2024 Board of Governors Candidates

The State Bar of Nevada has begun its annual elections for members of the Board of Governors. Elections begin Tuesday, April 9, 2024, and end on  Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Pacific Time.

Your vote is extremely important, and this year, it’s easier than ever to participate!

Bar members eligible to vote in the following contested race will receive an email from YesElections containing a voting link. It provides voters with a secure and confidential way to access the online voting and tabulation system. If you did not receive your email, contact Manny Botello at mannyb@nvbar.org.

Expanded candidate biography information is found below. Use the links to navigate to each candidate’s information.

District One – Clark County: One Seat

The eligible candidates for District One include:

District Two – Rural Counties: One Seat

The eligible candidates for District Two include:

District One – Clark County: Candidate Statements

CLAUDIA AGUAYO

  • Email: claudiaaguayo@gmail.com
  • Date of admission to practice in Nevada: 2003
  • Firm: City of North Las Vegas
  • Present position: Assistant City Attorney
  • Practice area of law: Labor and Employment Law; Constitutional Law; Municipal Law
  • Affiliations: Clark County Bar Association; Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys; Nevada Latino Bar Association; Las Vegas National Bar Association; Public Attorneys Section; Labor/Employment Law Section

Candidate’s Statement:

Claudia Aguayo serves as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of North Las Vegas. She provides general legal counsel and litigates primarily Labor/Employment matters. Claudia received the 2022 Liberty Bell Award, an award honoring individuals who uphold the rule of law and contribute to good government within the community. In 2021, Claudia was named Volunteer of the Year by the State Bar of Nevada.

Claudia is committed to public service. In 2023 and 2024, she was a member of the Nevada Judicial Selection Commission. Claudia was also a member of the U.S. District Court Federal Magistrate Selection Commission in 2023. She routinely volunteers for the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada’s Children Attorney Project and as a mentor for the Boyd School of Law Huellas Mentorship Program.

Claudia is a proud wife and mother of two. She grew up in downtown Las Vegas, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada, Reno and attended law school at the University of California, Davis. She is licensed to practice law in Nevada and California.

Candidate Statement:

I am passionate about maintaining high standards of professionalism amongst attorneys and preserving trust and integrity in our justice system. If elected, my goals are to: (1) Enhance member services; (2) Foster transparency, especially regarding financial matters; (3) Facilitate open communication with members, bar leaders and the Board; (4) Encourage high standards of professionalism amongst attorneys; and (5) Enhance the quality of legal education programs offered to bar members. I appreciate your vote and the opportunity to serve the interests of all Nevada attorneys and the public. Thank you for your kind consideration.

JOHN ALDRICH

  • Email: jaldrich@johnaldrichlawfirm.com
  • Date of admission to practice in Nevada: 1999
  • Firm: Aldrich Law Firm, Ltd.
  • Present position: Managing Partner/President
  • Practice area of law: Complex commercial litigation, personal injury, general civil litigation
  • Affiliations: Clark County Bar Association (CCBA), President, 2018; CCBA Board Member 2010-2019

Candidate’s Statement:

I would be pleased to serve on the State Bar of Nevada’s Board of Governors. Southern Nevada has some of the best attorneys (as people and lawyers) in the United States, and I will work hard to serve the members of the Bar.

Since moving to southern Nevada twenty-five years ago, I have sought to serve this community in various capacities. From 2010-2019, I was on the Board of the Clark County Bar Association (CCBA), serving as its President in 2018. I have served the community in other ways as well – as a youth sports coach (my best estimate is 60+ teams in basketball, soccer, flag football, and baseball), on a charitable board that focuses on benefitting southern Nevada’s children, and in various capacities as a leader in my local church congregation.

In 2004, I founded what is now Aldrich Law Firm, Ltd. Over the past 20 years, we have worked hard to build a solid reputation as hard-working, honest attorneys who work for the benefit of their clients while maintaining excellent relationships with opposing counsel, courts, court staff, and everyone we work with.

I graduated from Brigham Young University in 1995 with a B.A. in Economics. In 1999, I graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law and moved to Las Vegas. My wife, Amie, and I have five great sons, two fantastic daughters-in-law, and two perfect grandchildren.

It would be a privilege to serve on the Board of Governors.

District Two – Rural Counties: Candidate Statements

BENJAMIN C. GAUMOND

  • Email: ben@bengaumondlawfirm.com
  • Date of admission to practice in Nevada: 2002
  • Firm: Ben Gaumond Law Firm, PLLC
  • Present position: Owner and founder
  • Practice area of law: Criminal defense and civil citation defense
  • Affiliations: President, Elko County Bar Association

Candidate’s Statement:

Here’s what I bring to the table:

  1. 21 years of law practice in the State of Nevada.
  2. 19 years of dedication to rural Nevada.
  3. President, Elko County Bar Association since 2023 and a CLE presenter for 3 classes.
  4. 16 years as a public defender for both the State of Nevada and the County.
  5. Experienced litigator with 61 jury trials as first chair.
  6. 4 appearances in the Nevada Supreme Court for oral argument.
  7. J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
  8. B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (graduated magna cum laude).
  9. Phi Beta Kappa induction.
  10. Pro bono practitioner for both criminal and civil cases.

Here’s what I will do as a member of the Board of Governors:

  1. Support rule changes to give out-of-state lawyers more leeway to move to rural Nevada.
  2. Support efforts to incentivize out-of-state lawyers to move to rural Nevada and local lawyers to stay here.
  3. Deal with the severe shortage of attorneys in rural Nevada so as to work with the various counties and the State to find solutions – especially when it comes to indigent defendants and the long waits that they incur to be appointed counsel.
  4. Advocate for rural Nevada to members of the legislature as well as to individuals in the executive branch.
  5. Maintain fiscal responsibility in the Board of Governors so as to stall any increase in bar dues as long as possible.
  6. Maintain the integrity of the Bar and advocate for appropriate measures for attorneys who threaten that integrity – including disciplinary measures.

Why is Ben running? Here’s why:

  1. After starting my own law practice and becoming a businessman, I felt it was time to give back to the community.
  2. Rural Nevada is in crisis with the severe shortage of attorneys. Many litigants are being denied justice as a result. I can’t sit on my hands and do nothing!
  3. I love this state. I’ve been here 21 years. I was not born here, but I’m here to stay!

TYLER INGRAM

  • Email: elkoda@elkocountynv.net
  • Date of admission to practice in Nevada: 2010
  • Firm: Elko County
  • Present position: District Attorney
  • Practice area of law: Government

Candidate’s Statement:

Tyler Ingram was born and raised in Fallon, Nevada. After graduating from the University of Nevada Reno, Tyler earned his Juris Doctor degree from Thomas M. Cooley law school in Lansing, Michigan, and then completed a one-year law clerk position for the Honorable Albert Northrop in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Tyler was admitted to practice law in Nevada in 2010 and then moved back home to Nevada where he began his career as a prosecutor with the Elko County District Attorney’s Office.

In 2016, the Elko County Board of Commissioners appointed Tyler as Elko County District Attorney and he was elected to that position in 2018 and again in 2022. Tyler served as the Nevada District Attorney’s Association President and in 2021, the Nevada Attorney General appointed him to the statewide Committee on Domestic Violence. Tyler serves as the co-chair of the statewide Fatality Review Team and is a member of the Mule Deer Enhancement Subcommittee for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Additionally, Tyler is the chair of the Community Development Committee for Nevada Gold Mines.

While serving as District Attorney, Tyler approached the Elko County Board of Commissioners with a request to build and operate rural Nevada’s first accredited Child Advocacy Center, and in 2023 the Great Basin Children’s Advocacy Center opened its doors to provide much-needed services to victims of child abuse for Elko, Eureka, Lander, and White Pine County.

JONATHAN K. NELSON

  • Email: Jonathan@jknelsonlaw.com
  • Date of admission to practice in Nevada: 2012
  • Firm: JK Nelson Law
  • Present position: Managing attorney
  • Practice area of law: Family and probate
  • Affiliations: Family Section and Probate Section of State Bar of Nevada, licensed in the State of Michigan since 2008.

Candidate’s Statement:

I am Jonathan K. Nelson, an attorney with a passion for serving the legal community in Nevada. Since 2012, I have dedicated myself to the practice of law, specializing in various aspects of legal representation. Managing a small law firm has provided me with invaluable experience and insights into the intricacies of what attorneys face as they maneuver an ever changing environment along with balancing their legal responsibilities and exceeding client expectations.

My journey in the legal profession has taken me to rural Nevada, where I have been actively practicing since 2013. During this time, I have handled civil and criminal cases in several of the rural districts and served as a Nye County public defender for a few years. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by attorneys outside of the more urban centers such as Washoe and Clark County.

I am running for the Nevada State Bar Board of Governors because I am committed to enhancing the legal landscape in our state. I firmly believe that every attorney, regardless of their location, deserves access to resources and support that facilitate professional growth and excellence. By fostering more frequent engagement among rural attorneys, we can enhance communication and collaboration, ultimately improving working relationships even in adversarial settings. Therefore, if elected, I would prioritize the development of programs and resources specifically tailored to attorneys practicing in rural Nevada.

My candidacy is driven by a genuine desire to serve the legal community of Nevada and ensure that all attorneys have the support they need to thrive professionally. My years of practice and management of my own firm have equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to serve effectively on the Board of Governors, and I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the continued excellence of the Nevada State Bar.