With our bigger, better legal team, our organization is primed and ready to tackle Nevada's civil rights issues. Follow along, and join our union.
