Charles Eugene Deskins II

Associate

Charles Deskins’ practice focuses on insurance defense, bankruptcy, business law contract formations, trademark registration and defense, and basic tort claims. He is also experienced in regulatory gaming matters, family law, and estate planning.

Mr. Deskins received his Juris Doctor from Charlotte School of Law in 2015. He went on to earn his LLM from The William S. Boyd School of Law in 2018, becoming the first and currently only African American Male to receive a gaming policy & regulation LLM in the world. Mr. Deskins previously served as a Regulatory Compliance Manager and Associate General Counsel for a gaming company in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2022, he was honored with the National Bar Association’s “Top 40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocates” award.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Nevada, 2020
  • U.S. District Court, District of Nevada

Location

Las Vegas Office
1160 North Town Center Drive
Suite 330
Las Vegas, NV 89144

Education

JD: Charlotte School of Law, 2015

LLM: University of Nevada-Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law, 2018, Gaming Policy and Regulation

BA: University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, 2005, Criminal Justice

Contact

deskinsc@hallevans.com

More About
Charles

Resume

Linkedin

Professional Associations
  • International Association of Gaming Advisors
  • State Bar of Nevada, Gaming Law Section
  • Clark County Bar Association
  • National Bar Association
Career Distinctions & Honors
  • “Top 40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocates”, The National Bar Association, 2022
Other Activities
  • An avid sports fan, Mr. Deskins enjoys horse racing and professional football in his spare time.

Svetlana V. Scherr

Associate

Svetlana Scherr defends employers and insurers in a variety of legal matters stemming from workers’ compensation claims.  Ms. Scherr is also experienced with trusts and estates, employment agreements, tax compliance, business valuation, accounting, financial reporting, and auditing.

Before her legal career, Ms. Scherr spent a decade in the accounting and tax arenas.  She is a Certified Public Accountant and is Accredited in Business Valuations.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2022
  • Utah, 2024
  • South Dakota, 2025
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

JD: University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 2021
BS: University of South Alabama, 2012, Business Administration, cum laude

Contact

scherrs@hallevans.com

More About
Svetlana

Resume

Linkedin

Professional Associations
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
  • Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants
License
  • Certified Public Accountant
  • Accredited in Business Valuation by the AICPA
Languages
  • Russian

Edmund M. Kennedy

Counsel

Mr. Kennedy’s practice focuses on trial and appellate litigation which includes civil rights, constitutional law, employment discrimination, administrative law, and other civil and commercial litigation. Mr. Kennedy represents a variety of public entities, private businesses, corporations, and insurers in litigation matters both before the trial courts and on appeal. Mr. Kennedy’s practice also includes transactional work in estate planning, including issues related to taxation, drafting of wills and trusts, and powers of attorney.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1999
  • New Mexico, 2000
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

JD: The John Marshall Law School, 1998
LLM: The John Marshall Law School, 1999, Concentration in Estate and Personal Financial Planning
BA: Colorado State University, 1987

Contact

kennedye@hallevans.com

More About
Edmund

Resume

Linkedin

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • Law Clerk, Judge Rudy S. Apodaca, New Mexico Court of Appeals
  • Law Clerk, Judge Raymond D. Jones, Colorado Court of Appeals
Professional Associations
  • Colorado Defense Lawyers Association
Articles & Publications // Presentations // Webinars
  • Speaker, “Workplace Violence,” CLE Program, 2006
  • Speaker, “Colorado Personnel Law Update,” CLE program, 2005
  • Speaker, “New Commissioner and Elected Official Orientation for County Officials in Colorado,” Colorado Counties, Inc., 2005
  • Speaker, “Legal Issues Involving Colorado Local Governments,” CLE program 2005
  • Speaker, “ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation in Colorado,” CLE program, 2003

Joyce H. Nakamura

Senior Counsel

Ms. Nakamura concentrates in estate planning, trust and estate administration, litigation, business succession planning, charitable planning, employee benefits and ERISA, including ERISA litigation.

Ms. Nakamura’s estate planning and trust and estate administration practice includes income and estate tax planning; succession planning for the closely held business owner; charitable planning; drafting of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney; administration of estates for decedents, minors, and protected persons; and the representation of clients in estate and trust litigation.

She works extensively with clients in the selection and implementation of welfare benefit plans and pension benefit plans. Ms. Nakamura works with clients in the area of compensation planning including the design and implementation of qualified and non qualified retirement plans, deferred compensation arrangements, qualified and non qualified stock options, and employee stock ownership plans. Additionally she assists clients in the claims review process and represents numerous clients in their capacity as trustees and plan administrators of ERISA plans.

Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 1984
  • Hawaii (inactive)

Location

Denver Office
1001 17th Street
Suite 300
Denver, CO 80202

Education

LLM: University of Denver Graduate Tax Program, 1983
JD: Hastings College of Law, University of California, 1982
BA: University of Hawaii, 1978

Contact

nakamuraj@hallevans.com

More About
Joyce

Resume

Linkedin

 

Career Distinctions & Honors
  • The Denver Foundation Philanthropic Leadership Award, 2016
  • Denver Five Star Financial Services Professional, 2015-2021
Professional Associations
  • American Bar Association
    • Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section
  • Colorado Bar Association
    • Trust and Estate Section
    • Elder Law Section
  • Denver Bar Association
  • Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable
  • Strategic Connection of Colorado by Thought Leaders Forum, Denver Chapter
  • The Denver Foundation, Board of Trustees
  • Dumb Friends League, Volunteer
  • Rocky Mountain Estate Planning Council
  • Rose Community Foundation, Volunteer, Professional Advisor Council
  • CAN DO Multiple Sclerosis Board Member
  • Graduate of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, “50 For Colorado” Program
Blog Posts About Joyce

© 2012-2025 Hall & Evans, LLC | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy