UNLV’s PILA Honors Attorney Mary Bacon with 2021 Silver State Staircase Award

Nevada peers nominated Spencer Fane LLP partner for pro bono work, volunteerism

UNLV’s Public Interest Law Association (PILA) has selected Spencer Fane LLP partner Mary Bacon as the 2021 recipient of its Silver State Staircase Award, honoring exceptional achievements in the Nevada legal community.

The Silver State Staircase Award is the highest and most prestigious of four accolades that will be awarded by PILA this year to members of the legal community for their commitment to public interest work. 

Bacon was nominated by several peers for her activism and pro bono work in the Las Vegas community, including her participation in Legal Aid of Southern Nevada’s Ask-a-Lawyer program.  

Bacon also participates in La Voz’s Huellas Mentorship Program at UNLV, which works to empower and promote law students with backgrounds not traditionally represented in the profession.

Most recently, Bacon joined forces with Marisa Rodriguez and Ryan Gormley to co-write monthly feature articles in Nevada Lawyer Magazine, entitled “Nevada Trailblazers” to spotlight diverse attorneys and their incredible contributions to our community.   

After being informed she was being honored with the award, Bacon commented, “I am so humbled that my peers thought of me for this honor. I’m excited to continue using my sphere of influence to make a difference for our community.” 

Along with helping to advance Latinx and women representation in the legal field — including helping to promote the Las Vegas Latino Bar Association’s Andale 5K — Bacon also volunteers as a legal observer and serves on the board of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance. 

“Mary’s dedication to bettering the lives of her clients, mentees, colleagues and community is not limited to one organization and truly deserves to be recognized,” said Andale 5K Race Director Marisa Rodriguez, an attorney. “Thank you, Mary, for your dedication to public interest work and for using your talents and time to better the lives of those around you.”

The awards will coincide with PILA’s 22^nd Silver State Auction, scheduled to be held virtually on March 25 at 6 p.m. Open bidding begins March 23, with all proceeds going directly toward student summer grants in public interest legal work. 

For more information about PILA, visit law.unlv.edu/students/student-organizations/pila.

MORE ABOUT MARY BACON

Mary Bacon is a full-service business litigation attorney and partner in the Las Vegas office of Spencer Fane LLP. 

Her law practice is focused on complex civil litigation in both state and federal court, involving construction disputes, breach-of-contract actions, and defending financial institutions and other business entities in a host of industries. 

She also handles construction litigation involving disputes between owners, general contractors and subcontractors, as well as performance and payment bond claims and mechanic’s lien issues.

In addition to being a board member of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, Bacon is also a member of the State Bar of Nevada, the State Bar of California, and the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Las Vegas Class of 2016.

MORE ABOUT SPENCER FANE LLP

Spencer Fane LLP works with business leaders, providing an unconventional approach to legal services geared toward protecting and advancing business and personal interests. Dating back to 1879, the firm has had a full-service business orientation since its founding.

The Las Vegas office is located at 300 S. Fourth St., Suite 950.  For more information, cal l702-408-3400 or visit spencerfane.com.  

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