THOMAS R - Home - State Bar of Nevada



THOMAS R. SHEETS

Attorney and Counselor

10170 W. Tropicana Avenue

Suite 156-389

Las Vegas, Nevada 89147-8465

702-241-0140 (business cell)

E-mail: tsheetsatty@

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Thomas R. Sheets Attorney and Counselor January 2013-present

Solo practitioner

Practice emphasis on energy law, state taxation, administrative law, public utilities, complex commercial litigation, ethics, arbitration and mediation.

McDonald Carano Wilson LLP January 2013-present

Of Counsel

Practice emphasis on energy law, state taxation, administrative law, public utilities and complex commercial litigation.

McDonald Carano Wilson LLP January 2011-December 2012

Partner

Partner in a major statewide Nevada law firm comprised of 60 lawyers with emphasis in the areas of energy law, administrative law, public utilities, government relations and complex commercial transactions.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission September 2009-December 2010

General Counsel

Chief legal officer of the Commission (FERC) responsible for the activities of approximately 165 lawyers, 20 support personnel and direction of the following sub organizations: Energy Markets Section; Energy Projects Section; Solicitor's Office; General and Administrative Law Section; and the Administration and Operations Group.

McDonald Carano Wilson October 2008-September 2009

Partner

Partner in a major statewide Nevada law firm comprised of 60 lawyers with emphasis in the areas of energy law, administrative law, public utilities, government relations and complex commercial transactions.

Southwest Gas Corporation August 1987–September 2008

Senior Vice President/General Counsel July 2000-September 2008

Supervision of a staff of eight attorneys and approximately 40 additional personnel with responsibility for the company’s legal, corporate compliance, corporate ethics, SEC, risk management, workers’ compensation, safety, insurance, and contract administration activities. Chief legal officer of Paiute Pipeline Company and general counsel of Northern Pipeline Construction Company (NPL), affiliated pipeline and construction concerns.

Vice President/General Counsel April 1996 - July 2000

Assistant General Counsel January 1994 - April 1996

Director/Regulatory Affairs January 1990 - December 1993

Associate General Counsel August 1989 - December 1989

Senior Attorney/Litigation August 1987 - July 1989

Texas Eastern Corporation May 1985 - July 1987

Senior Attorney

Represented the company in regulatory proceedings before the FERC, Economic Regulatory Administration, Canadian National Energy Board, and Federal Trade Commission. Testimony and governmental affairs work in Washington D.C. before and with congressional committees and offices and with the Canadian Parliament.

Public Service Commission of Nevada February, 1985 - May, 1985

Staff Counsel

Chief legal officer of the Regulatory Operations Staff of the Commission. Responsible for policy formulation and prosecution of regulatory litigation

Mason, Mason and Fridline July 1983 - Feb. 1985

Trial and administrative agency practice primarily in the areas of business, tort, real estate law, family law and criminal defense. Solicitor of the Village of Jeromesville, Ohio.

Sierra Pacific Resources July 1981 - July 1983

Senior Attorney

Representation of the company in regulatory proceedings before the FERC, Nevada and California Commissions and in civil court litigation. Legislative testimony and support.

The Toledo Edison Company Jan. 1976 - July 1981

Senior Attorney

Litigation of electric, gas and steam rate and regulatory matters. Litigation of tort claims, contracts, credit, collection and real estate matters.

GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Court Appointed Special Master July 2011-October 2011

Panel Chairman

The First Judicial District Court of Nevada as a result of litigation challenging Nevada’s inability to reach an agreement on reapportionment acceptable to the governor and the legislature appointed a panel of three special masters to take testimony and evidence, make findings of fact and reach conclusions of law regarding reapportionment of Nevada’s United States House of Representative Districts and Nevada’s state Senate and Assembly Districts. The Masters recommended a reapportionment plan to the Court which, with minimal modification, was adopted and implemented by the State and without further litigation ensuing.

Nevada Tax Commission November 2013-present

December 2003-September 2009

Chairman and Member

Appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval in November 2013 as a member of the Nevada Tax Commission. Appointed and re-appointed by Governor Kenny Guinn to terms from December 2003 through September 2009 first as a member and then for almost five years as chairman of the commission. The Commission is responsible for the overall administration and the operations of the Nevada Department of Taxation and Nevada’s state tax system.

Nevada Ethics Commission September 2001-December 2003

Chairman and member

Appointed by Governor Kenny Guinn as a member of the Nevada Commission on Ethics and named chairman nine months later. The Commission is responsible for administering and enforcing Nevada’s ethics in government law

Justice Court, Las Vegas Township January 1993-September 2009

January 2011-December 2012

Judge Pro Tem

Appointed nine times to two year terms by the Clark County Commission as one of sixteen pro tem justice of the peace to provide coverage for elected judges in the event of their absence or unavailability. The court handles lesser civil matters, criminal misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, evictions and protective order proceedings among other matters.

EDUCATION

University of Toledo, College of Law, J.D. 1975

Ashland University, B.A. 1973

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Admitted to practice – Ohio; Nevada; Texas; United States Supreme Court; Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals; D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals; Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; U.S. District Court, Nevada; and U.S. District Court, Northern Ohio

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

State Bars of Nevada, Ohio, and Texas; Federal Energy Bar Association; Clark County Bar Association; American Gas Association; Western Energy Institute.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

American Arbitration Association 1977-present

Arbitrator and Mediator

Member of American Arbitration Association national roster of neutrals since 1978. Mediation work since 1997. Cases have included complex construction contract disputes, energy disputes and general corporate disputes. Member AAA National Energy Advisory Committee.

Other

Court Annexed Arbitrator, Nevada

Former Member/Professionalism Committee, State Bar of Nevada

Former Municipal Judge Pro Tempore, City of Las Vegas

Former Member/Board of Directors, Friends of Channel 10, Nevada Public Television

Former Member/Board of Directors KNPR, Nevada Public Radio

Past President, Clark County Bar Association

Former Member/Board of Directors, Clark County Pro Bono Project

Former Member, UNLV Statewide Law School Advisory Panel

Former Chair, Clark County Law Foundation

Former Member/Nevada State Bar Judicial Ethics & Election Committee

Former Member and Co-Chair, Nevada State Bar Administrative Law Committee

Member of the Nevada State Bar Energy, Utilities and Communication Law Section

FAMILY

Married to Sandra E. Sheets 6/2/73

Two adult children

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