Mark Ferrario focuses his practice on complex civil litigation in a broad spectrum of areas. Named a 2009 "Mountain States Super Lawyer," he is an experienced trial attorney who has utilized his persuasive skills to obtain results in a wide variety of high profile multi-party suits. During the course of his 28-year career, he served as lead counsel in numerous jury and bench trials and arbitrations as well as appeals in matters involving construction law, contract disputes, civil rights, election law and tort litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Mark worked in the hotel casino industry in a number of capacities, practicing law since 1981.
Areas of Concentration
· Commercial litigation
· Construction litigation
· Election litigation
· Civil rights defense
Significant Representations
Complex Commercial Litigation
· Worked as part of a team that recovered approximately 94 cents on the dollar for clients defrauded in a highly publicized scheme through which a 1031 exchange company defrauded investors of approximately $97 million.
· Acted as one of the lead lawyers in a suit against Park Place Entertainment arising from the failed sale of the Las Vegas Hilton which resulted in a settlement for his client.
· Obtained an injunction preventing a major casino resort from ousting a major restaurant.
· Achieved a favorable outcome for a title company defending against fraud claims, with $0 recovery for the plaintiffs.
· Served as part of the lead trial team in the $90 million dollar lawsuit that resulted from the 1988 PEPCON chemical plant explosion in Henderson, Nevada which resulted in settlements totaling approximately $87 million.
· Worked on both the MGM Grand and Hilton hotel fire cases obtaining a favorable result for his client, a major subcontractor on both projects.
· Achieved dismissals and other favorable outcomes for a gaming company in claims that gaming jackpots were not properly paid.
· Achieved a favorable outcome before a three member arbitration panel for a business owner defending against a $7 million construction claim brought by a national contractor in a AAA arbitration matter.
· Achieved a favorable outcome for a subcontractor seeking $2.5 million in compensation from a national contractor and a major casino resort.
· Achieved a favorable outcome for a major local builder in one of the first significant suits by the federal government regarding enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.
Election Litigation
· Persuaded the District Court to strike unconstitutional provisions of the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act., an anti-smoking ballot initiative, and continues to both defend that decision, as well as challenge the remaining offending provisions in the Nevada Supreme Court in 2008.
· Persuaded the Nevada Supreme court to strike substantial portions of the eminent domain initiative led by PISTOL, or the Peoples Initiative to Stop the Taking of Land, preventing the devastation of Nevada development.
· Represented the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association during several sessions of the Nevada Legislature.
Civil Rights Defense
· Obtained dismissal of nearly all claims of IDEA and civil rights violations, leading to a settlement in favor of a school district.
· Obtained summary judgment in favor of a school district on claims that a teacher's free speech rights were violated.
· Achieved summary judgment for an exclusive southern Nevada country club and prominent developer against highly publicized allegations of federal civil rights violations.
General Litigation
· Achieved a settlement mid-trial for a plaintiff in a medical malpractice suit involving catastrophic injuries.
· Defended local nightclub in an arbitration claim by a disc jockey.
· Represented a number of businesses in a wide variety of disputes achieving favorable results in a number of different areas.
Administrative Litigation
· Represented casino owner Lonnie "Ted" Binion in his lengthy legal battle with Nevada gaming regulators to maintain his gaming license.
*Some of the above representations were handled by Mr. Ferrario prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Professional & Community Involvement
· Member, American Bar Association
· Member, Clark County Bar Association
· Member, Board of Directors, Nevada Federal Credit Union (1996-Present)
· Member, Board of Trustees, Safe Nest
· Member, State Bar of Nevada
- Former Member, Professionalism Committee
Awards & Recognition
· Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, 2010-2012
- Banking and Finance Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Labor and Employment Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
· Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Mountain States Super Lawyers, 2010-2011
· Recognized, Chambers USA - America's Leading Lawyers for Business, General Commercial Litigation - Nevada, 2007-2011
· Rated, AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5
Articles, Publications, & Lectures
· Co-Author, "Keeping it Real: Connecting with the Jury in a Digital Age," Communiqué, October 2011
· Co-Author, "Jury Questionaires: Getting the 411 on Potential Jurors," Communiqué, August 2010
Mark has lectured on construction-related issues and given presentations to trade groups on construction law. He has also participated in panel discussions representing clients in contested matters in front of the Nevada gaming regulators.