Practice Areas & Industries: Lionel Sawyer & Collins

Practice/Industry Group Overview

Lionel Sawyer & Collins has the largest and most experienced gaming law practice in the world. Collectively, the attorneys of Lionel Sawyer & Collins' Gaming Law Practice Group represent a remarkable 160+ years of experience in gaming control and gaming law. Lionel Sawyer & Collins represents many major entities in the gaming and resort industries. Members of the Gaming Practice Group have assisted clients in all aspects of casino and resort development, including procuring gaming, liquor, business, and all other necessary state and local licenses, permits, and approvals; representing entities before state and local regulatory agencies; facilitating financing and business reorganization; ensuring compliance with state and local regulation; obtaining zoning and loan use approvals; assisting with gaming taxation issues; participating in gaming law litigation; and representing gaming interests before the Nevada State Legislature and the U.S. Congress. Additionally, Lionel Sawyer & Collins has extensive experience assisting jurisdictions in which gaming is emerging as a new or developing industry.

Due to its depth of experience, the Firm has had the opportunity to counsel state and local government entities and foreign countries in establishing their gaming regulatory systems.

Robert D. Faiss, Chairman of the Firm's Gaming and Regulatory Law Department, is one of the world's foremost authorities on gaming law. Mr. Faiss was named as the premier gaming attorney in the United States and one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America by the National Law Journal. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America for Gaming Law and is included in Mountain States Super Lawyers' "The Top 75." He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award in gaming law from the Nevada Gaming Attorneys and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) International Gaming Institute. Mr. Faiss has represented the gaming industry in the Nevada State Legislature for the past 30 years. He was selected by the Detroit City Council to serve as its special gaming counsel in the creation of Detroit's casino regulations. From 1998 through 2003, Mr. Faiss served on the Bank Secrecy Act Advisory Group of the U.S. Department of Treasury as the representative of the U.S. casino industry. Mr. Faiss has testified before the U.S. Senate on amendments to the Bank Secrecy Act, and before the National Gambling Impact Study Commission on casino credit practices and procedures. He has been an Adjunct Professor in gaming law and policy since 2001 at the William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to joining Lionel Sawyer & Collins, Mr. Faiss was City Editor of the Las Vegas Sun, Assistant Executive Secretary to the Nevada Gaming Commission, Executive Assistant to the Governor of Nevada and a White House Staff Assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Chambers USA describes Bob Faiss as "one of the most prominent gaming attorneys in the States; he helped forge modern legalized gaming."