Ryan Russell
Douglas County School District could have new legal counsel by the end of Tuesday’s school board meeting.
The need for new legal counsel became imperative after Joey Gilbert Law resigned during the December 2024 school board meeting.
During the future agenda item portion of the meeting Trustee Yvonne Wagstaff sought to schedule a special meeting to discuss the termination of Joey Gilbert Law, but withdrew the motion after Kendra Jepsen announced the plan to resign.
Gilbert was hired in July 2023 replacing Maupin, Cox & LeGoy, who represented the Douglas County School District since 1995.
During Tuesday’s meeting a contract between the school district and Allison MacKenzie Ltd. law firm, is expected to be presented to the board to discuss and take possible action to approve, approve with conditions, or deny services.
According to the agenda, if approved, attorney Ryan Russell will be the primary representative for the school district and the contract will include an hourly rate for legal services of up to $325 per hour with no guaranteed minimum and no retainer and will not exceed the budget for legal services for the current fiscal year.
Russell joined Allison MacKenzie in 2004. He holds a bachelor of science in business administration and management from the University of Nevada, Reno and a law degree from the University of Nevada’s William S. Boyd School of Law.
Russell served as a past member and president of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, and a member of Carson City Schools Foundation, among other services and has obtained a vast background of experience.
The board is also expected to discuss membership in the Nevada Association of School Boards, the budget, enrollment counts and a literacy plan.
